Coaching and Teaching: two worlds that meet each other

The teacher's responsibility involves imparting knowledge and fostering skill development in students. In contrast, a coach is tasked with providing support through active listening, questioning, and challenging. Despite the apparent distinctions between these roles, what if a teacher incorporated coaching principles and skills in the classroom?  

This concept was fundamental during the new edition of the course “Emotional intelligence and coaching inside the school and educational context” that took place in Tenerife from 5/11/2023 to 11/11/2023. The participants came from all across Europe, with Artūrs, Edgars and Valērijs from Vidzeme Technology and Design Vocational School in Latvia, Grete and Lisett from Audentes School in Estonia, Silke and Juliane from Gustav-Stresemann Wirtschaftsschule Mainz in Germany, Caroline from grg8 Albertgasse in Austria, Janne and Irma from Pärnu Koidula Gümnasium in Estonia, Annija from Mērsraga Vidusskola in Latvia, Asmaa and Hafida from MBO College Airport in the Netherlands, An and Helena from UC Limburg in Belgium

After exploring the main differences and similarities between Coaching and Teaching, we explored some coaching tools that can be integrated in the classroom. Then, we covered the topic of Emotional Intelligence, reflecting on what it means being aware of our own feelings and understanding other people's emotions to connect with them. A teacher with emotional intelligence can understand their students' feelings and help them handle their emotions.

To explore self motivation, which is one of the pillar of Emotional Intelligence, it's important to grasp the art of setting goals, particularly SMART goals. Participants were encouraged to establish SMART goals, ensuring they were specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

In this course, we also learned about the importance of asking questions. Questions can stimulate thinking and self-reflection, generate constructive responses, and inspire actions and the development of ideas. This is why  we explored how to create GROW questions, exploring Goals, Reality, Options and Will. We also looked at the "Solution-Focused Brief Coaching" model to encourage a solution-oriented mindset in students. Right after a theoretical introduction we put in practice everything we explored through a coaching session!

Another crucial coaching skill applicable in any workplace, including a classroom, is giving a constructive feedback. So we practiced how to build a constructive feedback, based on what we observed.
​
During this training week, participants shared their experiences and learned from each other's diverse backgrounds. Simultaneously, they enhanced their coaching skills and acquired knowledge on how to implement these skills in their classrooms. 

​Discover more about this course here.