Culture for Coaching

Part of establishing a rich culture for learning is building a culture for coaching to take place. Building a culture for coaching enables teachers to take a close reflective look at their practice to identify strengths and build upon areas of development. Ultimately, this process will improve student learning and instructional effectiveness. Barkley (2010) stresses the importance of building the culture for coaching when he states:

A culture of coaching improves teaching and improves student learning. Teachers once entered a classroom, closed the door, and taught primarily on their own, doing the best they could, relying on their years of education and experience. They were there to impart knowledge and see that learning occurred. Those days are long gone. Teachers are now not only charged with helping students learn in a world drowning in new information and technology but are called upon to serve as social worker, nutritionist, counselor, whistle-blower, cop, nose-blower, and more (16).


Because educational advancements are changing and evolving so rapidly, teachers must continue to develop and adapt as they take on new roles in order to accommodate to all types of students with varied abilities and background. In the book, Student Achievement through Staff Development, Joyce and Showers (2002) clarify the assumption that once teachers learn new skills and knowledge, it is always integrated into instruction. Many times these skills will not directly transfer effectively into instruction. However, with guidance and continuous feedback from a coach, the likelihood of effective employment of new strategies within instruction is greater (Barkley 2010). Joyce and Showers reference five steps of the internalization of learning to enable this goal to come to fruition.

Knowledge includes possessing an understanding of educational practices, theories, strategies, and content. To acquire knowledge, educators can explore all of  these new avenues of teaching and learning through on going discussions, current research, etc.

 

Modeling exhibits specific skills and behaviors learned. This includes describing and demonstrating new strategies and techniques.

 

Practice allows educators to employ those specific skills and behaviors such as engaging students through inquiry- based-learning strategies, focused attention through eye contact, etc.


Observation and Feedback are ongoing and regularly occur in the coaching process (Barkley 2010).