How to Introduce Video Coaching Without the Intimidation

Video coaching is a powerful professional development tool, but introducing it to teachers, especially new teachers, requires care. Without the right support, it can easily feel like surveillance rather than a tool for growth. And for many teachers, the idea of recording themselves can be intimidating. It takes structure, support, and a culture of trust to make the shift from “being watched” to “watching yourself grow.”

That’s where a phased approach can help.

Instead of diving straight into full coaching cycles or high-stakes reviews, start by watching short clips of other teachers and reflecting together. It can lower the pressure and these conversations work best when focused on what’s happening in the classroom, not on what a teacher is doing right or wrong.

Once teachers are ready, they can start recording short, intentional clips of themselves. Not full lessons or formal observations, just small classroom moments to notice how they move, sound, and how students respond. In a supportive environment, those early clips become a mirror, not a microscope.

As confidence builds, those same videos become tools for feedback and coaching. Teachers can record themselves with a specific goal in mind, review footage with a mentor, and track growth over time. It’s an empowering shift, especially when the focus stays on strengths and next steps, not perfection. This kind of coaching works best when there’s space to pause and revisit over time.

Teaching Channel’s guide, A Guided Path to Introducing Video Coaching, outlines this approach in detail. It includes simple prompts, reflection tools, and examples schools can use to support teachers at each stage.

When done well, video coaching doesn’t just improve instruction. It builds self-awareness, confidence, and connection. And that kind of growth? It sticks.