Professional Learning Session
Coaching and mentoring to support professional review and development
(PRD) and professional update (PU).
This material could be used with any group of teachers to support them in leading a PRD
interview.
Preparatory Tasks:
Participants will have read
1. Chapter 1 from Connor, M. and Pokora, J. (2012) Coaching and mentoring at work.
(2nd edition). New York: McGraw-Hill/Open University.
2. GTCS
information
about
PRD
and
PU
(accessed
at
http://www.gtcs.org.uk/professional-update/professional-update.aspx).
3. One exemplar of a teacher’s self-evaluation PRD form which was sent to the school
in advance.
9.10-9.40
Welcome
Set the scene and share aims of Education Scotland project.
The purpose of this session:
• We discovered that PTs in secondary had had least support with
this part of their remit; and in general felt less confident about
supporting professional learning of colleagues than other areas
of their remit
• We are grateful to you for allowing us to trial the materials in
this format; and will really value your feedback
Map of session:
• Short discussion about ERD/PU and C&M.
• Consideration of your own beliefs and values in relation to
ERD/PU processes
• Using the exemplars: Identify key issues and designing
some questions
• Learning conversations: role play
• Debrief
1.
Discussion regarding knowledge, understanding and experience
of the ERD / PU processes.Stressing that the core purpose of these
processes is to improve quality of learning and teaching in a school;
thus outcomes for pupils.
2. We asked you to read Chapter 1 from Connor and Pokora. This
kind of professional reading is a requirement within the GT CS Standard
for Middle leaders to ’develop coherent approaches to professional
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learning which build and sustain teachers’ practice’ (3.2) and in relation
to this are expected to ‘develop and use knowledge from literature,
research and policy sources to support the processes of leading and
developing staff and creating school cultures for the enhancement of
practice and decision making’ (3.2.5).
Coaching and mentoring as learning relationships: not ‘teaching or
telling or advising or instructing’ but helping people to:
• Take charge of their own development
• Release their potential
• Achieve results which they value (Connor and Pokora, p.8)
What did people learn about coaching and mentoring from reading the
chapter?
•
•
Get a general feel for the level of confidence / expertise
regarding coaching and mentoring colleagues to support the
ERD / PU processes.
Does anyone perceive any potential barriers to this approach
being successfully adopted?
3.
Before moving in to the activities for the session I want you to
consider the following questions
• Has the ERD process been positive and constructive for you
in the past?
• Do you see it as an exciting and important part of our remit,
or a tedious but necessary task to undertake (or something in
between)?
• Do you think that the ERD system is highly effective in supporting
the professional learning of teachers, no value at all, or
something in between?
• What are your feelings about the PU process and its possible
effects?
•
9.40-10.25
How will your answers to the above questions affect the
possible effectiveness of the processes?
Activity 1
Introduction of materials ( Appendix 1 )
Group people (triads) in relation to the PRD form that they have read.
Triads discuss the PRD form, identifying the key issues for the
professional development of their case study person.
Issue the ‘starter question’ sheet ( A p p e n d i x 2 ) to help with
coaching questions, and ask group to create some coaching questions
in relation to the key issues identified.
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10.25– 10.55 Activity 2
In triads, practise coaching process (role play).
Each triad should have a coach (reviewer), coachee (reviewee) and
observer. Each person has 15 minutes in each role.
The observer has a list of coaching techniques / points to look for and
note. The observer should also take the time to consider how best to
‘record ’the meeting.
10.55-11.10 Coffee break
11.10-11.25 Activity 2 continued
11.25- 11.55 Debrief session (including importance of PRD within the PU
process) Next steps for school
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Appendix 1.
Introduction to the materials
Coaching and mentoring
to support professional review and development (PRD)
and professional update (PU).
You will find six exemplar self-evaluation Professional Review and Development
proformas. These have been prepared by Keri Reid (Primary Principal Teacher) and
Avril McNeill (Secondary Depute Headteacher) who were seconded from Perth and
Kinross Council funded by a grant from Education Scotland.
Working with colleagues from the University of Stirling, they developed these
exemplars for training purposes. They pull out pertinent issues highlighting these in
exaggerated, stereotypical ways. We have attempted to make them gender neutral.
NB Any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental.
They are available to download and use in whatever ways are helpful to colleagues
with responsibility for PRD/PU interviews.
There are three secondary and three primary exemplars, with three working within
the Standard for Full Registration (GTCS 2012), and three working within the
Standards for Leadership and Management (GTCS 2012). We do not believe the
issues raised are sector specific and therefore suggest that all can be used in any
sector.
