Dan Vockins

Helping people make positive change through coaching, counselling and tutoring.

LinkedIn https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/dan-vockins-491433156/ ?

Location: Doncaster, England, United Kingdom

How I came to be using coaching in my teaching, and the benefits for me and my students.

Ten years ago, in 2013, I was fortunate enough to be working in a school which was managed by people who were open-minded and dedicated to staff wellbeing and development. The leadership team brought in a coach to work with the staff, and we all had monthly, 1:1 sessions. This was how I first experienced coaching and was hooked immediately. After a year of receiving coaching, I knew I wanted to learn more and gained my diploma in coaching through the company who came into our school. I could clearly see how coaching could develop every area of my life, including teaching. The way I approached teaching shifted slightly and I was far more conscious of the decisions I was making during interactions with my students. There are so many benefits to using coaching in the classroom, but I am going to explain some of the key ones for me…

Unconditional Positive Regard

During my coaching training, we learned about the three core conditions Carl Rogers stated were necessary for any successful interactions in person-centred therapies. These are Congruence, Empathy and Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR). Although coaching is different to talking therapies, such as counselling, I strongly believe the core conditions are still vital if successful coaching is to take place. One of these three conditions resonated with me slightly more than the other two. This was UPR. I felt a great need to ensure that all my students knew that I held them in high regard; that they felt wanted and respected in my classroom. This at times can be tested when I see behaviours from students that completely go against my core values, but I must separate the behaviours from the individual. If a student feels like a teacher ‘doesn’t like them’ this can often lead to difficulties so I do all I can to show them that I see them in a positive light and I value them as a human being.

Listening

I believe that listening is our greatest superpower. The simple act of listening shows that we value what the person has to say and therefore value them as people. This can make people feel like the most important person in the world – not listening can do the opposite. Ensuring the students I work with know that they will be listened to, often gives them more confidence to share ideas and give responses. In the past, I have taught children to listen to one another as well. Showing them that true listening is not about waiting to respond but hearing to understand. I show the benefits of repeating back what they heard from their peers, to make sure they have understood the point, how it was intended. A consequence of consciously listening to the students I work with is an increased level of maturity and respect from most students. Fairness is high on the list of priorities when asking a student to describe a ‘good teacher’ and they often link being listened to with a teacher being fair.

Questioning

Coaching has developed my knowledge and understanding of questioning. Questions in a classroom often get us closer to the ‘right’ answer, therefore closing possibilities down. Although I cannot avoid these kinds of questions entirely when teaching, I do try to ask questions which open possibilities up as much as I can. I use questions to seek understanding; understanding of the ideas the children in my class are trying to communicate. I want a full understanding of where an answer has come from before I consider giving feedback, which may include letting the student know that they have a misconception. If I ensure that all questions are seen as having value, then I hope my students will always feel comfortable taking risks, being creative, answering a question (even when they are not sure of the answer) and asking their own questions.

Empowerment

It is often the case, and not just in a classroom, that the quickest way of doing something is doing it ourselves; especially if we have the knowledge or expertise. In the long run though, this disempowers the young people I work with. Coaching is all about empowerment and putting the onus on the coachee to make their own decisions, to develop themselves and make positive changes in their own lives. I must coach, and teach, from the viewpoint that I completely believe that the person I am working with has the power to solve their own problems. Although ‘giving them the answers’ or ‘doing it for them’ may have short term benefits for both student and teacher, i.e. it gets things done quickly, the long-term benefits of supporting the student to ‘figure it out for themselves’ are huge. Not only will it give them tools to independently develop academically, but it can also have positive effects on behaviour and emotional intelligence as well. I used to spend a huge amount of time dealing with students arguing and falling out with one another. Coaching them through the process of dealing with disagreements can mean that my support will no longer be needed when things like this arise in the future. The students have developed the necessary tools and communication techniques to solve these problems themselves. Having the mindset of believing all students have the power to learn and solve problems has an additional impact – their confidence in their own abilities increase.

