ITP - 120: Coaching Teachers Without Telling Them What to Do

JPMint: Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast. I am Jacqueline from JP Mint Consulting, and I’m here with Kent the Cat Guy.

Kent: JP, thanks for having me.

JPMint: Greg is out today, but we’re very excited to introduce Kim Cofino, joining us from Thailand. So we’ve got Thailand, Mexico, and the Middle East all represented across some wide time zones.

Kim Cofino: That’s right. Tough time zones.

Kent: Before JP jumps in, I just want to say—she’s usually the one fangirling for guests, but today it’s my turn. I’m really excited to have you on the show, Kim.

Kim Cofino: Thank you. I’m excited to be here.

JPMint: All right, let’s find out why. Kim, can you give us an elevator version of how you came overseas?

Kim Cofino: Sure. My best friend in high school was teaching at Munich International School as an intern. We stayed connected through college, and she invited me to visit. I didn’t even know international schools existed, and I thought it was amazing.

So I set my sights on getting her job when she left—and I did. That’s how I came overseas. I started as an intern.

Kent: So you weren’t a certified teacher yet?

Kim Cofino: No, and neither was she. At the time, especially in Europe, intern positions didn’t always require formal teaching qualifications.

JPMint: Had you finished university?

Kim Cofino: Yes. I went over planning to stay one year as a computer lab monitor. But after about a month, I loved it—the principal, the students, the school. I asked what I needed to do to stay, and my principal said I needed to get my teaching license.

So I completed the FAST program through George Mason University, did my practicum at Munich International School, and ended up staying for five years.

JPMint: And you moved beyond the computer lab role?

Kim Cofino: Yes. This was around 2000, when laptop programs were just starting. My school invested heavily, and I became the IT facilitator. By the time I left, I was the middle school academic technology coordinator.

I helped build one of the school’s first technology integration programs during those five years.

JPMint: Was your degree in IT?

Kim Cofino: No, I studied history and political science. I thought I’d become a human rights lawyer. Teaching was never the plan—it just clicked.

Kent: Where did you grow up?

Kim Cofino: Reading, Pennsylvania.

Kent: So after five years in Munich, what prompted the move?

Kim Cofino: At the time, Germany had a rule that if you stayed under five years, you could cash out your pension. So it became a natural decision point.

My husband and I decided to try something new. We went to a job fair intending to go to Dubai—it felt very exotic at the time. But I received an offer from Mont Kiara International School in Kuala Lumpur.

At the end of the day, I asked my husband, “Desert or jungle?” He said, “Jungle.” And that’s how we ended up in Malaysia. It turned out to be a great decision.

JPMint: What was your role there?

Kim Cofino: I was a middle school IT coordinator, teaching as well.

JPMint: So you were teaching MYP design alongside coaching-type work?

Kim Cofino: Yes. It depended on the school size, but I had a mix of teaching and supporting other teachers. This was around 2005, when technology coaching was just emerging.

JPMint: Is that where instructional coaching started to take shape for you?

Kim Cofino: Yes. After Malaysia, we moved to International School Bangkok, where I worked on a full team of coaches. That’s when I saw the bigger picture.

I had roles like 21st Century Literacy Coordinator, bridging library and technology. Then we moved to Yokohama International School in Japan, where I was a secondary technology and learning coach.

After five years there, we moved back to Thailand. My husband works at NIST, and I’ve been running my own business since then.

JPMint: Instructional coaching has really grown over the past decade or so in international schools.

Kim Cofino: It definitely ebbs and flows. When I was at ISB, we had a large coaching team across subject areas. Then those roles faded for a while, and now they’re coming back again. It’s very cyclical.

Kent: Did your husband come overseas with you from the beginning?

Kim Cofino: Yes. We met at university and came together, though we weren’t married at the time.

Kent: And you spent about 15 years in international schools before starting your own business?

Kim Cofino: That’s right—about 10 years running my business now.

Kent: What led you into that?

Kim Cofino: I started doing workshops and conferences while at ISB, then expanded that work in Japan. Eventually, it became like having two full-time jobs.

So I went part-time toward the end of my time in Japan. When we moved back to Thailand, I chose not to return to a full-time school role and focused fully on my business.

JPMint: What were those workshops focused on?

Kim Cofino: Early on, mostly technology. I worked with organizations like EARCOS and Learning2, running conferences and weekend workshops at schools.

JPMint: For listeners, EARCOS is the East Asia Regional Council of Schools—similar to NESA in the Middle East.

Kim Cofino: Exactly.

JPMint: Those conferences are also great for networking. You realize quickly how small the international teaching world is.

Kent: How did you start presenting at them?

