How Can Coaching Ensure Professionals Embrace New Learning?

PART 1: How does Analytical Coaching Empower New Learning?

Anyone that has experienced first class, structured coaching will know its power in providing clarity, inspiring confidence, and driving a momentum for change. This transformative process creates empowered thinkers and reflective practitioners.
However, in recent years, this style of coaching has been under criticism. The reason often cited is that it assumes that the teacher or leader already has the knowledge within themselves to improve… and if this is not the case, progress can be limited.

OLEVI believes high-quality coaching should facilitate new profound learning and the creation of new habits. However, this new learning should not come from the coach because if it did (such as in mentoring or some models of Instructional coaching) this might lead to a lack of challenge, empowerment, and sense of ownership for the thinking and outcome.

“High quality coaching should facilitate new learning”

To this end, OLEVI created the ANALYTICAL COACHING programme. This highly structured coaching programme is typically 12 weeks long and focuses on incremental growth in an area of pedagogy. Evidence so far has shown that this leads to the creation of more expert practitioners.

A crucial element of this programme is the LEARN Phase that follows the IDENTIFY and precedes the IMPROVE phases. Guided through the process by the coach, the teacher or leader will embrace new learning and extract the wisdom from their learning before preparing an action plan for improvement.

This article will explain how the LEARN phase works within the Analytical Coaching Programme, but it does not focus on the science, skills and strategies deployed by a coach when implementing it.

What is the purpose of the LEARN Phase in Analytical Coaching?

Once the focus has been identified and agreed by the coachee, they must fully explore this area of pedagogy to gain new knowledge, skills, and expertise before embarking on the creation of an action plan. For OLEVI, this process should not rely on the expertise of the coach, instead on the curiosity and ingenuity of the professional.

If this process becomes collaborative with the coach acting as a learning partner or consultative with the coach acting as the expert, the danger is it:

• relies on the coach having all the necessary experience and expertise (which they may not have).
• can disempower the coachee, creating a culture of dependence and low expectation, not one of deep thinking and high challenge.
• assumes that, whilst they do not have the knowledge or skill now, the coachee cannot or should not harness the new expertise themselves
• reinforces that they do not own their learning and thus do not embed that practice into their habits.

What does the LEARN Phase in Analytical Coaching look like?

 

PART 1: EMBRACING NEW LEARNING.

 

During Session 1, once the focus is identified, the vision is articulated and the current reality is accepted, the coach will move on to preparing the teacher or leader for the LEARN phase. This means the coach sets up the Post Session Challenge by establishing the Methodology for Learning. For OLEVI, this methodology should always include they 5 crucial elements:

 

RESEARCH, OBSERVE, COLLABORATE, INVESTIGATE and REFLECT.

 

Too often, professionals do not engage in all 5 elements and thus do not fully embrace the full picture. The period between Session 1 and Session 2 is normally 1-2 weeks long.

RESEARCH: Engage with robust academic research that collects, organises, and analyses data from a strong evidence-base. This could include the reading of books and academic journals on the topic or the listening to podcasts and vlogs by acknowledged experts in the field.

OBSERVE: When excellence is observed, teachers or leaders will see exactly how an area of practice can be effectively implemented and can analyse the exact reasons why. However, when excellence is not seen, it should also promote deep thinking: “What can I learn from this experience?” These observations are often the most profound. Look to see the practice performed in different contexts.

COLLABORATE: Discuss and debate the topic with a diverse group of trusted colleagues. This might include professionals from different curriculum or phase areas. Listen, reflect, and challenge what is said.

INVESTIGATE: This involves the trialing and testing of some techniques or strategies relating to the area of pedagogy. This will ensure the teacher or leader understands how they feel and look like for them as professionals. Just because it works in some contexts or is advocated by some experts, does not mean it works for everyone!

REFLECT: This method should be ongoing through this process, considering “how does what I have learnt, affect me and the development of my practice in my context?”

After embracing this new learning, the teacher or leader, must prepare Learning Nuggets for Session 2.

PART 2: Extracting the Wisdom

Session 2 starts with the coachee sharing their Learning Nuggets, presenting their thinking based on wider learning. This will expose if the teacher or leader has taken responsibility for not only embracing new learning using the 5 methods, but also taking the time to reflect upon what it important from what they have learnt in several concise and profound Learning Nuggets. If they have not invested enough time, energy or thought into this post session challenge, it is crucial the coach holds them to account. This programme is based on high expectations and a sense of aspiration and inspiration.

Once the Learning Nuggets have been shared, the coach must empower the coachee to extract and substantiate the wisdom from the exercise. This involves a 5-step process, from exploration to re-confirmation. It is incredibly important the coach ensures they no not skip or rush each step – if they do, they might not have the right way forward for them!

EXPLORE:
No decisions are made at this stage. Instead, what has been learnt is broadened (‘maximum dimension!’).
E.g., “Tell me more about…”

CLARITY:
What has been learnt is made clear, and the meaning explained.
E.g., “I am hearing you have identified 5 key areas…” 

SELECT:
The key areas of clear learning are prioritised or filtered so the important thinking is highlighted.
E.g., “So, what is important to you now?”

PLAN:
Decide on a specific, actionable targets to implement this new learning. This could apply to situation, event, class etc.
E.g., What are you going to do now?

RE-CONFIRM:
Before moving on the preparation for IMPROVE phase, it is important to check this is the right way forward.
E.g., Is this still what you think is going to move you practice further, forward fastest…”

It is only at this stage that you can embark on the pre-session challenge for the IMPROVE Phase.

This includes the preparation for an action plan that, when implemented, will capture the evidence of practice.