Coaching in Education Podcast Series

Back in December 2021 I had the privilege of interviewing Alison Spence, Principal of Kohia Terrace School in Auckland New Zealand. In that episode we were joined by some of Alison’s primary students to hear of the fantastic impact of their ‘students coaching students’ programme. In this episode I am excited to re-visit the whole concept of students coaching students but this time at secondary school level. To talk us through a fascinating coaching journey, I’m delighted to be joined by Natasha Mercer. Natasha is Head Teacher of Teaching and Learning at St Ives High School in Sydney Australia and in this episode she takes us through both the challenges and the significant benefits of developing a programme in school where students coach other students. If you are considering what students coaching students might look like in your school then this is a must listen. Enjoy.🎧 Richard Reid – Podcast Host.

I’m delighted to share with you the second episode in our podcast mini-series called ‘Stories from the Coaches’. In our first episode we turned the spotlight on our very own Dan Steele who shared some fascinating insights into coach training from the other side of the slide deck. In this second episode I’m joined by another member of the GCI team – Gray Ryan. Gray is highly regarded for his integrity, professionalism and outcomes focus. His motivational and engaging style and highly attuned listening skills enable him to develop positive, meaningful and trusting relationships with GCI clients. Gray is an experienced coach and facilitator with an extensive background in educational leadership. Join me as Gray shares some great insights from his many years of experience in both coaching and facilitating. This is another ‘must listen’. - Richard Reid, Podcast Host.

As this issue of CoachEd Update goes live there is great excitement and anticipation at Bemin Secondary College in Victoria as the doors are opened for the very first time. Join me in this episode where I’m in conversation with Principal Jo Camozzato. Jo shares some of her fascinating journey in education so far and provides some valuable insights into how she has applied a coaching approach to her leadership roles over the years. This is a must listen episode.

In this latest episode of our ‘stories from the field’ series, my guest conquers a whole new level of challenge when developing coaching in a school. To date, most of my guests have shared their experiences within one specific setting – a primary school, a post primary school, a state school, or a private school and maybe even an international school amongst others, but no-one has yet to share a story of developing a coaching culture in three separate schools – at the same time. Join me in conversation with Justine Smyth. Justine is currently an executive principal working with the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership based in Melbourne Australia. Just a few years ago Justine was tasked with the formidable challenge of amalgamating no less than three neighbouring primary schools and settling them into a brand new build. Change management guru John Kotter states – “In its most basic sense, leadership is about mobilising a group of people to jump into a better future.” In this episode Justine is going to share with us how she mobilised three separate groups into one better future that paid respect to all three schools.

This episode is the first in a new mini-series called ‘Stories from the Coaches’ where we're shifting the spotlight on to those who train the educators to become exceptional coaches. Join me as I sit down with some of our own GCI team to explore their unique perspectives on implementing coaching cultures in schools. Let’s learn from their experiences of empowering school leaders and teachers to bring about positive change and transformative coaching practices in schools. To kick things off in this first episode, I’m delighted to welcome Dan Steele. Dan is a seasoned educational leader responsible for GCI's growth in Victoria and Tasmania. With a diverse background in government, catholic, and independent schools, in metropolitan Melbourne and remote Western Australia, he's passionate about fostering learning cultures, developing leaders, and using coaching to drive educational improvement. Join me in this episode as he shares some of his wealth of experience and insights into building coaching cultures in schools.

In this latest episode of the Coaching in Education Podcast, host Richard Reid is joined by three members of the team at Salesian College Sunbury in Victoria, Australia. Listen in as we learn about the early stages of their coaching journey where staff shared a vision of wanting to have ‘better conversations’. Find out how the team, led by Ammie Franklin (Director of Staff Learning), took courageous steps through a consultative approach to introducing coaching at Salesian College. Listen to pedagogy coach Jade West share the benefits of coaching across a school of 140 teachers. Check out how the team turned the challenges of the pandemic into opportunities for growth, as coaching provided the perfect tool to focus on wellbeing through a difficult time. Hear directly from teacher Melanie Jurcic, from the perspective of a coachee, how coaching at Salesian has benefitted her both personally and professionally. Another episode that’s well worth a listen.

