Why is coaching important for teachers?
Coaching is important for teachers because it empowers them to become better at their profession. Coaching offers regular discussion revolving around what is most significant for the teacher and supports the development of goals in which a teacher has full control over selecting.
Teaching is one of those careers which requires practitioners to be at the top of their game. The way we teach constantly changes as we bring research and experience into the classroom. As teachers, we are often observed and given feedback on how to improve. This will be the experience for the majority of teachers out there. We may then get ready for our next observation in the following term, possibly 10 weeks later.
Using a coaching model in schools can dramatically improve teacher instruction. Using the traditional 3 observations per year would not be enough if we wanted to use coaching. I would recommend observations move from 1 hour every term, to 5-10 minutes every week. By taking a small snapshot with better feedback and coaching mixed in, you will have empowered your teachers to take more responsibility for their progress.
Why coaching works well for teachers
Coaching is the coming together of two parties whereby one acts as a catalyst (the coach) to improve outcomes for the other (the coachee) through support and challenge. CLICK HERE to read more about coaching and how to find your ideal coach.
Due to the reflective nature within teaching, the thinking about how we can improve, coaching can bring much benefit to teachers. The current method of setting high expectations on the performance aspect of an observation and these only occurring a few times each year, means that the feeling many teachers get about being observed can be often negative. Some say it seems to solely be there for performance management. If your observations don’t go well, then the pay progression doesn’t happen. I don’t know many teachers who have said they do it for the money. The main reason tends to be they enjoy working with children and to help them have better lives. In theory the use of cash incentives doesn’t really work in education.
This is why coaching can be important for teachers because it changes the old observation model used to grade, to now be one which revolves on discussion and feedback and then how the teacher can improve.
Little and often is the best approach for feedback
The use of a ‘little and often approach’ also places the focusses onto marginal gains. Weekly targets can be something as small as the transition of students into the classroom, the way a piece of information is presented on the board or how homework could be distributed in lessons. If you think about how marginal gains would work, a 1% increase per day would make you twice as good within 70 days!
With the conventional 3 observations per year, this would most likely give you a number of areas to improve on. Also a real issue here is that if you have done the same piece of teaching practise which isn’t the best method, you have created a habit which needs to be broken. This will be difficult for you and your students. This is more so the longer you have been doing this incorrect practice for. Regular coaching would mean this could be addressed much sooner.
Be aware that this is at no fault to the teacher or the students. Sometimes we need someone to view what we do from a different angle and share this with us before we ever realise it’s an issue.
Further Information
If you are looking for further information on coaching in the classroom I would highly recommend reading ‘Teach Like A Champion’ by Doug Lemov. This shares numerous ways in which teacher instruction can improve the quality of teaching in the classroom.
As a final reminder, teaching is an ever changing profession and effective coaching can be important for teachers who see the benefit that it can bring to them.
Further Reading
CLICK HERE to read our Ultimate Guide To Coaching.
You can also find out more about what we do at Coaching for Leverage by CLICKING HERE.