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Coaching matters: the benefits of seeking professional guidance

7/29/2019

8 Comments

 
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By ROBERTA LENGER KANG

We’re all familiar with the image of a coach standing on the sidelines, intently watching their team run a play on the field. When things get intense for the players, they look to the coach for guidance, encouragement, focus, and to see the lay of the land from a new perspective. 

In the realm of sports, the role of a coach is widely accepted. Coaches are seen as necessary in order for professional athletes to increase their performance at elite levels. But coaching shouldn’t be limited to athletics. Coaching in other fields can prove equally beneficial — just ask Atul Gawande, who explained the power of coaching in the operating room. 

In education, coaching takes traditional, procedural staff development to the next level by providing support when, where, and how teachers need it. And we should know — in the past year, we provided over 1,200 days of professional development to partner schools in the US, Istanbul, Saudi Arabia, and China.

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Why you need a coach in your corner

We’re focused on supporting teachers towards transformation. Our five core principles fuel our coaching methods and maximize our ability to customize promising practices for each unique school setting, develop deep relationships with teachers and school leaders, and use data to inform our high-leverage strategies. 

Educators who seek out coaching know why it’s invaluable to have a coach in their corner: 

  • Prior knowledge and experience: Teaching is disorienting. One moment you think you know where you are, the next you feel completely lost. Whether with a new class, a new grade level, a new curriculum, or a new test, teachers know that the only constant in education is change. But it’s impossible for a professional to be at the top of their game when the rules of the road are always shifting. Our coaches come equipped with prior knowledge and experience in the classroom, which allows them to help others be mindful of the potholes and pitfalls along the path that they’ve walked before. 

  • Outside perspectives expose blindspots: Teaching is a personal profession. When teachers pour hours and hours of their personal time into developing the perfect lesson plan and spend dollar after dollar of their personal money on classroom supplies, they have a vested interest in the success of their lessons and their students. If anything goes awry in the implementation, teachers can take things personally. Coaching provides an outside perspective that helps to expose blindspots that distort or distract from the root of the issue. When teachers are supported by a coach who can offer alternative points of view, challenge assumptions or hold space for teachers to engage in critical reflection, they’re able to regain perspective and identify areas for growth. 

  • Acknowledgment, empathy, and encouragement: Teaching is isolating. Most teachers will see over 100 students, and make over 1,500 decisions a day. There are overwhelming lists of papers to grade, parents to call, games to attend, and lessons to plan. In the midst of it all, they often feel isolated and invisible. Coaching can change that. Instructional coaching creates a unique opportunity for teachers to be seen and heard. CPET coaches focus on cultivating teachers’ strengths and acknowledge the progress teachers are making in their practice, make real connections over shared challenges, and encourage continued practice for future growth. These connected conversations create space for teachers to reflect, and develop an increased understanding of their experiences. 

  • Targeted guidance: Teaching is strategic. When teachers realize they are in a safe space, they can begin to investigate their biggest challenges and are more open to receiving feedback. Coaches can provide targeted guidance to increase content knowledge and pedagogical skills, and this feedback can have an almost immediate impact on teacher practice and student performance. Feedback that’s offered to teachers leverages teacher strengths in order to build on areas for growth, and offers both broad and nuanced advice about how teachers can evolve their practice, whether it’s by using a new instructional strategy, customizing the curriculum, or helping reposition the relationship between teachers and students.

  • Continuous improvement: Teaching is ever-evolving. “Teaching is a human profession,” said John Browne, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, “that means it will never be perfect, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.” Like doctors and lawyers, where every patient and every case is a little bit different, every class will present a new type of challenge for teachers. This is why coaching is essential. There are unlimited opportunities for professional learning and growth, and teachers who don’t engage in continuous improvement will not cultivate the skills necessary to meet the demands of the changing generations of students. Just like we want our doctors to be learning the most current medical procedures and our lawyers to be learning the most current legal precedents, we want our teachers to be evolving their practice through the latest research-based pedagogy. 


TAGS: CORE PRINCIPLES, ROBERTA LENGER KANG
8 Comments
Eugene Brown
8/16/2019 08:05:19 am

I am a retired school Principal seeking consulting opportunities. I look forward to speaking with you. Thank you!

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Rosemarie Griggs
9/30/2019 01:00:56 pm

Are you aware of any professional training for new coaches?

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Roberta Kang
9/30/2019 02:42:00 pm

HI Rosemarie!

We are just getting ready to launch a fall and spring workshop series called Learn and Lead for coaches and school leaders. The fall session will focus on leading Inquiry practices, while the spring version will focus on coaching and leading school teams.

Check back on our website to see the new series info!

Best,
Roberta Kang
CPET Director

Reply
Harry Holt link
12/5/2019 08:30:59 am

Seeking professional guidance means seeking progress. Struggling to deal with complications, however minor or serious, is an affair that every individual experience. By seeking professional guidance, you can gain prospective on your situation. You will get a chance to share your experience. And the best thing about sharing is healing. Under the guidance of a professional, you can identify your issues more clearly. Also, you can learn new ways to deal with difficulties.

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Roberta Kang
12/19/2020 12:02:04 pm

So true! Thank you for sharing!

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Gyan Sagar link
12/19/2020 07:59:44 am

It is great blog post. I am Always read your blog. Helpful and Informative blog. Thanks for sharing these information with us.

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Roberta Kang
12/19/2020 12:00:55 pm

Thank you so much Gyan!

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Chris Pederson link
2/3/2021 07:43:02 pm

I love how coaches can guide a person to increase their knowledge and pedagogical skills. People need to understand that they don't know how to do everything on their own and that they can't. It is okay to get someone's help and to be criticized too.

Reply



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The Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET) at Teachers College, Columbia University is devoted to advancing global capacities in teacher education, research, and whole school reform. CPET advocates for excellence and equity in education through direct service to youth and educators, innovative school projects, international research that examines and advocates the highest quality instructional and assessment practices today, and sustainable school partnerships that leverage current policy and mandates to raise literacy levels and embed collaborative communities of learning. Uniting theory and practice, CPET promotes rigorous and relevant scholarship and is committed to making excellent education accessible worldwide.
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Phone: (212) 678-3161 | Fax: (212) 678-6631
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  • Home
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  • Self-paced PD
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