📋 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
Copy any prompt below, paste it into AI Math Coach, fill in the [bracketed fields], and hit send. Each prompt is tagged with the role(s) it's most useful for:
- Coach — Instructional coaches and math coaches supporting teachers day-to-day
- Principal — Building leaders observing and supporting math instruction school-wide
- Math TL — Math teacher leaders facilitating PD or leading grade-level teams
- All Roles — Useful for everyone in a leadership or coaching position
The more context you share with AI Math Coach, the more targeted your coaching support will be!
Use when: You've just observed a math lesson and want help thinking through what you saw.
"I just observed a [grade level] math lesson on [concept]. Here's what I noticed: [describe what the teacher did, what students did, any discourse you heard, and what surprised you]. Can you help me think through what this tells me about the teacher's current instructional approach and what I might focus on in our debrief conversation?"
Describe both what the teacher did AND what students were doing — the student side often reveals the most about instructional impact.
Use when: You want to lead with strengths in a coaching conversation or walkthrough debrief.
"I observed [teacher name or description] teaching [concept] to [grade level] students. Here's what I saw: [describe the lesson]. What strengths do you notice in this description that I should highlight in our debrief? I want to build on what's already working before suggesting next steps."
Leading with genuine strengths builds trust and makes teachers more receptive to growth-focused feedback.
Use when: You want to connect what you observed to the High Leverage Concepts for that grade level.
"I observed a [grade level] lesson on [concept]. Based on the ALN High Leverage Concepts for this grade, what HLC does this lesson connect to? Was the instruction moving students toward that HLC, and what would deeper engagement with it look like?"
Connecting observations to HLCs helps teachers see the bigger mathematical goal behind individual lessons.
Use when: You've done walkthroughs in several classrooms and want to identify school-wide trends.
"I've done walkthroughs in [number] classrooms this week. Here's a quick summary of what I saw in each: [Classroom 1: grade, concept, what you noticed] [Classroom 2: ...] [Classroom 3: ...] Can you help me identify any patterns across these observations and think through what to prioritize — in coaching conversations, PD, or school-wide support?"
Even rough notes work here — you don't need a formal observation rubric to spot useful patterns.
Use when: You're meeting with a teacher before observing their lesson and want to set a clear focus.
"I'm meeting with a [grade level] teacher before observing their lesson on [concept]. What questions could I ask in our pre-observation conversation to help them articulate their instructional goal, anticipate student thinking, and identify what they want me to look for? I want questions that prompt reflection, not just logistics."
Pre-observation conversations are most powerful when teachers name what they're curious about — not just what they're planning to do.
Use when: You want to structure a debrief conversation that moves a teacher's thinking forward.
"I observed [teacher description] teaching [concept] to [grade level] students. Here's what I noticed: [brief description]. I want to plan a debrief conversation that starts with the teacher's own reflection, highlights a key strength, and focuses on one growth area. Can you help me plan 3–4 questions I could use to guide the conversation?"
Fewer, deeper questions lead to richer debrief conversations than a long list of feedback points.
Use when: A teacher is resistant to change or struggling to shift their instructional approach.
"I'm working with a [grade level] teacher who [describe the challenge — e.g., relies heavily on direct instruction, is resistant to student discourse, struggles with open-ended tasks]. I want to support them without creating defensiveness. What are some coaching moves or entry points I could try that might help them take a small but meaningful step toward more student-centered instruction?"
Small, concrete next steps are more sustainable than big shifts — look for one thing to try, not a full overhaul.
Use when: You're sitting down with a teacher to plan an upcoming lesson together.
"I'm co-planning a [grade level] lesson on [concept] with a teacher. We're using [curriculum, e.g., Illustrative Mathematics or another resource]. Can you help us think through: (1) the key mathematical idea students should construct, (2) a strong launch that activates prior thinking, (3) questions we can ask to elicit student reasoning during the lesson, and (4) what to look for as evidence of understanding?"
Co-planning is most effective when both the coach and teacher contribute ideas — use AI Math Coach to generate options, then decide together.
Use when: You're planning a professional development session and want it to be hands-on and teacher-centered.
"I'm planning a [length, e.g., 60-minute] PD session for [grade band or all-staff] teachers on [topic, e.g., student discourse, using concrete models, analyzing student work]. Here's what I know about where teachers are right now: [brief description]. Can you help me design a session that is hands-on, builds teacher understanding through experience rather than lecture, and gives teachers something concrete to try in their classrooms?"
The best PD mirrors good math instruction — teachers should be doing the thinking, not just receiving information.
Use when: You're leading a team through looking at student work together.
"I'm facilitating a grade-level team meeting where we'll look at student work on [concept] from [grade level] classrooms. Can you help me plan the protocol? I want teachers to: (1) notice what students understand, (2) identify patterns across the work, and (3) leave with a shared next instructional step. What questions should I use to guide each phase?"
