Developing as a coach or mentor provides many teachers with a set of skills and concepts that relate to their educational values. Coaching definitions often tie into the idea that coaching involves facilitating learning and many educators make connections between effective coaching and effective teaching and learning. Coaching can encourage learners through the teacher’s use of effective questioning and listening as well as heighten the teacher’s awareness of how they teach.
This section introduces some of the different ways that coaching can be incorporated into classroom practice, to support pupil engagement and enhance pastoral provision.
In this school pupil peer coaching is being successfully used to improve pupil engagement. Coaching is being employed as part of a wider Solution Oriented schools approach.
Mhairi Stratton describes how she has adapted coaching for use in her classroom and the difference it has made for her pupils.
This Guidance teacher uses her coaching skills in a number of different contexts to enhance the pastoral support she provides for her pupils.
This school has introduced a coaching programme offering an individualised means of supporting senior students. The programme is structured to give four opportunities for coaching conversations over the course of S5 with staff acting as coaches to the students.
Maggie McCallum, Head Teacher, describes how senior pupils at Abronhill mentor younger pupils experiencing literacy difficulties.
In association with Education Scotland