Coaching Teachers: Some Questions to Consider

Every child is unique. To effectively educate children, teachers need continuous upgrading of their skills, improvement of their knowledge, and innovative teaching strategies. Teachers need regular training, seminars, and conferences to understand and employ new techniques and to gain tools to aid them in more sophisticated forms of teaching. Another method or resource that is essential to a teacher’s professional development is having a coach.

Bear in mind that teachers have a certain similarity to students. Their learning needs are also unique. Having a coach who can provide situations for deep reflection and continuous learning would be of utmost benefit to them. Educators can unreservedly take risks to improve their practice. Powerful conversations between a coach and an educator should result in growth and learning, enabling teachers to pass on their knowledge to students in an effective manner.

Coaches structure their questions based on different coaching models. Coaching models provide the framework for coaching sessions. Using a coaching model as a guide for the coaching session gives both teacher and coach assurance. It prevents the coaching session from being just a ‘chat’ and gives the session a purpose.

The GROW coaching model is probably the most widely known among coaches. GROW represents four stages in the coaching conversation: Goal, Reality, Options, Wrap up, or Way Forward.

Let’s look at the G.R.O.W. model.

Goal

At the beginning of the coaching session, it is essential to establish what goals the teacher wants to achieve. Setting goals is a must. It should be clear both for the teacher and the coach. Setting goals ensures that the session is going toward the set destination.

EXAMPLE QUESTIONS:

• – What’s important to you as a teacher?
• – What do you want to improve in your teaching?
• – What would you like to achieve in this coaching session?

Reality

Once the teacher’s goals are confirmed, the coach needs to determine where the teacher is with these goals. Both coach and teacher now understand the current situation and can move on to the next part of the coaching session.

• – On a scale of 1 to 10, where are you?
• – What skills and knowledge do you have to achieve your goal?
• – What resources do you have that would help you?

Options

This stage is about helping the teacher explore options that point them toward their set goals. First options don’t necessarily mean that they are the best options available. The coach must drive the teacher to realise that there is always a better option. Make the teacher think outside of the box.

• – What improvements could you make in your next lesson?
• – What could you do differently?
• – If you were able to do anything, what would you do?

Wrap up / Way forward

Now that the teacher has decided on what option to take, the coach could then ask questions that would clarify the commitment that the teacher has to achieve their goals.

• – What actions will you take?
• – When are you going to start?
• – On a scale of 1-10, how committed are you?

There are various coaching models. This article gives you an example of one of them.

Carrie Benedet provides coaching for educators and provides recommendations on which leadership style to take, anchoring on one that is more adaptive. You may send her a message today to inquire.