Educational Coaching

Coaching is a trend that has expanded beyond sports over the past decade. Executives now have coaches and some educational professional development is making the transition to this management model. Some of my best learning experiences have come from coaching. I had the opportunity to coach many capstone educators last year as part of the program offered by the National Capstone Consortium .

Over the last twenty-five years in education, I have come to appreciate the power of personalized learning. The best understanding comes from environments in which the learner's preferences are featured. In the right situation, if a teacher can tap into a student's strengths, then learning becomes much more meaningful and lasting, for both members of the experience.

Focusing on the learner is exemplified in capstone programs, in which students take on more of the educational responsibilities, and teachers shift their role to be more managerial. Like a coach. As we write in our book, capstone teachers collaborate with students more deeply than they do in traditional classroom settings.

It follows that what is better for students is equally beneficial for teachers. From the inherent guiding nature of capstone teaching, and the growing trend of professional development coaching, sprung the Consortium's coaching program.

Meeting educators where they are — from refining an existing program to launching a new one — the Consortium's program provides just what educators need right when they need it. We begin by assessing the program, then identify some manageable goals, then we apply the experience of the Consortium coaches to transform the coaching program. Coaches prepare participants to employ strategies that are designed to be successful. Ideas are discussed and plans are arranged to ensure the realization of the educator's goals in the classroom.

I am looking forward to another wonderful coaching season in the Consortium's program, as well as the growing role of coaching in educational professional development.