TEACHER Coaching Model

TEACHER Coaching offer online and in-person coaching; coaching workshops; and coaching talks. With experience in leadership; coaching; instructional coaching; sports coaching; teaching; school improvement; and the ISTE Standards for coaching, coaching support can be tailored to your needs.​​

 

Coaching models are the frameworks that coaches use to help them structure coaching conversations. Most are based on simple acronyms to facilitate the conversation. The list of different coaching models is extensive with few being more popular than Sir John Whitmore’s GROW model. However, many coaching models have been formulated for use in a business environment, and have not been created to acknowledge the unique needs of teachers, educators and students.

The TEACHER coaching model has been designed with teachers, parents, and pupils in mind.

 

TEACHER describes:

• TARGET -discussion about potential goals

• ENLIGHTEN -sharing of feedback and discussion of perspectives

• ACHIEVEMENT -recognising achievements and helping to celebrate

• CHOICE – discussion on goals, acknowledging feedback, and options for moving forward

• HELP – helping to make goals SMART and form a plan

• ENCOURAGE -commitment to plan for achieving the goal or goals

• REFLECT– reviewing the goal, the plan, the progress, the achievements, and future goals

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​Target: Time is a key factor for coaching programmes in schools, as coaching for staff takes place during non-contact time, and for pupils is time-intensive due to pupil-to-coach ratios. It is unique in schools as it is not a paid relationship or service. The Target phase of the coaching conversation will depend on the time available and the reasons for the conversation. It considers where the coachee is aiming and can include discussions on different types of goals: academic, personal, process, or product. For staff, it might also include whether goals align with the organisation’s aims.

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Enlighten: In this stage of the conversation, the reality of the current situation is discussed. This might focus on why the coachee has chosen their goal; whether it is achievable; where the coachee currently is; and the perspective they are taking.

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Achievement: Coaching in schools has a unique perspective. For staff, it might be used as part of appraisal processes, and for pupils it may be a one-to-one conversation. If a pupil is focusing on weaknesses or areas for development, balance can be achieved by also considering strengths. Recognising and celebrating achievements helps the coachee see where they have already succeeded and can motivate future success.

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Choice: As the conversation develops and the goal becomes clearer, the coachee has choice over the direction of the goal. They also need support in planning how to achieve it, considering possible obstacles, and selecting the most appropriate options.

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Help: The goal is now formed and options have been discussed, leading to the Help stage, where the goal is refined into a SMART goal and a clear plan with actionable steps is created.

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Encourage: The coachee needs to decide who or what will motivate them to achieve their goal and commit to the plan.

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Reflect: Coaching conversations in schools are often limited by time, so the coachee needs to be encouraged to take ownership of their goal. While there may be opportunities for multiple conversations, they will often need to reflect independently: on their goal, their progress, any changes needed to their plan, their successes, their next steps, and their next goal.​​​​