Kim Cofino: Through my school. Teachers could submit presentations, deliver them internally, and then the strongest ones were selected for the conference. That’s how I started. Eventually, I began receiving invitations.

Kent: Do you remember your first presentation?

Kim Cofino: I think it was about social networks in the classroom, but I’m not entirely sure.

JPMint: Let’s talk about your business now. Who do you work with?

Kim Cofino: My focus has shifted from technology to instructional coaching. I’m interested in how educators collaborate, build relationships, and improve through reflection.

I work with aspiring, current, and experienced coaches, as well as schools developing or refining coaching programs.

JPMint: So both individuals and schools.

Kim Cofino: Exactly.

Kent: When we say coaching, are we talking about subject-specific roles or something broader?

Kim Cofino: Both exist. Some coaches are subject-specific—like literacy or math—while others are instructional coaches who support teaching and learning more broadly.

I primarily work with instructional coaches focused on developing coaching skills.

JPMint: Can you clarify the difference between coaching and consulting?

Kim Cofino: In coaching, we often talk about three stances: consultant, collaborator, and coach.

A consultant provides expert answers. A collaborator works alongside as a partner. A coach facilitates reflection, helping the teacher uncover their own thinking.

Effective coaching moves between these stances depending on the situation.

JPMint: So consultants answer questions, coaches ask them.

Kim Cofino: That’s a helpful simplification. But a coach also recognizes when someone needs direct input—when there’s a knowledge or skill gap.

The goal is to build capacity, not dependence.

Kent: What makes someone a strong coach?

Kim Cofino: Genuine curiosity, strong listening skills, and the ability to focus on the other person’s learning rather than imposing your own ideas.

If someone can’t let go of their own agenda, coaching becomes difficult.

Kent: How can people connect with you?

Kim Cofino: Through my website, edurolearning.com. I also run cohort-based courses throughout the year.

Kent: What do those look like?

Kim Cofino: I offer four programs: one for aspiring coaches, one for teachers exploring coaching, one for experienced coaches stepping into leadership, and one focused on building a coaching mindset.

Kent: Sounds like you’re gearing up for one now.

Kim Cofino: Yes, one starts next week.

Kent: Let’s switch gears—podcasting or weightlifting?

Kim Cofino: Weightlifting, always. But I enjoy podcasting too.

I’ve been a competitive powerlifter for several years. I started in Thailand, entered a competition on a whim, and loved it. I eventually competed internationally and was on the Thai national team.

Kent: What does your training look like?

Kim Cofino: Typically four days a week. At one point I trained more, but four days is sustainable.

Kent: And you fit that around your business?

Kim Cofino: Yes. I built a home gym during COVID, so I can train anytime. I usually work with Western hemisphere clients in the morning, train before lunch, and work with Asia-based clients later in the day.

JPMint: That mirrors my schedule too. Time zones push you into new routines.

Kim Cofino: Exactly.

JPMint: Tell us more about your nonprofit.

Kim Cofino: After years of working independently, I realized that advancing instructional coaching would have more impact through a collective effort.

So I helped found the Association for the Advancement of Instructional Coaching in International Schools in 2024. We started with 10 schools and about 70 members, and we’ve already grown significantly.

Our goal is to help schools understand and implement coaching effectively.

JPMint: Who joins?

Kim Cofino: Mostly instructional coaches, but also educators and leaders interested in coaching. Members get access to community calls, resources, and networking.

We also published the first landscape study of instructional coaching in international schools.

JPMint: And your book?

Kim Cofino: It’s called Finding Your Path as a Woman in School Leadership. It came from interviewing over 70 women leaders who often didn’t see themselves as leaders, despite doing leadership work.

I wanted to help others recognize their own leadership potential.

JPMint: We’ll include that in the show notes.

Now for our staple question—any police or customs stories?

Kim Cofino: I don’t have a good one.

Kent: That makes you one of the lucky ones.

JPMint: I’ll share one from Istanbul—being flagged down by police and learning not to stop in certain situations.

Kim Cofino: I do have a stressful story. During protests in Bangkok, our street was blocked and we couldn’t access our apartment or belongings.

We had to relocate temporarily and wait for help to retrieve our things. It was stressful, but everything eventually made it safely to Japan.

Kent: If you could only grab three things?

Kim Cofino: Passport, laptop, and something personal like journals or photos.

Kent: Let’s wrap up. JP?

JPMint: This was one of the fastest hours we’ve had. There’s so much more to explore. Please come back.

Kim Cofino: Thank you. It was a pleasure.

Kent: You can find Kim at edurolearning.com and check out her book Finding Your Path as a Woman in School Leadership.

Thanks to JP Mint, and to Greg, who’s out today. I’m Kent the Cat Guy—see you next week.

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