A Teacher’s Guide to Coaching
Practical strategies for using coaching practices in schools
Over the past couple of years, I have been crafting my first book, A Teacher’s Guide to Coaching: Practical Strategies for Using Coaching Practices in School. This guide is a culmination of the rich conversations I have had with educators from the United Kingdom and around the globe. These discussions, coupled with my research and practical experiences, have deepened my understanding of how coaching can transform the educational landscape.
In this book, I aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering actionable strategies that empower teachers to integrate coaching principles into their everyday practice. The goal is to illustrate how coaching can enhance not only individual teaching methods but also foster a more supportive and effective learning environment.
By sharing practical tools and insights, I hope to equip educators with the skills needed to cultivate a coaching culture within their schools, ultimately benefiting students, teachers, and the broader educational community.
“Research into the area of ‘coaching in schools’ is still relatively new however, the practice of coaching in schools has been evolving over several decades”
As I reach the final stages of editing, I wanted to take a moment to share some insights into A Teacher’s Guide to Coaching: Practical Strategies for Using Coaching Practices in School. This book is designed to be a comprehensive resource for educators looking to enhance their practice through coaching. It offers a blend of theoretical foundations and practical strategies, aiming to make coaching principles accessible and actionable in the classroom setting.
In addition to the insights from the book, I am excited to share a selection of valuable resources for coaching in education. These include tools, frameworks, and further reading that can support and enrich your coaching journey. Whether you’re a seasoned coach or new to the practice, these resources will help you implement coaching strategies effectively, fostering a more dynamic and supportive learning environment for both students and teachers.
I hope these insights and resources inspire you and provide practical support as you explore the transformative potential of coaching in education.
Coaching in Education
The idea for this book stems from my journey as a teacher, school leader, and professionally accredited coach. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working alongside remarkable educators, which has deepened my appreciation for the transformative power of coaching within our profession. My goal is straightforward: to share these insights and create a space where we can explore how coaching can significantly enhance our teaching practices.
In this book, you will find a blend of insights on what coaching can look like in schools, supported by the experiences of teachers from around the world. It is a resource created by teachers, for teachers, showcasing how coaching has been integrated into classrooms and the impact it has had. This compilation offers a wealth of ideas on applying coaching approaches and practices for both professional and personal development.
Through reading this book and trying some of the ideas you will be able to:
Deepen your self-awareness: Gain a better understanding of yourself both personally and professionally.
Enhance relationships: Develop coaching practices that strengthen your connections with students, colleagues, and families.
Expand your strategies: Build a diverse set of tools to engage children and young people through various coaching skills.
Implement coaching practices: Learn how to introduce coaching practices and foster a coaching culture within your classroom, school, and personal life.
This book is more than a guide — it is a collection of voices, reflections, and experiences from teachers like you. Written by a teacher, for teachers, it focuses on integrating coaching into the fabric of our classrooms to support both personal growth and professional development.
Throughout the book, you will encounter reflections and insights from the educators I spoke too, which bring the ideas to life and provide real-world examples of coaching’s impact on teaching practices, student relationships, and colleague interactions. Their stories highlight the practical benefits of coaching, offering relatable perspectives on how these principles can be applied in your own context.
When discussing what they wanted from a book on coaching, teachers expressed a desire for:
Practical tools: Immediate strategies that can be put into practice right away.
Deep listening: Techniques for truly connecting with what others are saying.
Innovative thinking: Methods to break free from fixed ways of thinking.
Overcoming fear of failure: Strategies to help students navigate their fears.
Coaching approach guidance: Insights on when, how, and if a coaching approach is suitable for the classroom.
Coaching with younger children: Ideas for applying coaching with younger students.
Supportive interactions: Approaches to be less judgmental and more supportive in helping others.
To address these needs, I have structured the book around essential aspects of coaching in schools. I firmly believe that teaching transcends content delivery; it is about creating meaningful connections, fostering growth, and nurturing potential. In the dynamic, fast-paced environment of a school, it is easy to overlook the small, transformative moments that occur daily.
Coaching offers a way to slow down, reflect, and be intentional about how we approach these moments—for both our students and ourselves.
In collaboration with John Catt Educational publishers, this book is due out in early 2025. Keep a look out on my web page www.jasminemillercoaching.com and https://www.johncattbookshop.com
