Effective+Coaching

__**Skill 1: Effective Coaching -- Ewan Park**__

Jerry found himself growing annoyed. The lesson Karen had just posted was simply not acceptable. It was too short, too easy, and it just lacked that certain indefinable something that set good lessons apart. ‘How could a teacher be so lazy? Where is her passion for teaching?’ Jerry thought to himself. ‘More to the point, how will Karen’s weak lessons (and I can only assume her other lessons are just as bad) reflect on me as her Subject Area Coordinator? What if parents complain? How will I look then?’ Jerry made up his mind to call an impromptu meeting with Karen in order to express his concerns. His message would be simple: improve…or else.
 * //An example of the absence of effective coaching…//**

//**An example of the presence of effective coaching…**// Jerry looked at Karen’s lesson. Although she still had a long way to go, Jerry was encouraged to see her trying, however haltingly, to implement the technique they had discussed a couple of weeks prior. He jotted a note to himself so that he would be sure to remember to say an encouraging word the next time he stopped by her cube. He then returned to the lesson and tried to discern the source of his misgivings about it. ‘It seems that she is hesitant to challenge her students to go beyond their comfort zone,’ he thought. ‘I wonder if this is a pattern or just a one-time issue.’ Jerry opened up four other lessons and found much the same problem in three of them. In order to prepare himself for their next regularly-scheduled coaching session, he developed a game plan in his mind: questions to ask, resources to offer, and a concrete goal to suggest.

//**Effective coaching is…**//
 * Adopting an other-centered stance, one which is focused on helping others succeed.
 * Listening and observing carefully, with reflection, before addressing a weakness in performance.
 * Developing a clear mental framework for what excellence in action should look like.
 * The ability to tap the power of encouragement and positive feedback.
 * Understanding success as a process of growth over time, and envisioning the next step in that process.
 * The ability to articulate and explain required minimum outcomes and insist on them firmly and calmly.
 * Being patient with step-by-step progress and delighted with small victories.
 * Freedom from fear of confrontation and anxiety about one’s own performance as a coach.
 * The ability to use questioning and dialog skills to help others find answers and resources within themselves.

Helping the individual catch a vision of something bigger than him or herself and then, through diligent effort, to reach new goals and increase personal capacity.
 * //The goal of effective coaching is...//**