Definitions of coaching are wide ranging. The term coaching describes a continuous two-way process through which individuals are supported to solve problems, address issues or do tasks to a higher standard than would otherwise be the case, through professional dialogue with a coach or mentor.

The aim of the process is to improve personal and professional effectiveness and make a direct contribution to the person's learning and development. It supports an individual to explore their own context and take responsibility for professional actions to develop that context. 

What is a 'coaching approach'?

A key development in the field of coaching in schools is the adoption of a ‘coaching approach’. This is the first step to creating a coaching culture. The difference between coaching and a ‘coaching approach’ is explored by John Campbell in this article: Coaching and 'Coaching Approach': What's the Difference? 

It is crucial that education professionals understand the significant benefits and recognise the features of high-quality coaching and mentoring approaches. A more coherent system-wide strategy should build on strengths already in the system to ensure an equity of access across all local and regional areas.

“Coaching helps the client identify, plan and effect the changes s/he perceives to be necessary to realize the vision identified in the client’s future. For Pask and Joy (2007), then, the key is change in the practice and behaviour of the learner. While mentoring processes can support learning, it is the crucial link to changing and enhancing what a teacher/leader does that coaching can stimulate.”
Coaching and Mentoring: Developing Teachers and Leaders, O'Brien, Jim; Forde, Christine; Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic Press Limited. 2011 Chapter 2, p23

Graham Alexander and Ben Renshaw discuss coaching verses mentoring in Chapter 3 - What’s the right approach?

'Telling people what to do may achieve short term results, however asking their opinion taps into capability and generates long-term development and sustainable performance. The primary difference between coaching and other "helping activities" is that it is more focused towards task performance and development and has a structured approach. It is the glue that binds leadership activities with achievement of objectives' (page 113).

Overall, they define coaching as 'an enabling process to increase performance development and fulfilment' (pg 15). As a teacher/leader this 'enabling process' can be used to support self-evaluation and planning for career-long professional learning within a well-structured PRD process.
'Supercoaching' by Graham Alexander and Ben Renshaw, Random House pub 2005.

Your feedback is very important to us and will be used to improve our professional learning offers in the future.

Please take time to complete our evaluation form, thank you.