4.2c | Continuous Improvement

As a connected learner, the coach is expected to establish shared goals with educators, reflect on successes and continually improve coaching and teaching practice.

Vision and Goals

From very early on in the Digital Education Leadership Program, I have learned the importance of articulating and sharing vision and goals besides learning to reflect on key learnings. I learned about the different reflective assessment strategies which have served me well till this day. In any enterprise, having a vision and goal is one thing but the vision is only as good as if it can be executed well. For a vision to have a chance of success, the team involved in the execution which includes educators, needs to be envisioned and commit to carrying out the vision. That is why I believe this vision sharing and reflection on successes and teaching practices need to be a continuous cycle to keep the team focused on goals set. 

Professional Development vs. Professional Learning

I also studied a framework for designing professional development as a way to help educators improve their teaching practice. In my post titled “A Model for Professional Learning Assessment“, I presented the difference between professional development and professional learning and advocated that coaches should embrace professional learning instead as it is more interactive, sustained, and customized to teachers’ needs as opposed to professional development which is less differentiated and “mass” in approach, thereby being less engaging.

The Power of Effective Feedback

Feedback is also an essential element to power and effect continuous improvement. In my post titled “The Power of Effective Feedback“, I presented a feedback model for educators to give and receive feedback more effectively. I also shared what effective feedback looks like in practice and the importance of timing when it comes to giving feedback.

Effective Coaching

In my 4-part series on Successful Coaching, I shared about the different factors affecting coaching effectiveness. The coach-coachee working alliance, coachee self-efficacy, personality, and chemistry between coach and coachee play an important part in the success of a coaching relationship.

For a coach to change the coachee’s mind and inspire continuous improvement, the coach needs to first learn how to build trust. I also shared a conversation template for coaches to conduct a coaching session with sentence stems to use in different situations. Finally, I wrote about the importance of active listening when it comes to wanting to inspire change and progress. There are tips and skills that a coach can pick up to become better at coaching.

 

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