Utilising coaching to enhance teaching practice

Abstract

Are you passionate about delivering a great learning experience to those you teach? Are you ambitious but concerned about burning out? Do you need some space and time to gain clarity, develop your practice and explore how you can be of service to your participants, your colleagues and your loved ones, while not losing yourself in the process? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you may find this chapter helpful. This chapter aims to provide the 'air and space and light and time' for educators to reflect upon and to challenge their practices. It will provide an in-depth look at a few select tools to help teaching and training professionals articulate their purpose, craft a teaching identity and philosophy, and get the most out of training received. There will be a focus on self-care throughout. To teach well we must know ourselves, be authentic and inspire others with our passion and continued desire to learn. We must recognise when work is done well. We must support each other, sharing information and working collegiately and collaboratively. As we move to a world where increasingly roles are being replaced by automation, we need to focus on what makes us individual, personalised humans (Gleeson, 2018). I have shared my own experiences in the spirit of being vulnerable and ‘walking my talk’. I am sharing my beliefs and the rationale behind my practice, as well as the experiences and techniques I have picked up over the extent of my career. My intention is that this chapter will encourage others to develop teaching practices for the benefit of our students and our workplaces while not burning out in the process. As I share my background, philosophy and approaches I would invite you to be considering yours at the same time before we come on to the practical exercises.