instructional coaching professional learning

Jennifer Hlavka serves as the Coordinator for National Board Certification & Teacher Career Pathways in Howard County, Maryland. Jennifer started her teaching career with Baltimore City Public Schools teaching elementary grades before being named a Response to Intervention Coordinator for grades K – 8 in reading and math. During this time she was identified as a City Schools Model Teacher. Later she was promoted to the BCPSS District Office as a Teacher Development Specialist before transitioning to a similar role in Howard County.

In HCPSS she has partnered with teacher leaders to develop and scale a national award-winning support program for National Board Certification candidates. Jennifer also leads system-wide initiatives such as instructional mentoring, Title II-A, and major grant funding, teacher leadership initiatives, and implementation of high impact professional learning.

Jennifer received her Master of Arts in Teaching and her Administration & Supervision certificate from Johns Hopkins University, her Literacy Coach certificate from University of Maryland, and her Masters of Business & Administration from Loyola University, Maryland. Jennifer also has the pleasure of working with ICG as a training consultant.

Jennifer’s career is grounded in a joy for learning with a focus on providing professional learning that sparks curiosity and engagement. In each learning experience, Jennifer aims to strengthen the capacity, motivation, and efficacy for those who serve public education to create learning environments where every student and staff member looks forward to their work together each day.

Dr. Jim Knight, Founder and Senior Partner of Instructional Coaching Group (ICG), is also a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. He has spent more than two decades studying professional learning and instructional coaching.

Jim earned his PhD in Education from the University of Kansas and has won several university teaching, innovation, and service awards. The pioneering work Jim and his colleagues have conducted has led to many innovations that are now central to professional development in schools.

Jim wrote the first major article about instructional coaching for the Journal of Staff Development, and his book Instructional Coaching (2007) offered the first extended description
of instructional coaching. Jim’s book Focus on Teaching (2014) was the first extended description of how video should be used for professional learning. Recently, writing with Ann Hoffman, Michelle Harris, and Sharon Thomas, Jim introduced the idea of instructional playbooks with their book on that topic. Jim has written several books in addition to those described above, including Unmistakable Impact (2011), High-Impact Instruction (2013), Better Conversations (2015), The Impact Cycle (2018), The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching (2021), Data Rules (2024), and The IC Toolkit (2024).

Jim has also authored articles on instructional coaching and professional learning in publications such as “Educational Leadership”, “The Journal of Staff Development”, “Principal Leadership”, “The School Administrator”, and “Kappan”. Jim is also a columnist for “Educational Leadership”.

Through ICG, Jim conducts coaching workshops, hosts “Coaching Conversations” podcast, and provides consulting for coaching programs around the world.

Amy Musante is an educator and instructional coach, and at the heart of her work is a belief in learning with others, building relationships and helping diversified school communities move into action that authentically suits their unique needs. She spent 18 years in Oregon as a High School English Language Arts teacher, Instructional Coach, and Secondary Schools Intervention Specialist. She received her MA from Teachers College, Columbia University with a focus on Secondary literacy. Amy supports districts and leaders nationally and internationally in her work with ICG intentionally focusing on developing long term partnerships to impact outcomes for all students in all classrooms. Amy serves on a Board with the State University of New York (SUNY) system focusing on impacting the student experience at the high school and college level. In her free time, she loves reading, spending time in nature, seeing friends and family, and cheering on Buffalo sports teams!

Coming from a family of educators, Christina Ortega has devoted her career to public education for over 20 years in various capacities. She started her career as a Special Education Teacher teaching full-time learning support students. Christina then transitioned to the regular education classroom where she gained teaching experience at the elementary and middle school levels.

During her time as a classroom teacher and tenure as a technology facilitator, she found her passion for coaching and high impact instruction. In this role, she learned, implemented, and promoted blended learning with high impact instructional strategies in her building and district by way of professional development sessions and facilitative coaching capacities.

Christina transitioned into a full time Instructional Coaching role serving teachers at K-12 levels. It was in this role that she deepened her understanding of the Instructional Coaching Group and their resources as she transformed the district’s coaching program.

Today, Christina is a district level administrator as the Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator where she continues to expand her impact of empowering and equipping teachers, instructional coaches, and leadership teams with high effect instructional strategies for all students.

Christina lives in Hershey, PA with her husband, daughter, and their chocolate lab, Beauty.

Christina’s favorite quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Dr. Maya Angelou

Sonja is an experienced educator, school leader, and coach who has supported students and teachers across Canada, Ethiopia, and Australia for over 14 years. Based in Toronto, she is a Consultant at Instructional Coaching Group (ICG). Sonja is dedicated to advancing coaching and effective professional learning in education so that students, teachers, and school leaders everywhere have the support they need to flourish.

A certified coach with Growth Coaching International, Sonja holds the European Mentoring and Coaching Council’s Global Accreditation at the Practitioner level. She is a Senior Mentor Coach and facilitator with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education Mentorship Program at the University of Toronto.

Guided by values of respect, kindness, and empathy, Sonja sees the best in others and believes in the limitless potential of every individual she serves. Outside of work, she loves fitness, time with family and friends, cheering on local sports teams, and is on a mission to keep her plants alive!

Mary began her teaching career in Texas where she taught fourth grade, third grade, and served as a school librarian before becoming a campus administrator. With more than 19 years of experience in administration as an assistant principal, principal, and Managing Director of Elementary Instruction, Mary successfully built her large suburban’s district elementary instructional coaching program into a cohesive and robust support program for teachers and students in partnership with the Instructional Coaching Group. Mary received her doctoral degree in Education Leadership from the University of North Texas where her focus was identifying the systems and supports a district can put into place to support the Principal and Instructional Coach. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband Scott, and two sons Kieran and Thomas.

Jessica began her educational career in Gwinnett County, Georgia, as an elementary school teacher. After seven years of teaching fourth grade, she transitioned into the role of an intervention teacher and instructional coach, where she found her true passion in education. Becoming a school-based instructional coach opened new possibilities for how to support education. After serving her school for two years as a coach, she joined the Curriculum & Instruction department where she served as a Literacy Instructional Specialist, and then a Leadership & Staff Development Instructional Coach. Jessica’s true passion exists in the learning spaces where adults can explore instructional coaching and facilitation that prioritizes people and energizes educators.

Jessica received her doctoral degree in School Improvement from the University of West Georgia where her focus was facilitation of adult learning. When not working, Jessica enjoys hiking, movie night with her family, and working on DIY projects around the house.