Instructional Coaching
The ITE mentoring approach within the department of Secondary and Further Education is underpinned by Instructional Coaching, an approach to mentoring and coaching which is seen as fundamental to the development of beginner and early career teachers (Ambition Institute, 2020). Instructional coaching can broadly be summarised as an approach which involves 'working with a novice in an individualised, classroom-based, observation-feedback-practice cycle. Crucially, instructional coaching involves revisiting the same specific skills several times, with focused, bite-sized bits of feedback specifying not just what but how the novice needs to improve during each cycle' (https://samsims.education/2019/02/19/247/). Such an approach is mirrored in our weekly ITT curriculum in which trainees routinely revisit key learning throughout their ITT, the suggested TGROW approach to mentoring conversations and suggested targets.
As part of our support for mentor development, the department is currently developing a series of 10 minute 'podcasts' . The first of these covers what instructional coaching is, some of the research which underpins it, and how the approach compliments high quality teacher development.
The second podcast explores the difference between coaching and mentoring, and then focusses on the notion of instructional coaching and the research which underpins this approach, such as the work of Sherrington and Caviglioli (2020). The podcast explores the benefits of instructional coaching and how this links to deliberate practice as outlined by Deans for Impact (2016).
The third podcast examines the principles of instructional coaching and the characteristics of effective teacher development (as outlined by Sims et al., 2021). It looks at how mentors can engage in instructional coaching and the steps which mentors can follow as they develop within ITE mentoring. Throughout the podcast reference is made to Rosenshine's principles of instruction and recent research from the EDF on the features of professional development.