3 Dialogue in coaching
In this section, you will consider how a coach can support independent professional development by using carefully considered questions rather than offering solutions. A conversation between coach and coachee becomes a ‘coaching conversation’ when it takes the form of professional dialogue rather than an ad-hoc conversation (Cheliotes and Reilly, 2010).
A ‘coaching conversation’ should:
- have a purpose/intention
- be focused on the coachee, their strengths and challenges
- aim to ensure professional development and change.
(Based on Cheliotes and Reilly, 2010, p. 3)
You may occasionally come across a situation that gives you cause for concern. In these instances, it will be necessary to change tack and resume a mentoring role. Specific guidance may sometimes be needed as the beginner teacher could be unsure about how to develop their practice. However, the guidance should be given from a supportive standpoint and many of the principles of effective dialogue can be used when taking either a mentoring or a coaching stance.
The use of questioning plays a central role in the dialogue between coach and coachee, as questions may be used to draw out ideas and actions (Fletcher, 2012). Use of open questions can support the practice of reflecting on a learning experience. Offering solutions should be avoided by the coach. Giving advice can undermine confidence – the coachee should be viewed as being capable of finding their own solutions (Cheliotes and Reilly, 2010, p. 13). As a result, questions should not lead the coachee into one way of thinking or indicate that a judgement has been made.
In the following activity, consider how you could adapt the questions to move from an advice-giving perspective to one of prompting learning.
Activity 2 A coaching dialogue
The coach’s role is to build confidence and autonomy, by emphasising that the coachee is capable of finding their own solutions. Read each of the following questions and consider why they might undermine an early career teacher’s confidence.
- Do you think changing pupil groupings could help with classroom management problems?
- Have you thought about giving pupils more thinking time?
- Are you aware of the range of Assessment for Learning (AfL) techniques we use at our school?
- Would you agree that the plenary needs adapting?
- How about including more experiential learning activities in your sessions?
Discussion
- This is an example of a leading question and the coach is giving a strong suggestion about the necessary course of action.
- With this type of loaded question, the coach is controlling the direction of the discussion.
- This question could undermine confidence as it suggests that the use of Assessment for Learning (AfL) is limited.
- Another loaded question, conveying a negative opinion of the plenary.
- This could almost be interpreted as a statement; the coach is driving the agenda and the direction of change.
Now consider the questions from a coaching perspective. Rewrite the questions so that they might improve the quality of dialogue and non-judgemental support given.
- Do you think changing pupil groupings could help with classroom management problems?
- Have you thought about giving pupils more thinking time?
- Are you aware of the range of Assessment for Learning (AfL) techniques we use at our school?
- Would you agree that the plenary needs adapting?
- How about including more experiential learning activities in your sessions?
While asking the right questions in the right way is important in establishing a coaching dialogue, listening to what the beginner teacher is trying to discuss may be even more important. The next section discusses the art of listening.