When I first started using manipulatives as a classroom teacher, I felt uncomfortable and unsure. I often worried that students would misuse them or get distracted, and I questioned whether they were really helping students understand math. However, over time, I realized that manipulatives weren't just "extra tools"; they were a crucial way for students to make abstract math concepts concrete and visible. That personal experience shaped how I approach coaching today, especially when I work with teachers who feel hesitant or uneasy about using manipulatives in their classrooms (Knight, 2017, p. 22).
Turning Hesitation into Discovery
Many teachers view manipulatives as "toys" that distract students rather than tools that support understanding. This viewpoint is understandable, especially in kindergarten and first grade. Students may not know that manipulatives are tools for learning. One of the best pieces of advice I received as a new teacher was to give students the manipulatives for the first two weeks of school to explore and play with. This gets the students time to "play" before using the manipulatives as tools for learning. The teacher I'm currently coaching is not resistant to using manipulatives, but is uncertain about how to introduce them to the class. She had never been shown how manipulatives can reveal student thinking and make abstract concepts visible.
Following Jim Knight's Impact Cycle, we co-identified a clear goal: help her students explain their mathematical reasoning more clearly (Knight, 2017, p. 30). Instead of pushing her to use manipulatives immediately, we co-planned and engaged in reflective dialogue (Knight, 2017, p. 14). When her students began using manipulatives to demonstrate their thinking, she was able to see who struggled and where the misconception was. To sustain growth, I will incorporate co-teaching, notice and name, and encourage incremental success (Sweeney & Harris, 2017, p.78).
Implementing Research-Based Technology Coaching
Schachner et al. (2024) highlights how coaching, when implemented systematically, strengthens teaching practices across contexts. Effective coaching depends on strong, trusting partnerships where feedback is individualized and responsive ( Schacher et al., 2024, p. 12). Coaching cycles with clear goals, observations, and reflective dialogue align with Knight's (2018) Impact Cycle and allow teachers to practice new strategies in context.
This study also emphasizes job-embedded learning opportunities. Coaching is most effective when it happens in teachers' daily work, with immediate feedback and chances to adjust practice. Finally, coaches need content expertise and ongoing professional development to support meaningful change (Schachner et al., 2024, p. 27).
These principles reinforce that coaching manipulatives and technology isn't a one-time training; it's a sustained, evidence-based partnership.
The Coach I Strive to Be
I aim to be a collaborative, reflective math coach; a partner who empowers teachers to explore, experiment, and take ownership of their growth. Guided by Knight's partnership principles — equality, choice, voice, dialogue, reflection, praxis, and reciprocity — I build trust and foster curiosity (Knight, 2017, p. 44).
Sweeney and Harris (2017) emphasize the use of student-centered approaches, including invitational language, inquiry-based conversations, and reflection, all aligned with learning goals (pp. 60-63). In practice, this means I don't "tell" teachers what to do; I help them see what's possible and feel supported while they try it.
Becoming an Effective Coach
In my school, I hope to shift teachers from "we use manipulatives because we're told to" to "we use manipulatives because they deepen understanding" (Sweeney & Harris, 2017, p. 112). I hope to contribute to a movement that prioritizes student sense-making, productive struggle, and conceptual fluency.
Effective coaches listen deeply, ask reflective questions, follow through consistently, and celebrate growth. Real growth happens when schools allocate time for collaboration, reflection, and shared leadership (Schacher et al., 2024, pp. 24-25).
Reflection, Growth, and Support
As I engage more deeply with The Impact Cycle, I want to refine my skills in goal-setting, observation, and reflective questioning (Knight, 2017, p. 57). My biggest anxiety lies in addressing teacher resistance or systematic barriers, but research reassures me that trust and persistence can overcome both (Schacher et al., 2024, p. 31).
As a new math coach, having a coach of my own allows me to stay reflective and grounded. Even coaches need coaching to stay curious, challenged, and connected (Knight, 2017, p. 19). Coaching helps teachers see what's possible, take intentional risks, and unlock deeper learning for themselves and their students.
References
Diane Sweeney Consulting. (2025). Getting Started with Student-Centered Coaching by author Diane Sweeney. Student-Centered Coaching. https://www.dianesweeney.com/getting-started-with-student-centered-coaching/
Knight, J. (2017). The Impact Cycle: What Instructional Coaches Should Do to Foster Powerful Improvements in Teaching. Corwin Press.
Schachner, A., Yun, C., Melnick, H., & Barajas, J. (2024). Coaching at Scale: A strategy for strengthening the early learning workforce.https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED658814
Sweeney, D., & Harris, L. S. (2016). Student-Centered Coaching: the moves. Corwin Press.
TheOpenWindow. (2022, September 14). Jim Knight’s impact cycles explained [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i2hAB6JczA
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