Some things to consider and discuss before engaging further with the materials:
1. Once you have read the short summary profile, consider how that affects
your assumptions about what you are about to read.
o Do you empathise with the person, or on the contrary do you
immediately feel your hackles rise?
2. In school, you are likely to have preconceived notions about the person that
you are about t o review.
o Could this affect the ways in which you go about the task?
3. Before reading the full exemplar, look at the stage the person is at
in the Professional Update cycle (top right hand corner).
o Does this affect the ways in which you will plan for the interview?
4. In school you are likely to have experience and knowledge of the person’s
professional development at earlier stages in the cycle, though this is not
necessarily the case.
o How could this experience and knowledge affect your planning
for the interview?
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5. Consider how confident do you feel in your own skills with regard to
supporting the professional growth of colleagues?
6. Consider your own beliefs and values in relation to the PRD/ERD/PU processes.
a. Has the PRD process been positive and constructive for you in the past?
b. Do you see this as an exciting and important part of your remit; a tedious,
necessary task to undertake; or something in between these two
extremes?
c. Do you believe that the PRD system is highly effective in supporting
the professional growth of teachers; of no value at all; or again
something in between these extremes?
d. What do you think about the PU process and its possible effects?
e. How will your answers to the above questions affect the
possible effectiveness of the processes?
The six exemplars are as follows:
1. M Bright (Primary principal teacher)
• working within Standards for Leadership and Management (GTCS 2012)
• committed to professional development
• has a thorough grasp of the curriculum
• up to date on current educational thinking
• aware of their strengths and weaknesses
• open to being coached
• demonstrates a good emotional intelligence
• appears to relate well to others
2. H Fulton (Secondary depute head teacher)
• working within Standards for Leadership and Management (GTCS 2012)
• aspiring head teacher
• bright young professional who has come up the ranks fairly quickly
• enthusiastic , energetic and passionate
• focused and ambitious
• good credibility with colleagues
• perhaps slightly threatening to other senior managers
3. V Lowe (Primary class teacher)
• working within Standard for Full Registration (GTS 2012)
• has taught for many years
• interested in ‘winding down’ option
• high opinion of teaching capabilities
• limited CPD experiences
• no interest in professional development
• strong opinions about school discipline strategies
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4. J Marr (Secondary principal teacher)
• working within Standards for Leadership and Management (GTCS 2012)
• aspiring depute head teacher having been acting depute for some time
• disappointed at lack of success at interview for substantive post
• ambitious and focused
• high level of self-confidence apparent
• poor relationships within department
5. S Ply (Primary teacher on supply following induction year)
• working within Standard for Full Registration (GTS 2012)
• keen to secure a permanent position
• good relationships with pupils, staff and parents
• positive behaviour management
• wide experience of planning and assessment
• limited CPD experiences
• interest in research projects and further study
6. S Smart (Newly qualified secondary teacher)
• working within Standard for Full Registration (GTS 2012)
• late entry to teaching, from industry
• high level of self-confidence
• high opinion of teaching ability
• ambitious and focused
• poor relationships with colleagues and line manager
• high expectations for career
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Appendix 2
Starter coaching questions for PRD
Supplied by Sean Nash www.nextstepslearning.co.uk
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What have been the highlights for you this year?
What’s gone particularly well? Proud of?
What aspects of your performance this year have particularly pleased you?
On a scale of 1 – 10 how would you rate your performance this year?
What did you do to make that happen?
What’s helped you?
What aspect of your role have you really enjoyed this year?
Why was that?
How might we capitalize on that?
What’s disappointed you this year?
What’s gone less well? Or what could have gone better?
What impact has that had on you? How do you know?
Reflecting on that, what have you learned?
What could you do differently to improve the situation? How could you do it
differently next time?
If things were where you wanted them to be what would be different? Describe
that to me.
What would you really like to achieve over the next year?
What would the payoff be for doing that?
How will that help the situation?
How would your work have to change to make it really good for you?
How do you propose making this happen?
Who can help you?
What would help you right now?
Looking forward, what would help you do things even better?
In terms of development, what would help you? What would help you contribute
more over the next period?
What would you like from me?
How can I help you? What could I do more of/ less of to make your job easier?
How would you like to move this forward?
What is your first step? Next steps?
When will you do that?
How will you know that you are making progress and/or have been successful?
When would you like to talk again?
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