COACHING
Lead from the front
As a leader or
about best practice. And even if my colleagues have not
got more experience, they have certainly got different
manager in
experience. I am not so blinkered as to think that my
way is the only way. I am not keen on laying down the
departmental law.
school, do you
Besides, telling someone what to do is not
particularly effective. How many times, as a teacher
have to hold
of young people, have I heard the saying: “tell me and
I will forget…?” the same principle applies to adults.
coaching conversations?
“show me” is better. Making time for your colleagues
to observe good practice will allow them to pick up
some excellent ideas that they may remember.
Rachel Pattisson looks
However, “involve me” is better still. Personal
involvement fosters genuine understanding and a real
at best practice when it
impetus to change. When it comes to promoting good
practice within a department, there is no doubt that an
comes to coaching
interactive approach works best.
Which is why I like the idea of coaching. Colleague-
coaching is a simple technique that improves upon the
traditional lesson observation approach to sharing good
t Is a funny thing. I just do not like being told practice. Lesson observations have long been used
I
what to do. Give me an order and I am likely as a vehicle for discovering areas of weakness and
to feel quite unmotivated. Perhaps I am just suggesting strategies for improvement. this is a largely
stubborn, but I prefer to think that I am only dictatorial process with one person telling the other
human. I do not much like the idea of giving what is good and what is not.
orders, either. Coaching, on the other hand, involves both parties
As science co-ordinator, I am perfectly on an equal footing: a much better way to bring about
happy to plan the work for all year groups. I will change. It can be used just as effectively within a
manage the resources. I will show other teachers how department or throughout the whole school. It is easy
to carry out the experiments, use the computers, and to implement and anyone can be involved.
interact with the whiteboard. I have no qualms about All you need is a partner. Any two teachers could
setting up practical equipment and even washing up. form a coaching pair – a combination of experienced
But there is one aspect of my role that I am not quite teacher with NQt, science with history, or a year 13
comfortable with – “directing” my colleagues. with a year 8 teacher.
And some directing is required, apparently. As the As science co-ordinator, I have successfully used
leader, I am supposed to set the departmental protocol this technique within the department. the point is to
and everyone is supposed to follow. But I can’t help get teachers interacting to generate ideas and exchange
thinking: who am I to say what is best? expertise. Unlike conventional staff development
I work with people who have had more teaching methods, coaching is an engaging process where both
experience than I. surely they have some sound ideas parties have a stake in the outcome.
Taking the lead: National College
Talking about the next generation
Steve Munby, chief executive of the National
College, discusses why it is so important that the
retiring generation of baby boomer heads don’t
When two colleagues have teamed up, their first helpful, and “don’t you think…?” (leading question) is
take their leadership knowledge and experience with them
step is to decide who is going to be the coach. this can even less helpful.
be a purely arbitrary choice and you can promise to Closed questions may be useful in clarifying ideas,
swap roles next time. but leading questions should be avoided altogether.
WHEN tHE baby boomers were teenagers in the the most effective approach is support that takes the difference between the two roles is that the Leading questions pre-empt whatever idea was forming
1960s and 1970s, the cultural gulf between them place “in situ”, that helps them to negotiate the day- coach is required to ask the right sort of questions in the coachee’s own head and give undue importance
and older generations was popularly known as “the to-day reality of the job and gives them coaching and and the “coachee” must do most of the talking and to the coach’s opinion. the coach’s role is not to
generation gap”. mentoring that is tailored to their particular school analysis. express an opinion, but simply to keep the discussion
Now the boomers themselves are the older generation context. the coaching process is based around a lesson flowing, allowing the coachee to think out loud and
– and they’re retiring. But will their departure create a What will our approach be? there is already observation, of sorts. the coach and coachee should arrive at their own conclusions.
new kind of generation gap – this time consisting of new online support for NPQH participants in first meet to agree on a focus for the coaching. the Video footage of the lesson can be useful during the
the leadership knowledge and experience that they the graduation phase which focuses on getting a important thing here is that both partners have some feedback session as it gives the coachee something to
will take out of their professions? headship. Once NPQH graduates have accepted investment in the lesson. Joint planning means that talk about. the coach might play back particular parts
Like many other professions, school leadership is their first headship, they should be entitled to support both parties are equally responsible for the success (or of the lesson and ask: “why do you think he said that?”
