A common question when meeting someone new or catching up with an old friend is, “what do you do?” When I respond with, “I’m an Instructional Coach,” most of the time there is a follow-up question alluding to not knowing what this means. An instructional coach works directly with teachers to help guide them in improving their teaching. This is done through coaching cycles. These cycles begin with reflecting on student data to identify what students are needing more support with and creating a plan to better meet these needs through co-planning, co-teaching, observing, and providing feedback. Throughout these coaching cycles, instructional coaches act as connectors, supporters, and thought partners to meet the unique needs of each teacher just as teachers work to meet the needs of their students.