The Perfect (Teacher) Coach

By: Jackie Beere MBA OBE , Terri Broughton


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Products specifications
Attribute name Attribute value
Size: 174mm x 124mm
Pages : 192
ISBN : 9781781350034
Format: Hardback
Published: March 2013

Many schools are now recognising that using a coaching model is the very best way to make sustainable improvements in the standard of teaching, performance management and learning across all departments.

The Perfect (Teacher) Coach presents a simple and practical guide to making coaching work well in your school in order to deliver consistently high standards. This is ever more important with Ofsted increasing the number of lesson observations and ‘evaluations of teaching and learning’, providing a key performance indicator, alongside student outcomes.

Everything you need to know about what coaching is and how it works is provided in this book. This includes details of various models of coaching and how to implement a successful model suitable for your school, train your coaches and ensure you have a sustainable performance management process that really works.


Picture for author Jackie Beere MBA OBE

Jackie Beere MBA OBE

Jackie Beere, OBE is an Independent Thinking Associate who worked as a newspaper journalist before embarking on a career in teaching and school leadership. She was awarded an OBE in 2002 for developing innovative learning programmes and is the author of several bestselling books on teaching, learning and coaching. Since 2006, Jackie has been offering training in the latest strategies for learning, developing emotionally intelligent leadership and cultivating a growth mindset.

Click here to see a summary of Jackie's writings in the press - both online and in print.


Picture for author Terri Broughton

Terri Broughton

Terri is a passionate lifelong learner and teacher. She is a coach, leader, teacher, a mother and grandmother, a published writer an artist. She has worked as a successful acting head teacher for the past year and before that she worked for four years as a Vice Principal (teaching and learning) at an academy in Norfolk. The leadership and management of the academy have been described as Good' under her leadership.

Terri became an Advanced Skills Teacher in 1999, working with leadership teams and staff to share ideas and current thinking in learning. She was nominated for the National Teaching Awards for five consecutive years running. She creates a wonderful rapport and relationships with both staff and students. She truly puts them first and seeks out the coaching conversations that are needed to improve learning. She is compassionate, respectful and challenging - being beside someone and sticking to that. Helping them to find the best of themselves.

Terri was fundamental to developing the Student commission for an academy in Norfolk, which involved the students talking about learning; a serious group with real aims. It began as a small group of 7 and has grown to over 70 and continues to expand with eager students keen to take a serious role in learning. She introduced Independent Learning Projects into an academy, from their first Big Project to a whole academy Community Day which included work with primaries, secondary's, and further education.

Terri enjoys travelling to support teachers in other remote areas and has been responsible for twinning schools in Nepal with the UK. She is currently studying Strategic Intervention' coaching and is about to embark on Clarity Coaching' training from September. Skills that she is only too willing to share within the educational sector and further afield.

Terri is also a Master Practitioner and Certified Trainer of Neuro Linguistic Programming.


Reviews

  1. This is an excellent introduction to the approach to performance management known as coaching. The authors' aspiration is stated as follows: “This book is intended to help you develop a growth mindset in others by helping you become an accountable, approachable, listening and supportive teacher coach - with an understanding of key terms and skills inherent in the progression and support of colleagues and students” (p. 3). The chapters are: What is coaching?; What makes a -˜perfect coach'?; Coaching with edge, for performance management; Creating a culture of coaching; The skill of questioning; A coaching framework; Embedding the coaching culture for the long term. Two forms are given as appendices: -˜Coaching agreement' and -˜Coaching evaluation tools'. A small amount of UK referencing (e.g., to Ofsted); but bound to be internationally useful nevertheless.
  2. The Perfect -˜teacher' Coach written by Jackie Beere and Terri Broughton is a -˜must have' book for any school really interested in the continuing professional development of its staff and which has an ethos which allows, encourages and facilitates growth. The book is very readable and has many very practical and easily implementable ideas for helping teachers to reflect on their own teaching practice and develop strategies for improvement. The role of the coach is explained well and emphasises the need for empathy, rather than criticism, the need to be able to help teachers to come up with their own solutions and to recognise what it is that they wish to improve and achieve.

    Many of the ideas suggested in this book can also be used with pupils in the classroom. I particularly like the iSTRIDE model which I will be using with my Grade 8 class this week in the hope of giving them a greater sense of purpose and ownership of their learning.

