Coaching at Heathmont College

In the last newsletter (March 2022) I wrote about how we are using coaching at Heathmont College to improve teacher practice and student outcomes. In this edition, I would like to discuss what coaching is and what skills coaches need to develop to become effective.

There are many definitions of coaching. One I like is:

“Unlocking people’s potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.” - Whitmore, 2009 

There is broad agreement that coaching:

• is a managed conversation that takes place between two people;
• aims to support sustainable change to behaviours and ways of thinking;
• focusses on learning and development

We are using Christian Van Nieuwerburgh’s book titled “An Introduction to Coaching Skills” to learn about the skills coaches need to develop to become effective and refine a framework that shapes a useful conversation. 

Listening is a skill that is required of effective coaches. Especially, active listening. When used effectively, listening can make people feel valued, respected, and resourceful. Skillful listening can encourage others to think more creatively and purposefully. Skillful listening also enables coaches to ask the best questions.

An effective coach intentionally asks powerful questions. Questions are used in a coaching session for a variety of reasons. They can be used to get answers or to elicit precision. Questions may also be used to manage the conversation. Coaches need to develop the courage to ask questions that neither they, nor the coachee, knows the answer to. Ask any coach, what their favourite question is at the moment. I can guarantee they will have one. One of my favourite questions at the moment is… “What is the real challenge for you at the moment?” I have used it with teachers and students. I have also used it with my children and my husband. 

Paraphrasing and summarising play an important role in a coaching conversation. They demonstrate active listening from the coach. They are both a way for the coach to checking they understand what the coachee is saying and can be used to refocus the conversation.

Effective coaches need to sharpen their ability to notice. They must notice what is happening, what is not happening, signals from their coachees, and what may be going on within themselves. The better the coach is at noticing things, the more likely they are able to support significant changes in their coachee.