Responsibility

Another key aspect of coaching, which I use when teaching, is ensuring the student understands that they are responsible for their own lives. They must accept the consequences, both positive and negative, to their choices. As an educator, I can coach them through what those consequences may be and then they can make informed choices about work ethic and other behaviours. There are certain rules in schools which must be followed. The consequences of following these rules or breaking these rules must be explained clearly so the student understands what will happen if they choose to break them or follow them. This must be done consistently by the educator, or the students will not know where they stand and may feel like they have been treated unfairly. If I am honest, fair and clear then the student has to take responsibility when it comes to consequences for both good and bad behaviours. This is also true of learning. I will support every student I work with to achieve their potential, but it is still their responsibility to accept that support or not. Therefore, how much progress they can make is fundamentally down to them. I can facilitate learning, not force it.

Overall, the benefits of using a coaching approach to my teaching have been huge for both me and my students. It has improved relationships and had tremendous effects on both behaviour and academic achievement. I also want to mention that the use of coaching will have ripple effects in their personal lives as well as their future. If a person can begin to ‘self-coach’ because of the skills they have picked up along the way, then they can become someone with almost unlimited potential. Coaching not only allows us to move forward, achieve targets and make positive changes, it can also have a positive effect on our mental wellbeing. It’s a proactive way of dealing with mental health issues which so many of our young people are struggling with today. I genuinely believe that, if we allow our young people to experience coaching in some way, then we will start to see a decline in mental health issues. We would produce a generation of people who are confident, resilient, creative, responsible, independent, and communicative. I would encourage all educators to learn about coaching and embed it into your practice.

Editor’s Notes

Strategic Steps

1. Introduction to Coaching: Dan's journey into coaching started with exposure facilitated by the school's leadership team, which initiated monthly 1:1 coaching sessions for staff, providing an initial experience and interest in coaching methodologies.
2. Formal Coaching Education: Motivated by the benefits observed in his own life, Dan pursued a diploma in coaching, recognising the potential for coaching to enhance various areas of life, including teaching.
3. Integration into Teaching: Dan adapted coaching principles into his teaching methodology, emphasising core conditions like Unconditional Positive Regard, active listening, powerful questioning, empowerment, responsibility, and the importance of supporting students' decision-making.
4. Focus on Empowerment: Central to Dan's coaching approach is the belief in empowering students to find their own answers, make their own decisions, and take responsibility for their choices, fostering independence and growth.
5. Emphasis on Responsibility: Integrating coaching principles involves teaching students about responsibility for their actions, both positive and negative, and guiding them through understanding consequences, aligning with school rules, and taking ownership of their learning journey.

Outcomes

1. Enhanced Relationships: Coaching principles integrated into teaching significantly improved relationships between Dan and his students, fostering a more supportive and understanding environment.
2. Behavioural and Academic Impact: The coaching approach led to positive effects on both behaviour and academic achievement, demonstrating that coaching techniques positively influence overall student performance.
3. Personal Growth and Mental Wellbeing: Beyond academics, coaching techniques contribute to personal growth and mental wellbeing, instilling qualities like resilience, confidence, independence, and effective communication among students.
4. Potential Long-Term Effects: Dan believes that exposure to coaching principles could potentially mitigate mental health issues among young people, fostering a generation of confident, resilient, and proactive individuals.
5. Encouragement for Educators: Dan encourages fellow educators to explore coaching principles, highlighting their potential to enhance teaching practices and contribute to students' holistic development.

I WANT Your Story

I invite you to send me your story of how you added coaching to your teaching, and why you chose to do so. I also ask you to share the benefits of the outcomes you have experienced. Finally, I ask you to reflect on the process of telling your story.

Your story (1500 words) could be featured in this biweekly newsletter on LinkedIn and/or our quarterly compendium published on Amazon.

Who am I? I am Martin Richards, a retired teacher and coach. I am based in Scandinavia and have worked with teaching since the 1980s and with coaching since the early 2000s. My last employment, coaching teachers in Sweden, was wonderful. I miss it.

The combination of coaching and teaching is powerful. It takes teachers and students out of the victim dance that blights our schools. I have written a string of books to share my experiences of coaching and teaching. My aim is to inform, inspire and encourage teachers to add a little coaching magic to their teaching day. My books are published on Amazon .