Where leaders take The Path of Least Resistance and learn to make sustained change in teacher practice.

What We Know

With over 16 years in education and over half of that in school leadership, we’ve found that the number one resource of any educator, especially leaders, is time. We know teacher and leader development, no matter the school context, is what makes great schools and is the most effective use of leaders’ time. Unfortunately, often things that do not equate to longer term success, what we refer to as fire fighting, are not where those precious minutes are spent.

What We Know

With over 16 years in education and over half of that in school leadership, we’ve found that the number one resource of any educator, especially leaders, is time. We know teacher and leader development, no matter the school context, is what makes great schools and is the most effective use of leaders’ time. Unfortunately, often things that do not equate to longer term success, what we refer to as fire fighting, are not where those precious minutes are spent.
We teach leaders to be like water and to take the Path of Least Resistance (POLR). Not only is water really good at putting out fires, it also makes deep change over time, even over the hardest surfaces. With that in mind, we begin with a focus on time management, building sacred time for all parts of the coaching cycle. We then focus on efficiency, starting with efficient analysis of instruction. We know every coaching environment is different, so we provide coaching structures for practice, data, and internalization meetings and then work with coaches to adapt those to their context.
We believe that when leaders are efficient time managers and can efficiently and effectively develop teachers, this leads to long term school success. When both teachers and leaders feel and see their success, kids learn more and teachers come back year after year. Like water creating canyons, the POLR system of coaching makes lasting and systemic change.
With over 16 years in education and over half of that in school leadership, we’ve found that the number one resource of any educator, especially leaders, is time. We know teacher and leader development, no matter the school context, is what makes great schools and is the most effective use of leaders’ time. Unfortunately, often things that do not equate to longer term success, what we refer to as fire fighting, are not where those precious minutes are spent.
We teach leaders to be like water and to take the Path of Least Resistance (POLR). Not only is water really good at putting out fires, it also makes deep change over time, even over the hardest surfaces. With that in mind, we begin with a focus on time management, building sacred time for all parts of the coaching cycle. We then focus on efficiency, starting with efficient analysis of instruction. We know every coaching environment is different, so we provide coaching structures for practice, data, and internalization meetings and then work with coaches to adapt those to their context.
We believe that when leaders are efficient time managers and can efficiently and effectively develop teachers, this leads to long term school success. When both teachers and leaders feel and see their success, kids learn more and teachers come back year after year. Like water creating canyons, the POLR system of coaching makes lasting and systemic change.
We offer four types of services. We offer professional development that is adapted to your structures and contexts. We help schools and organizations create systems of coaching using the POLR method. We offer direct coaching of teachers and leaders.

The POLR Method

The POLR method is a proven design for teacher coaching. We first make sure that a coach’s time is efficiently managed, setting up their weekly calendar to hit on all parts of the coaching cycle: coaching meetings, observations, and follow-ups. We also work to make sure they have time on their calendar to effectively prepare for all three of those. While we can’t predict what will happen in the school day, we can anticipate it and work to make calendars reflect that, so coaching time remains the priority.

Next we focus on using existing structures and contexts (and building them if they don’t exist), to efficiently analyze instructional practices. This is a skill and one we practice with coaches extensively.

Last we give and develop leaders in structures for three types of meetings they will run: internalizations, debrief/practice, and data meetings. While we believe preparation is key, we work to make that preparation efficient, so it is sustainable in the realities of the school day.

What We Offer

We provide tailored solutions to foster growth and excellence through the POLR method of coaching. From professional development and leader coaching to building effective coaching structures and teacher support, we’re here to help your organization thrive.

Professional Development
Let us train you or your leaders in the POLR method of coaching. We tailor these training sessions to both your needs and contexts.
Coaching Structures

We can work with your school or organization on developing strong systems for teacher coaching, using the POLR method.

Leader Coaching
We train leaders in the POLR method and then work directly with them to improve their effectiveness and efficiency.
Teacher Coaching
Need part time teacher development? We have a network of teacher coaches who are trained in the POLR method of coaching.

Impact

"Working with Matt has significantly improved my ability to manage my time as a teacher coach. He taught me how to prioritize effectively by creating a structured calendar that focused on supporting teachers based on their individual needs. Matt emphasized the importance of balance, guiding me to block time not only for teacher observations and feedback but also for personal preparation—such as planning meetings, internalizing curriculum, communicating with parents, and reviewing data. This intentional scheduling ensured I was always prepared and purposeful in my role. Additionally, Matt modeled how to maintain focus on high-leverage activities and encouraged consistent reflection to adjust my approach as needed. His mentorship helped me see that being a great coach isn’t just about supporting others but also about managing your own time and energy to provide impactful, sustainable guidance."
Savannah Williams Assistant Principal of Instruction
"Matt is an outstanding teacher leader and teacher coach who is dedicated to helping others improve. His unwavering support has significantly impacted my growth as a teacher coach. Thanks to his guidance, I've learned to embrace discomfort, enabling me to provide real-time feedback to teachers effectively. He encourages me to focus on essential actions and break down feedback into manageable pieces. Additionally, Matt has motivated me to reflect on my progress and celebrate our achievements along the way. It is clear that Matt genuinely believes in the power of coaching; he knows it enhances teachers' effectiveness for their students and helps leaders become more comfortable with the coaching process. His impact is truly transformative."
Sabrina Leggett Assistant Principal of Student Support

Our Founder

Matt Rankin is a veteran leader and coach, with experience across all contents and subject areas K-12. In all of these contexts, he has seen the impact that great coaching has on schools, teachers, leaders, and most importantly student learning. As a founding school leader and a founding leader of two school turnarounds, he knows deeply the reality of working in schools and the challenges with time leaders face. This tension of time and believing deeply in coaching is what led him to found POLR Coaching and to create the POLR method.

Part of Matt’s passion for time management comes from being an educator, husband and a father of two young sons. He has found that being strategic with his time meant he wasn’t bringing work home while still getting great results for the staff and students he led.

 

Matt holds a masters degree in educational leadership from Columbia Universities’ Teachers College, and received his undergraduate degree and a Masters Degree in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In addition he has completed several leader and coaching training, including KIPP Foundations Miles Fellowship.

Our Impact

"Working with Matt has significantly improved my ability to manage my time as a teacher coach. He taught me how to prioritize effectively by creating a structured calendar that focused on supporting teachers based on their individual needs. His mentorship helped me see that being a great coach isn’t just about supporting others but also about managing your own time and energy to provide impactful, sustainable guidance. "
Savannah Williams Assistant Principal of Instruction
"Thanks to his guidance, I've learned to embrace discomfort, enabling me to provide real-time feedback to teachers effectively. He encourages me to focus on essential actions and break down feedback into manageable pieces. It is clear that Matt genuinely believes in the power of coaching; he knows it enhances teachers' effectiveness for their students and helps leaders become more comfortable with the coaching process. His impact is truly transformative."
Sabrina Leggett Assistant Principal of Student Support
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Alec Whitten

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Kelis Ford

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