If Disney movies have taught me anything, it is the importance of a wise and trusty sidekick. Jiminy Cricket has often been perched on my shoulder to guide me to making a better decision, particularly when the shortcutting side of my nature would rather push ahead and get something done quickly. The practice of coaching is far more complex than the work that Jiminy Cricket does for Pinocchio — or for me, for that matter. What coaches share with Jiminy Cricket is a commitment to offering their best thinking to those they counsel. Those effectively filling the coaching role in education, whatever their job title, have deep expertise in communication, collaboration, facilitation, planning, instruction and curriculum, reflection, and feedback, to name just a few. In