    I will be sharing this book with the AST ( Advanced Skills Teacher) at my school as I think that the models suggested here will really help her in her role and will be asking her to lead professional development, based on this book, to the middle management team so that staff appraisal becomes a more consultative and interactive process. Targets and areas for development will thus ,hopefully, be recognised by teachers themselves and, with help from the coach, action taken to overcome barriers to outstanding learning in the classroom.
  3. I started reading the book with slight scepticism. Having taught for over 20 years, it is too easy to fall into the -˜teaching' mode when dealing with colleagues who need help and support and just tell them what to do, rather than finding the time for a proper conversation. I now work in Initial Teacher Training and from the moment I started to read Chapter 1, I was thinking about how I could use a coaching approach to my work with trainee teachers and move away from a completely mentoring approach. With each chapter, I became more convinced that I could develop the coaching role in my work. I especially liked the specific examples, like the -˜coaching script' in chapter 4, which shows how by asking open ended questions, the coachee can begin to develop their own solutions to problems and this is further developed in the next chapter on -˜The skill of questioning'. I shall definitely be trying out some of these ideas with my trainee teachers in the future. I found the book coherent and easy to read.
  4. The authors clearly clarify the essential qualities needed to become an effective coach. In education, sport, industry and within the public sector it is evident that there is considerable confusion regarding the role of “the coach”. Not everyone, despite their good intentions has the inter personal skills or background knowledge to become a great coach. Within professional sport we frequently witness “great players or performers” who are unable to transfer their skills into coaching upon retirement. The authors emphasise that the role of the coach is to focus on the coachee's strengths and keep their own experience in the background. The effective coach directs and supports the coachee to take ownership of situations and find their own solutions. This book should make stimulating reading for all teachers, managers, sports coaches and parent supporters at all levels. A very thought provoking and stimulating book.
  5. Coaching can be the most effective improvement tool for staff in school but it can also be the most sensitive and challenging experience for both the Coach and the Coached. I have tried, tested and adapted many models over the last five years but The iSTRIDE Model developed, explored and explained in this publication is, as the title suggests -˜perfect'. It is both supportive and effective in helping the Coachee to identify their own targets for improvement which, as we all know, is so much more effective than the Mentor dynamic. I have always been an advocate of the realistic yet innovative philosophies that Jackie Beere promotes and this latest publication is no different. A must have for those leading on the coaching of new colleagues to the profession, those helping more experienced colleagues who need support, in fact, isn't it actually the case that we should all be coaching each other?
  6. The Perfect Teacher Coach by Jackie Beere and Terri Broughton is a concise, thoughtful guide to becoming an effective instructional coach. The two UK-based experts draw on years of teaching and coaching in a variety of settings, providing a clear blueprint of what coaching is and isn't.

    I found their framework for coaching very similar to what I learned both from Teach For America and in graduate school, In short, coaching is not about telling teachers what is wrong and how to fix it, but giving them the tools and encouragement to do so themselves. Coaches are great listeners who ask the right questions and provide a positive, unwavering belief that teachers can find the right answers within.

    It should come as no surprise that the elements that make a great coach of teachers also make a great classroom teacher. I was always taught to constantly reflect on my practice, get feedback from my students and outside observers, identify weaknesses and find solutions. When I did a good job of all of those things, my classroom was at its peak effectiveness. This is also the message of The Perfect Teacher Coach.

    Whether you already coach teachers, have such a role on the horizon for next year or beyond, or are still just trying to improve in your own classroom, there's a lot to learn from this new guide. I highly recommend it.
  7. This book has a well set out structure from the introductory paragraph ... this book is for (I particularly liked and empathised with the last sentence... anyone who has a vision of a school where teachers own their own progress and self-improvement). I always believe this is the best CPD vision for a school... We're only as good as our least developed member of staff and the best learners are reflective self-improving ones... I believe that holds true for adults as well as students.
    Beere and Broughton clearly define the skills and role of a coach, as well as making clear what a coach isn't... This was something I hadn't been sure of before despite conversations with our own in-school advanced skills teacher coaches. A helpful table shows difference between the approach of trainer, mentor and coach.
    The at a glance box at the end of each chapter useful for those of us busy teachers who can't sit and read even a relatively compact book from start to finish in one sitting.
    I have found myself asking more open questions since starting to read this book; this has happened without my even trying; my natural style is rather different and it is something I'd like to develop in myself, this book made it easy.
    As well as clearly describing how once can approach developing a coaching culture within one's own school, providing the helpful iSTRIDE framework and suggesting how coaching can be used for performance management and lesson observations it also goes a step further and shows ways an embedded coaching culture can become outstanding - students as coaches, TA coaching students.
    A thought-provoking read especially for me as coaching is so-anti my default style but I am encouraged to try and convinced I can make it!


  8. The Perfect Teacher Coach provides techniques that are well described and supported by good recognisable examples. Difficult tasks and roles are made to feel manageable - a good resource text for a peer development group!


  9. This is a book that will have a real impact on the development of coaching within schools. The authors present a straightforward yet powerful way of exploring and understanding the key aspects of building high quality coaching throughout a school.

    Its simple, jargon free approach captures the concepts and practical elements that will help any school move towards a successful coaching culture.

    Written from a “reflective and emotionally intelligent mindset” the style of the book is utterly congruent with a coaching approach -” encouraging the reader to question and challenge their own behaviours and thinking and become even better. Throughout, the passion and belief are evident and yet clear links to Ofsted and performance management frameworks ground it in the reality of today's schools.