being affected by the retirement of many experienced from an experienced current head – accredited by the failure) of the lesson. or “what could you have done instead?” It is important
leaders. Around 64 per cent of heads are over 50 and National College – who will act as a “professional Neither teacher is under pressure or being assessed. that the coach allows plenty of time for reflection and
33 per cent are over 55. partner” to them. the coach is going to “observe” the lesson, but there gives the coachee chance to come up with their own
the danger is that an experienced generation of that could be the head of the school they worked is no need for them to sit in judgement, wielding an solutions. the coach should avoid imposing their own
leaders will leave the profession over a relatively with during NPQH or it could be another experienced official form. will – there is no right answer.
short period of time, taking with them the support head. this support should be available during their they may agree to teach part of the lesson or to help Coaching is a collaborative and engaging form of
and expertise that could be so helpful in supporting first few years in post. the professional partner will in some way. the pair may even decide that it would be professional development. Everyone can benefit from
the generation of new heads coming in. provide new headteachers with continuing practical useful for the coach to film the lesson. the coach can a chance to reflect on their own teaching experiences
One of the key challenges for the National College support, at school, giving them opportunity to apply do their job without making any formal observations as and plan their own improvements. Because nobody
will be to unify the two generations to the benefit of their learning in context with the benefit of their long as they are present in the lesson. likes to be bossed about. SecEd
our schools. We need to bring the two sides together partners’ insight and experience. the most important part of the coaching process
so that experienced leaders can easily pass on the And the support will be closely linked to their is the debriefing session. the pair should meet to • Rachel Pattisson is a teacher and freelance
baton of leadership. strengths and development areas as identified on discuss what happened in the lesson. this is no writer in Newcastle upon Tyne. Contact her at
But how will we do this? First we need to NPQH, and focused on real issues. All this will be ordinary feedback session, however, this is a “coaching www.thoughttrains.co.uk or read her blog, Miss’s
close the gap between NPQH (National Professional supported by high quality materials and networking conversation”. Memoirs, at http://misssmemoirs.blogspot.com
Qualification for Headship) and early headship and opportunities provided by the National College. the coach has the most challenging of the two roles
make sure that new heads benefit from continued the team is crucial too, and we will provide new at this stage. they have to do something that many
Key Points
support following their graduation and well into what heads with materials and techniques that they can use people find almost impossible: they have to keep their • the coaching model provides a non-threatening
is a critical time for them and their schools. to develop how their leadership team works together opinions to themselves. method of professional development.
New headteachers have made it clear to us that to ensure success for their school. After a traditional lesson observation, the observer • Coaching pairs can combine two teachers of any
they want to spend as little time away from school successful schools depend upon great leadership. would meet with the teacher to deliver a verdict. In the level of experience and seniority: we can all learn
as possible. that’s understandable. New heads have By creating an approach that allows the older coaching scenario, this is not the case. the coach will, something from one another.
a lot to do. they have a new team, and a burning generation to use its knowledge and experience to no doubt, have opinions about how the lesson went • Decide on a focus for the coaching and, if possible,
desire to comprehend and tackle the challenge of a support the new generation of school leaders, we and what improvements could be made, but the coach plan and deliver the lesson together.
demanding new role. can avoid a drain of this leadership knowledge and should keep quiet about these. Remember “tell me and • Consider filming part of the lesson.
One thing we know is that new heads who are experience away from the system I will forget” – this is the moment for “involve me and • Put aside the time for a debriefing Coaching
coming to terms with the demands of their new role I will understand”. It is up to the coachee to analyse the Conversation.
and establishing themselves in their new school often • Steve Munby is chief executive of the National lesson and decide on a way forward. • the coach should facilitate the discussion in which
do not have the time or desire to go out on a course. College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s the coach is there to help by asking the right sort the coachee analyses the success of the lesson.
there is so much else they have to do. Services. Visit www.nationalcollege.org.uk of questions: “how did you feel when …?” is fine, • the coachee should decide upon their own future
but “was that a success?” (closed question) is not so action points.
12 SecEd • November 26 2009
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