How Coaching and Mentoring differ in Teaching Profession?
Papers are spilling off the table. Your phone is ringing. You are buried under piles of notebooks and little smiley face stickers seem like smiling at your poor condition! All teachers have been through this phase. When it comes to teaching, there are always days when you eagerly wait for the final bell to ring and you just want to escape from the classroom, interact with someone much older than kindergarten kids or simply plug in those earphones and listen to some soulful music.Papers are spilling off the table. Your phone is ringing. You are buried under piles of notebooks and little smiley face stickers seem like smiling at your poor condition! All teachers have been through this phase. When it comes to teaching, there are always days when you eagerly wait for the final bell to ring and you just want to escape from the classroom, interact with someone much older than kindergarten kids or simply plug in those earphones and listen to some soulful music.
One of the most important but often overlooked aspects of education is having coaches and mentors who help you deal with the turmoil of daily struggles and the challenges of the job. If you want a career as a teacher, you would be in so much profit if you enroll your name in a Montessori teacher training institute for a short course. You may not get incredible seniors every time, but you will be self sufficient enough to salvage your sanity, challenge your own limits and learn to adjust under any circumstances.
Undergoing a program of Coaching and Mentoring
You may have to undergo the program at some point of time either when you are a student preparing for teacher’s training, as a newly appointed pre-school teacher or even after a promotion within the education hierarchy.
Montessori teacher training institute is now offering coaching and mentoring for professional development which has its roots in both psychological approaches to enhance performance in the classroom as well as business leadership.
What’s the difference?
Are there any real-life differences between coaching and mentoring aside from the theory? Simply put, it slims down to this:
Coaching: Whenever an individual feels the urgency to assess their professional caliber, allowing for honest continuous professional development (CPD). It can be senior-junior or peer-to-peer as well as.
Mentoring: Managing career change usually with a senior member of the organization who passes on their skills to the one whom s/he is mentoring.
You will better examine this in terms of teaching if you get yourself trained from a pro Montessori teacher training institute.
Coaching as a Teacher
Coaching as a teacher is different than what we see in sports. Effectual coaching mostly deals with providing people with the apt knowledge and skill set for them to function their best. The strategies that several instructional coaches employ are:
- Observation
- Reflection
- Creating model
- Debriefing
The first step involves observing the teacher at work. The coach occupies a seat in the back of the classroom and observes how the teacher is taking the class, conning with students, interacting and how students are responding.
After the class is over, the coach will share observation with the teacher. If s/he observes distraction, s/he may suggest breaking up the lesson with some engaging activities where all students can participate.
Creating model means setting up exemplary activities that would help teachers to keep their students attentive in the class. The coach mocks-up activities, but, teachers are free to make alterations as far as it helps students to stay focused.
Finally, the debriefing session comprises of discussing the strength and weaknesses of the teacher, areas of improvement, special lessons to take the next class better.
Be a better teacher and guide your students like a leader with specialized courses from a Montessori teacher training institute.
Mentoring as Teacher
One of the mentor’s first responsibilities is to set up a trusting bond with the new teacher. Research suggests that mentoring is most helpful when the new teacher trusts the mentor. The mentor builds this trust by forming a risk-free learning atmosphere for the beginning teacher by offering support that is confidential and non-judgmental. Confidentiality encourages honesty, risk taking, and self-assessment by the new teacher. The mentor does not leak any evaluative info about the new teacher with anyone, including the principal as well as the administrator. However, content; subject matters and strategies can be shared with administrators.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!