Coaching with Care: Why Small Shifts Matter More Than Big Overhauls

Let’s imagine for a moment that each of us has our own garden.

Some gardens might be a little wild, others neatly trimmed. Some are bursting with color, while others are more subtle and serene. But no matter the shape or style, every garden has been cultivated with care, time, and effort. Every garden reflects the personality and preferences of the gardener.

These gardens are not failing — they’re growing. They’re alive. They’re fine.

Now, picture a master gardener stepping into the scene and saying,

“You’ve been doing it wrong. This isn’t how you grow a successful garden. You need to pull everything out and start fresh using my method — research shows it’s the best practice.”

What’s your reaction?

Defensive? Frustrated? Discouraged?

That’s exactly how it can feel for teachers when we introduce sweeping changes to their teaching practice — especially around something as deeply embedded as how they teach grammar, how they assess learning, or how they use the target language. It can feel like we’re asking them to tear up what they’ve lovingly built over years of trial, reflection, and growth.

Even if the new method promises better results — more vibrancy, stronger roots, richer blooms — it can feel like too much, too fast.

It can feel like a loss.

What if the master gardener took a different approach?

Instead of starting with “What’s wrong,” they said:

“Your garden has so much potential. What if we tried a few small things to help it thrive even more? Here’s a suggestion to enrich the soil. Want to test out this new tool? What if we rearranged one corner to catch more sun?”

Suddenly, it doesn’t feel like a critique — it feels like an invitation.
A partnership. A possibility.

An example: Rethinking How We Teach Grammar: One Garden Bed at a Time

Let’s take a real-world example: how we teach grammar in world language classrooms.

Shifting to teaching grammar in context — rather than isolated drills or rules — can feel like a huge leap. But it doesn’t have to mean ripping everything out and starting over.

Instead, it can look like planting a few new seeds.

• Introducing a grammar concept through a communicative task.
• Using authentic resources to highlight patterns.
• Asking students to notice and describe language in use.

One small shift at a time, grounded in what teachers are already doing well.

Lasting Change Grows in Stages

Change sticks when it feels possible.

When teachers can see something modeled, try it in manageable doses, and experience early wins, they gain confidence to keep going. That’s when transformation begins.

As coaches, leaders, and PD providers, our role isn’t to design a whole new garden overnight.
It’s to walk alongside teachers — to nurture, encourage, and help them grow what’s already taking root.

We’re not asking them to start from scratch.

We’re helping them bloom.

A Quick Reflection for Coaches & Leaders

• Are we showing up like the “master gardener,” or the gardening partner?
• Are we recognizing what’s already growing — and building from there?
• Are we inviting teachers into small, powerful shifts that feel supportive instead of overwhelming?

Let’s cultivate change with care. One seed, one shift, one garden at a time.

Ready to support teachers in rethinking grammar instruction — without tearing up their entire practice?

Access a World Language Leaders’ Coaching Guide: Supporting Shifts in Grammar Instruction — a free, conversation-ready resource to help you:

• Lead with empathy using the “Tend, Don’t Tear Out” mindset
• Respond confidently to common teacher concerns
• Encourage reflection through supportive language
• Coach small, manageable shifts that lead to lasting change