Coaching in Education

Researcher/Institution name:: Christian van Nieuwerburgh, Margaret Barr - University of East London

Research Summary

The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of coaching in educational settings, ranging from coaching school leaders and teachers to coaching students, parents, and the wider school community. It examines how coaching can improve teaching quality, professional development, student achievement, relationships, and the overall culture of schools. The authors also propose a theoretical framework for understanding coaching in education and present practical examples from different countries.

Research Question

How can coaching improve the educational experience, teaching and learning processes, and the professional development of educators?

Connection to the Coaching Field

The chapter links classical coaching principles to the needs of educational systems. It shows that coaching is a key tool for improving teacher performance, strengthening educational leadership, and promoting a culture of continuous learning in schools.

Importance and Innovation

The chapter offers an up-to-date synthesis of research and theory in educational coaching and suggests practical models for leaders, teachers, and coaches. A major innovation is its focus on building a learning-oriented organizational culture through coaching, rather than using coaching only as a tool for short-term performance improvement.

Research Method

The chapter is based on a literature review and theoretical analysis of previous studies, alongside practical examples from several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Singapore.

Main Findings

  • Coaching improves teaching quality, collaboration among teachers, and student outcomes.
  • Coaching develops leadership skills among principals and teacher leaders.
  • Introducing a coaching culture in schools helps create a safe environment that supports learning.
  • Coaching enables both personal and professional development at the same time.

Keywords

Coaching in education, educational coaching, school leadership, instructional coaching, peer coaching, teacher development, student wellbeing, parent coaching, coaching culture, professional learning.

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