Coaching / Mentoring

Coaching and Mentoring are powerful ways to conduct teacher professional development.

In my doctoral thesis I worked with one teacher in her classroom and we showed the reciprocal benefits for me as the education advisor as well as for the classroom teacher. My thesis is available here.

By working alongside a teacher in their own classroom with their class pedagogy can be modelled and the real student reactions can be experienced by both the advisor and the classroom teacher. Discussions with teachers before the classroom session can set up expectations and give the teacher ideas about what aspects of the demonstration lesson to take note of. Discussion after the classroom session allows for reflection on what was observed and what the results were in terms of student learning. When coaching and mentoring occur regularly it is possible to achieve professional growth and improve student learning outcomes.

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Reflecting on a classroom visit demonstration lesson and planning ahead based on what the teachers observed.