How to avoid ineffective instructional coaching

The instructional coaching approach is being misunderstood in some schools leading to ineffective support for teachers – here’s what schools should be doing

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Teacher Development Trust

In the realm of education, instructional coaching has emerged as a vital tool for professional growth and development among educators. Its potential to enhance teaching practices and student outcomes is undeniable. However, like any strategy, the effectiveness of instructional coaching hinges on its execution.

Let’s take a look into the crucial topic of how to avoid ineffective instructional coaching. By identifying and addressing common pitfalls, we equip educators, administrators, and instructional coaches with valuable insights to optimise coaching initiatives.

What exactly is ‘instructional coaching’?

Instructional coaching, a cornerstone of professional development, hinges on more than mere instruction. As educational leaders seek to cultivate highly effective educators, the focus extends beyond rigid teaching methods.

Research underscores the evolution of teacher expertise, showcasing the contrast between inexperienced and adept instructors. Inexperienced educators often adhere strictly to rules, struggling to adapt to unforeseen challenges, while skilled teachers exhibit flexibility, seamlessly adjusting lessons using ongoing formative assessment. The transition from rigid to adaptive pedagogy is crucial, and instructional coaching plays a pivotal role in this journey.

Effective instructional coaching requires a departure from directive approaches. A recent study by Coe et al (2022) emphasises the value of teacher collaboration, stressing the importance of mutual support, challenge, and trust within teams. An ‘improvement mindset’ that encompasses teachers’ belief in their own growth, willingness to experiment, and sense of accountability propels professional development. Instructional coaching that disregards teachers’ autonomy over their growth and relies solely on external judgment hampers progress, preventing the evolution of confident, self-improving educators.

Balancing these dynamics is complex. Isolation hinders growth, yet spoon-feeding expertise without fostering the right culture proves unsustainable. Coe et al’s (2022) insights accentuate the role of skilled peers and a conducive environment in enhancing teaching.

However, implementing effective coaching necessitates aligning strategies with the school’s unique context and history. Whether navigating prior coaching experiences or addressing workload concerns, crafting an impactful coaching framework requires meticulous consideration.

As Paul Lockyer of Cheltenham Bournside College aptly noted, turning coaching into a catalyst for improvement requires thoughtfulness. This article delves into his wisdom, extracting five essential principles that serve as guideposts in this transformative journey. In a landscape where instructional coaching is a linchpin of educator growth, understanding these principles paves the way to fostering effective coaching relationships and driving sustainable progress.

• Set up and carefully analyse your teacher coaching pairings. It’s important to create really strong and trusting relationships, so act quickly where partnerships are not working and act quickly if things are not going well.
• Completely separate your coaching processes from your quality assurance and performance management processes. While teachers may choose to bring their appraisal targets to their coaching sessions for work, they should be under no obligation to do so and the content of coaching discussions should remain confidential and non-judgemental.
• Keep coaches well trained, with that training regularly refreshed. Paul’s school has trained two cohorts of 12 coaches using the TDT Pedagogical Coaching training. He also organises for cascade training to other staff and is available to support them through coaching trios or modelling.
• Be flexible in your implementation and listen carefully to staff. Initially, his school tried to impose exactly when through the year the coaching would happen. But after listening to feedback from staff about how this clashed with other work at crunch times, they moved to a more flexible system where coaches needed to find time for their 12 hours of coaching work at times of the year that worked better for them.
• Avoid making it hierarchical – if you avoid coaches always being more managerially senior than coachees then it helps to dispel the idea that this is judgemental and directive.