    Any school leader seeking to build sustainable progress in pupil learning at the same time as developing wellbeing and resilience in their staff will have a better journey with this book at their side




  10. -˜In good schools learning is fun, exciting, active, creative and developmental for teachers and for children. We all learn by mirroring ways of doing things from others who are excited by learning, positive, non-judgemental, keen to share and above all to listen.

    Learning needs to take place in a secure environment where we have permission to take risks, experiment and at times make mistakes. Under these conditions all our learning journeys could be greatly enhanced by what I have described as a 'lead learner' someone brought into sharp focus in Jackie Beere and Terri Broughton's book -'The Perfect Coach'

    In my school this approach was developed through colleagues training in counselling at the Tavistock Clinic, taking part in the In- house Masters programme delivered for us by the Institute of Education, experiencing our many home delivered inset sessions such as teachers becoming students for the day, following students, teaching other teachers or planning, discussing and team teaching together on a regular basis as well as engaging in the many cross curricular events that took place. The staff rooms became hives of learning conversations and the school a learning community as well as a community of learners.

    What this book does superbly is provide an aide memoire for leaders at all levels in schools both teaching and associate staff too, colleagues who are supporting staff development, middle managers and all teams such as departments, years/houses as well as senior leadership, in how to conduct constructive learning conversations. It will also be of value for students training to be peer tutors or mentors.

    The value of this approach is well documented in this book and will certainly lead to successful learning for all. It is the means of keeping a school climbing ever upwards, one of the greatest challenges for all schools especially those that think they have arrived. You never arrive! But that is was makes the whole learning game so exiting, creative and rewarding. This book provides a crucial tool for raising the achievement of staff and students in all schools.



  11. A must for any head teacher looking to use coaching to enhance their school improvement journey. Coaching must be part of the schools culture for continuous improvement. Some great tips for all staff, teachers and teaching assistants, looking to embark on the role as a coach. Great top tips , I will be using with all my staff.



  12. The Perfect Teacher Coach is just like the authors, solution focused and easy to follow. It's a book you can read from to cover to cover and know what you want to do next but it's also a good book to dip into if you've done coaching before to give you new techniques to try and sometimes it's also good to have reassurance that what you're doing is right! In the absence of having one of the authors at the end of the phone this book is the next best thing!



  13. An excellent teaching and learning guide for prospective coaches, with step by step guidance and information about coaching. The Perfect Teacher Coach clarifies the differences between counselling and coaching and the importance of good feedback from colleagues and fellow coaches. It provides a great way of reflecting on performance and management and questions the methods and ideas that we use within the classroom and structures coaching conversations.




  14. As a school we are certain that coaching is an incredibly powerful tool in teacher and student learning. The authors provide a book that is easy and clear to read, that covers the basic premise behind coaching as well as developing strategies. The way the book is written creates a positive mindset for the reader in imagining what they might do in a particular situation. The wealth of suggestions and solutions coming from real examples and scenarios provides a real grounding for the skills that it develops. The chapter on questioning was one of the best that I have read - it provides clarity around the types of questions and when and where they are best used. It also makes coaching look easy!

    This book very cleverly made me realise that I often coach effectively and that this happens when I have genuine empathy with the coachee, also it has also given me the confidence to think beyond a prescribed set of coaching questions as I develop my coaching still further.

    This is a book that will support the development of coaching skills in all teachers, young or old, experienced or NQT, but it also highlights the importance of coaching skills in support staff and teaching assistants. A thoroughly enjoyable and informative read.




  15. A well-structured, focussed and informative read, which still manages to maintain a conversational and highly enjoyable tone! Interspersed with opportunities to reflect on personal practice and to experiment with coaching techniques; the authors balance research, up-to-date educational practice and points of introspection extremely well.

    I found myself nodding along in total agreement; furiously making notes on what we could immediately implement in school. The short plenary sections at the end of key chapters focus thinking and the carefully-worked examples are easy to follow and emulate.

    This book puts into clear language, the nuances and central essence of effective coaching within a school-context whilst maintaining a realistic and pragmatic understanding of school systems, performance management and school improvement.

    I would heartily recommend this book to anyone embarking on coaching work for the first time or equally the experienced teacher-coach who wishes to re-articulate, consolidate, develop and reflect on their own personal and institutional practice.


  16. Very friendly and easy to navigate layout, which allows you to follow the book and take a step by step approach to techniques and theories or “dip into” and refresh skills that you haven't used for a while.

    Jackie and Terri are clearly passionate about the difference that coaching can make in an educational setting and this comes across loud and clear. The references to Ofsted and CPD give an edge of authority and make The Perfect Teacher Coach as an essential tool for a busy teacher -” not something additional and almost optional.

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