Instructional coaching: A model for developing agency and supporting retention efforts
Written by: Adam Kohlbeck
8 min read
ADAM KOHLBECK, CO-FOUNDER, EDUPULSE; DEPUTY HEADTEACHER, BIRKBECK PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK
The United Kingdom has one of the youngest and least experienced teaching workforces in the developed world (OECD, 2020). This represents an experience loss not only for students but also for new teachers coming into the profession, with mentors necessarily taking on their roles earlier in their careers. Part of the theory is that by giving new teachers the best possible start to their career in terms of their development, they are more likely to remain in the profession. Why, then, in the face of such a widespread commitment to mentoring early career teachers, are we still losing so many of them? There is, of course, a myriad of reasons that contribute to this. Martin et al. (2023) produced a report examining many of them. In this article, I will argue that one contributory factor is a dominant behaviourist approach to instructional coaching (as part of the role of a mentor). Although initially empo
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