Advocating for the Education Support Partnership in 2016 led to the opportunity to work with a Coach. I was ‘unsure.’ As it turned out, it was a very worthwhile experience, both personally and professional and not only that, it encouraged me to pick up ‘Coaching’ conversations with former colleagues from Wellington College.
The second driver was my dissatisfaction with school accountability and performance review processes. I wholeheartedly believe that our profession has suffered at the hands of ‘Performance Related Pay’ and an outdated, ill-advised, refuted accountability processes. As I understood it, Coaching, had the potential to contribute towards a) an approach for enhancing teachers craft and b) a more powerful and sincere approach to staff and organisational development.
So, with the support of Jane Suter at Red Tiger, we convened an education focused Coaching and Mentoring Qualification, drawing on the new specification from the Institute of Leadership and Management. A qualification focused on effective Coaching and Mentoring within an organisational context – in our case, a school.
Accreditation
I am proud to say that today I received notice from the ILM that my third and final assignment was “passed” and the overall qualification awarded.
With that news, I need to thank Jane Suter for her professional support, Julian Stanley for role modelling Coaching and encouragement, Dr Sean Warren for his conversations around Complexity Theory and recognise the positive contributions of my fellow course delegates – thank you. To Iain Henderson is Deputy Head (Educational Developments and Partnerships) at Wellington College and Dr Andy Kemp and Graham Norrish – thank you.
What is next for Coaching?
Coaching and being Coached has the potential to change you and your professional outlook. Even more now, than previously, I believe that Coaching AND Mentoring has much to offer education, schools as organisations and the professional relationships within them. Particular in empowering teachers as practitioners and developing leadership behaviours and organisational culture and climate.
With those reflections in mind, the clients I Coached were all aspiring or new to senior leadership educators (some stepping up into new roles). So, should you be looking for a route way forward in your education leadership career, I am looking to be an active Coach, (alongside my own education career). Maybe we can work together?
Coaching and Mentoring
You may well be thinking of developing your own Coaching and Mentoring practice. If so, Jane Suter and Red Tiger are convening another ‘education tailored’ course with Cornerstone Primary (28th, 29th February, 27th, 28th March, 24th, 25th April.) If you are interested, get in touch with Jane Suter directly.
Course outline:
- Understanding the skills, principles and practice of effective coaching and mentoring within an organisational context
- Undertaking effective coaching or mentoring within an organisational context
- Reviewing own ability as a coach or mentor within an organisational context