Effective coaching

Coaching is a complex process.

Schools need to consider a range of issues if they are successfully to support and develop effective coaching and collaborative CPD.

Learning culture

It is not always easy to move to a culture in which continual professional learning is an important part of teachers' work. Professional development can be seen as something which is 'done to' individuals.

There needs to be a shared view that it is something that teachers can initiate, develop and manage for themselves.

To view a deputy headteacher discussing coaching and school culture select clip 12 .

Below are some general principles arising from what the deputy headteacher says.

Changing the culture of a school is not about quick fixes. It involves sustained and coherent approaches to:

• meeting an individual's declared needs
• actions matching intentions and expectations
• creating self- and team awareness
• building choice into CPD programmes
• making explicit the direct links between CPD, classroom practice and pupil achievement
• building explicit in-school CPD capacity, for example in coaching.

For suggestions and case studies about developing the school as a learning organisation select the following resource –  Becoming a professional learning community (PDF, 29kb).

Focus

The impact of coaching is reduced where there is no clear focus. Coaching work needs to be planned, monitored and evaluated with a clear focus on addressing professional learning needs to improve specific pupil outcomes.

Learning agreements should establish a shared understanding of the learning goals, which are largely framed by the person being coached.

In clip 13  a deputy headteacher discusses the importance of establishing not only the focus, but the process of coaching.

For an example of a coaching agreement which can be adapted and redesigned for a school's own circumstances select the following resource –  Example of a coaching agreement (PDF, 30kb).

Understanding

The term 'coaching' may mean different things to different people and some teachers may be reluctant to be coached as a result.

Coaching is for all: even the best teachers can improve. It's not about focusing on weaknesses, but about developing expertise.

The CUREE National Framework for Mentoring and Coaching provides a clear language and set of concepts for understanding what is involved.

Select clip 9  for an example of how a school has involved its staff in coaching.

Below are some pointers to help you understand more about coaching in this example.

The speaker is a successful practitioner and leader, but he uses coaching to improve further.
Coaching is linked to other improvement processes including leadership and training.
Coaching is used as part of work on a whole-school priority, in this case assessment for learning.
Communicating the vision, protocols and understanding flexibly in a range of forums (senior leaders, governors, departments, whole school) is critical to initiating the process.
Coaching then 'sells' itself because of the benefits to practitioners.

For a case study of how a school has developed coaching among its staff select the following resource –  Case study: A Secondary School, Manchester (PDF, 44kb).

Time

Coaching is a process, not an event. It is not a cheap option. Traditionally schools have found it difficult to find time to support in-school provision for the professional learning of staff.

Coaching cannot be sustained through non-contact time, lunch time or after school.

Establishing professional learning as a feature of everyday school functioning requires staff to work together routinely.

To view an assistant headteacher discussing the time and protocols for organising coaching select clip 10 . To view two modern languages teachers discussing the time commitments for coaching conversations select clip 11 .

You could review your school’s current use of time for staff development and consider if more creative uses of staff time are possible at whole-school, departmental and individual levels.

Select the Resources button for some suggestions about timetabling and the use of time.

Skills

Poor coaching is damaging rather than neutral. It can undermine trust, relationships and commitment and be demoralising. Coaching requires a set of skills which teachers and school leaders may not have developed initially.

Prompt text

What do you consider to be important features of good coaching?

Reveal text

• active listening
• mutual respect
• effective, open questioning
• the ability to observe, analyse and reflect
• sensitivity in relating to adult learners
• openness and flexibility
• growing independence in professional learning.

Select clip 8  to view and respond to an example of weak coaching.

Trust

Most teachers' experience of being observed is also that of being judged. This feeling, whether justified or not, tends to make people defensive and apprehensive about the process. This is not a healthy state for learning.

Prompt text

What do you think is important in a coaching relationship?

Reveal text

• The coachee understands that he or she is not being judged.
• The coachee does as much of the work as possible in analysing the teaching.
• Both parties learn together.
• There are clear criteria for discussing the pedagogical focus.

In clip 14  a head of languages talks about the feelings of being coached and the importance of trust. In clip 15  a deputy headteacher talks about building trust among staff.

Prompt text

What is needed to establish trust in a coaching relationship?

Reveal text

To establish trust a coaching relationship needs:

• open and shared experiences
• supportiveness
• a relaxed atmosphere and environment
• a joint enterprise of professional learning
• clear boundaries
• confidentiality.