1. Chris Lawrence and Catherine Ashdown
Solution focused coaching for improving teaching practice in PCET Initial Teacher Education Programmes.
Welcome.
Chris Lawrence- Phase Lead….
Catherine Ashdown from the PCET phase of the School of Teacher Education and Development.
Over the past three years we have been on a journey – learning and developing approaches to coaching within out sector to aid our teacher trainees
Chris Lawrence and Catherine Ashdown

2. PCET Approach to partnership Working together in every possible way
PCET Approach to partnership Working together in every possible way! Key = effective communication and mutual support
The History- lessons learnt.
East Kent and Valley Park- both identified students for us to coach,
Funding from LSIS saw us targeting student s who were carrying grade 3 observations into either their second year of the dtlls programme or into their first year of teaching post training.
Did this by sending a letter-
Ouch.. “I’m sick of it,I’m sick of it, have I mentioned I’m sick of it”
Those forced to do it by the colleges also very resentful and not open to help.
New approach. Personal touch. Going to colleges to encourage. Presentation based on Harriet Harpers outstanding teaching.
Attracted some of students we initially tried to see and worked. Zoe Perrior at MKC as an eg. Special needs school. Maths teaching in a corridor. Largely about student behaviours and yet wasn't acknowledging this in targets. Gained a grade 2 in her Obs.
Partnership- teaching and crucially mentoring done by partners. We do training but difficult.
Mentors play a part- do half lesson observations and bring with them the subject specialist input that we lack.
Coaching is about giving advice and support and expertise. To develop the role of the mentor and take it to a new level.

3. What is coaching?
One person being available to help another’s thinking in order to increase their understanding so that they can take confident action.
Pemberton: Coaching to Solutions

4. Coaching v mentoring
Mentoring - transferring learning from a more experienced individual to a less experienced person. A long term relationship where the mentor gives a push in the right direction !
Coaching - helping to unlock potential and
facilitate self help and self development.
A short term magnifying glass !
Idea of coaching ready-
I’m sick of it I’m sick of it have I mentioned that I’m sick of it..
Debate- possibly the example of non expert coaching- Tim Gallwey the tennis coaching asked to coach an orchestra. Tuba player asked to play a section of music and then asked him what was wrong with it- dirty sound.
Magnifying galss- “what do YOU notice “
Gatsby?
Deficit model

5. Why take a coaching approach?
Assumes the other person has the ability to find a solution
Are they coaching ready?
Works with their motivations
Thinking partnership of equals
Has a forward focus

6. Coaching Cycle Getting together Getting involved Agreeing action
Rehearsing action
Review
Gaining
commitment to a contract
Working together

7. Coach’s Role in Development of a New Narrative Pemberton 2013
Privileged Audience; Hearing the story
Empathic Listener:
Deepening the story
Critical Listener:
Challenging the story
Plot developer:
Opening up new narrative
Sustainer: Supporting the new narrative

8. What Does a Coaching Conversation Involve?
Thought
Action
Asks questions that they don’t ask themselves
Gives feedback
Helps the person look at situations from other perspectives
Slows them down or speeds them up
Asks them to experiment with doing different things
Moves them from talking about to doing
Asks them to be accountable
Challenge
Listens to
understand how they see the situation
Is non-judgemental
Ensures they do not take on more than they can achieve
Offers
resources when needed
Helps them practice
Reviews what they have learnt from their experiments
Support

9. Focus on questioning Genuine interest
Avoid the negative spiral – be solution focused
Style of questioning
See handout with 70 questions for Coaching Conversations
Coaching Crib Sheet – What ?Where? How? and When? See next slide and handout

10. 1.
Pragmatic performance management- the idea is that the person DOES something 2.
Encourage teacher trainees to think about how their teaching impacts on learners
3. Key things for coaches to remember
It isn’t about YOU- its about your trainees
Observations- Not evaluation ,advice or opinion
Using questions to help trainee unpick answers for themselves-
“ I notice that”-
State issues/goals
Agree facts and perceptions
Invite explanations and opinions
Decide a way forward
WHAT rather than why to discourage back story
WHERE questions to show where effort would have a return
HOW to draw attention to the scale of the issue
WHEN to identify evidence of a desired change- to build commitment.

11. Find a partner and using the questions and the crib sheet… Coach each other through this conference - work out a way forward for the rest of the conference.

12. “ The coaching went really well and I would advise any teacher to do this on a regular basis. The thing I realised about coaching is that coaching identifies the root of the challenge which we face at a particular time; it is necessary for teachers to do this so that the problems can be addressed practically and readily. It is like having a personal trainer only nicer!