Start with what students CAN do before moving to gaps — it shifts the conversation from deficit thinking to asset-based planning.
Use when: You're leading a grade-level or vertical team meeting and want a clear, productive agenda.
"I'm facilitating a [length] grade-level team meeting for [grade level] teachers. Our current unit focus is [concept or IM unit]. Here's what's on my mind for the agenda: [list any topics or concerns]. Can you help me build an agenda that balances looking at student data, planning next steps, and building shared understanding of the math — without it feeling like a checklist?"
The most productive team meetings have one clear question that drives the whole conversation — try to name it before you start.
Use when: You want to introduce a new routine (e.g., number talks, Math Menu, ALN lesson structure) to a group of teachers.
"I want to introduce [routine or structure, e.g., number strings, Math Menu, the ALN Launch-Main-Closure structure] to my [grade level or all-staff] teachers. Many of them are new to this approach. Can you help me plan how to introduce it in a way that lets teachers experience it as learners first, then reflect on how it works — rather than just explaining it to them?"
Teachers adopt new routines faster when they've experienced them as learners — always lead with the math before the pedagogy talk.
Use when: You want to understand or explain the ALN High Leverage Concepts framework to staff or leadership.
"Can you explain the ALN High Leverage Concepts (HLCs) framework and why it matters for K–[grade] math instruction? I want to understand how HLCs connect across grade levels and how they can help our school focus our instructional improvement efforts. I'll be sharing this with [audience, e.g., teachers, school board, leadership team]."
Ask for a visual or grade-band summary if you need something you can share with a broader audience.
Use when: You have limited coaching time and need to decide where to focus your energy.
"I have [number] teachers I'm supporting this year across [grade levels]. Here's a quick snapshot of where each teacher is: [Teacher 1: grade, current strengths, current growth area] [Teacher 2: ...] [Teacher 3: ...] I have limited time for coaching visits. Can you help me think through how to prioritize my focus and what a realistic coaching plan might look like?"
Prioritizing doesn't mean ignoring some teachers — it means being strategic about where your time will have the most leverage.
Use when: You want to communicate your school's approach to math instruction to families in a clear, accessible way.
"Can you help me write a short family communication that explains our school's approach to math instruction? We focus on [key elements, e.g., student reasoning, concrete models, discourse, HLCs]. I want families to understand why we teach math this way and how they can support their child at home — without using jargon or making it feel like a lecture."
Families are more supportive of instructional approaches when they understand the "why" — keep it concrete and connect it to what they care about most.
Use when: You're considering adopting or evaluating a math curriculum, program, or resource.
"We're considering [program or resource name] for our [grade level] math instruction. Can you help me think through what questions to ask when evaluating it? I want to make sure it aligns with student-centered, constructivist principles — and that it supports teacher skill development, not just program compliance."
The best programs support teacher thinking and student reasoning — look for evidence of both, not just alignment to standards.
Use when: You have assessment results and want help figuring out what they mean instructionally.
"Here's a summary of our [grade level] students' performance on [assessment or concept]: [describe results — e.g., percentages, common errors, patterns you noticed]. Can you help me think through what this data tells us about where students are with [concept], and what instructional priorities it suggests for our teachers?"
Data is most useful when it leads to a specific instructional question — try to name the question the data is raising for you.
Use when: You're noticing that students are arriving at a grade level without key foundational skills.
"Our [grade level] students are consistently struggling with [concept]. I suspect there may be gaps in what they learned in [prior grade level]. Can you help me trace the HLC progression for this concept across grade levels and identify where the gap might be originating? I want to use this to have a conversation with our [prior grade] teachers about alignment."
Vertical alignment conversations go better when they're framed around shared responsibility for student learning — not blame.
Use when: You're looking at data across a whole grade level and need to plan differentiated support structures.
"I'm looking at data from all [grade level] classrooms on [concept]. Here's what I'm seeing: [describe the range — e.g., some students are ready for extension, most are on track, a group needs additional support with a foundational concept]. Can you help me think through how to structure differentiated support — through Math Menu, small groups, or intervention — so every student is working on something meaningful?"
Differentiation works best when it's built into the regular instructional structure — not added on top of it.
Use when: You need to write a math-focused goal for your school improvement plan or leadership team.
"I need to write a math goal for our school improvement plan. Here's our current context: [describe your school — grade levels, current data, key challenges, what you've already tried]. Can you help me draft a goal that is specific, measurable, and focused on improving instructional practice — not just test scores? I want it to reflect our commitment to student-centered math instruction."
The strongest school improvement goals name both the student outcome AND the instructional change that will get you there.
