Educational Coaching: a tool for better learning and teaching

What is Educational Coaching for and what are its main theoretical bases?

Coaching is a methodology that allows the maximum personal and professional development of individuals and influences their transformation, causing changes in perspective, increasing motivation, commitment and responsibility, and of course, learning.

Therefore, coaching promotes cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes that expand the person's capacity for action..

Educational coaching is not directive

Educational coaching is not based on directive instruction by the coach, but helps to create the appropriate conditions for learning and growth.

Possibly one of the most notable changes that coaching can bring to the classroom is that this methodology does not consist of teaching in a directive manner, but rather creates the conditions for learning and growth. It is an experiential methodology, in which both teachers and students arrive at solutions through their own self-reflection. Coaching leaves behind the barriers that can be imposed by limiting beliefs, and individuals who try it connect with the here and now in a way that makes them more decisive and creative.

Coaching focuses on a dialogue (called the Socratic method) between actors that allows the development of specific skills. For teachers, it allows them to learn about their own mistakes in order to modify them, and it also helps to create more experiential and enriching educational environments and classroom strategies for students, who also benefit from these productive sessions.

Teachers can have sessions with coaching professionals or learn different coaching strategies to better educate their students. But the coach-teacher or teacher-student relationship is not an expert relationship, i.e. the coach is not above the coachee. Rather, the relationship is on the same level, and the coach facilitates strategies for self-learning. The coach is a companion in this educational process.

How students benefit

One of the keys to educational coaching is that its purpose is not to teach, but to seek to improve performance on an individual basis. It is common to observe in some classrooms that all students are taught exactly the same thing without taking into account their abilities and strengths, greatly limiting their potential and creativity.

Educational coaching focuses on the individuality of people, on the potential of each of your students. In many occasions, what is intended to be taught should not limit the students' potential for learning. That is why educational coaching offers a different way of learning.

5 keys for teachers and educators to know

To increase the potential of students, teachers or educators can know the five keys to educational coaching, because in this way students can benefit from this type of methodology. Coaching can be a great complement for teachers when teaching classes. But what are the principles of educational coaching?

You can learn more about coaching competencies in this link.

Coaching myths

Unfortunately, this discipline, which can be really useful, is tainted with a certain amount of controversy. For example, its popularity has caused a lot of professional intrusion. In other words, many people claim to be "coaches" when they are not. Some of them confuse this methodology with "charlatanism" or motivational talks, and others, with a simple course, think they are already coaching professionals.

But coaching is a methodology that well used brings many benefits for the coachees (the clients of the coaches), as they acquire greater self-knowledge, emotional intelligence, empowerment, better structure their objectives and connect with their emotions more efficiently..

The benefits of coaching

As much as some people insist on describing coaching as a fad, coachees who have been able to experience the coaching process know how beneficial this methodology is for their well-being and learning. That is why coaching is applied to personal, sporting, work and educational aspects of life..

Whatever the type of coaching, this practice is closely related to change and learning, as it allows to open the mind, experience and recognize emotions, analyze the present state to set goals and create a plan of action to achieve the objectives in a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound manner.. The coach guides the coachee throughout the coaching process and helps the coachee to be able to develop his or her full potential..

In summary, coaching brings the following benefits:

If you want to know more about the benefits that coaching can bring you, visit our article: "The 10 benefits of Coaching (key to your personal development)".

• Self-awareness: It is only possible to bring out the best in students when you are aware of your own limiting beliefs and adopt a non-directive attitude open to change. In this learning relationship there must be an environment that allows for self-awareness, reflection, observation and interpretation of what is being experienced. This applies to both you and your students.
• Empowerment: To empower students and make them more independent, it is necessary to educate them not on the basis of knowledge, but on the basis of the responsibility that this knowledge implies.
• Feedback: Constant feedback is essential to maximize learning and benefit from the sessions.
• Skills development: To be able to apply coaching in the classroom, it is necessary to develop different skills: active listening, emotional intelligence, patience, attention, compassion, etc.
  • Recommended article: "The 10 myths about Coaching".
  • Allows you to define your objectives
  • Maximizes creativity
  • It allows for greater mental flexibility and adaptability to change.
  • Empowers people
  • Improves interpersonal relationships
  • Helps to manage time and, therefore, reduces stress.
  • Helps us to be motivated
  • Increases well-being
  • Helps to maximize personal development in order to go further
  • Improves self-knowledge, self-reflection and emotional intelligence.
Bibliographical references:
• • Burman, E. (1998). The deconstruction of developmental psychology. Madrid: Aprendizaje Visor.
  • Cristal, D. (1993). Pathology of language. Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra.
  • García Galera, Mª del C. (2000). Television, violence and childhood. El impacto de los medios. Barcelona: Gedisa.
  • Kimmel, D.C. and Weiner, I.B. (1998). Adolescence: a developmental transition. Barcelona: Ariel.