In this second episode Melanie Chambers joins Richard Reid once again to discuss further the coaching journey at BSB, gathering some great insights into the details of that journey through the eyes of one of BSB’s professional learning partners – Emma Vlaeminck. Emma is a teacher of German, French and Humanities at BSB and co-ordinates the Bilingual Programme. Emma has had a lead role in developing the BSB ‘Vision for Coaching’ and gives us a flavour of both the challenges and the benefits coaching has brought to the school.

An international learning community for children aged 1-18 and currently the only school in Belgium independently ranked as one of the best schools in the world. In this first of two episodes I’m joined in conversation by Melanie Chambers – deputy head and whole school lead for professional learning. Listen in as Melanie shares how BSB has experienced a significant shift over recent years in the whole area of professional learning. Hear how they have navigated the barriers and roadblocks along the way and how coaching has played a key part in shaping their journey. Whether you are well down the coaching route or just starting out this episode is well worth a listen.

Instructional Coaching – What does it mean to do it right? Join me in conversation with none other than Dr Jim Knight, senior partner at the Instructional Coaching Group and Growth Coaching International’s executive director Chris Munro as they both provide some clarity around the following aspects of Instructional Coaching: The Partnership PrinciplesThe place of the expertise and knowledge of the instructional coachTeacher practice goals vs student focused goalsThe Impact Cycle For further information on Instructional Coaching check out the websites of both organisations: www.growthcoaching.com.au www.instructionalcoaching.com Link to the video mentioned in the episode: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahzi4DRkphQ&t=2390s

‘Coaches are human, humble and works in progress’. In this second part of the Westminster coaching story, Richard reid is in conversation once again with Director of Teaching Angela Phillips who introduces us to one of Westminster’s HALT teachers and coaches – Ali Barr. Ali gives us a fantastic insight into the detail of what coaching looks like on a day-to-day basis and shares her thoughts on what it means to be ‘human, humble and a work in progress’. An insightful listen for both experienced coaches as well as those just starting out on this exciting journey.

‘The coalition of the willing. Coaching is a precious in demand resource. Don’t fret about those who have not opted in yet.’ In this episode I am delighted to be joined by Angela Phillips, Director of Teaching at Westminster School in Adelaide, South Australia. Join me in the conversation where Angela walks us through how coaching has developed at the school over recent years. Listen in to Angela sharing highlights from the recent HALT 2023 Conference in Melbourne where she talks about ‘Coaching At West’, shares insights into the HALT programme at Westminster and very helpfully gives us some insight into what happens when things don’t always go according to plan when developing a coaching culture.

In this episode I’m delighted to be in conversation with Sam Crome, Deputy Head of St Peter’s Catholic School in Surrey, England and more recently the Director of Education for a Multi Academy Trust. In this episode Sam shares his interesting journey into education, highlights how his research on staff wellbeing introduced him to the world of coaching and gives us a little insight into how he sees the role of coaching play out in the complexity of the teams within our schools. For further insights into Sam’s work check out his excellent blog at pocketwisedom.blog and keep an eye out for his first book ‘The Power of Teams’ to be released in the summer of 2023.

In this episode of the Coaching in Education podcast I’m in conversation with Mark Keenan and Jane Ginders from New Zealand who share the findings from a recent case study of the seven schools in Howick Coast Kãhui Ako as they developed individual coaching models over the last number of years. Listen in to hear the benefits and the challenges of a ‘cluster’ approach to developing a coaching culture. Find out how individual schools can benefit from the collective experiences of a Kãhui Ako’ (learning community) and together, improve the quality of their conversations.

Welcome to part 2 of the coaching journey at St Andrew’s Cathedral school in Sydney, Australia. In part one I was in conversation with senior learning coach Elle Smith who shared with us the fascinating story of getting a coaching culture off the ground starting with one coach, way back in 2015. In part two I’m pleased to have Elle join me again and this time she has brought along one of her colleagues - Anthony Sharman. Anthony is a learning coach at St Andrew’s and through this episode he and Elle are going to give us some insight into the ups and downs of sustaining and growing a team of coaches in a school setting.

When introducing a new initiative in a school setting it’s always an advantage to have ‘buy-in’ from a number of colleagues right from the start. You could claim there is safety in numbers, be encouraged that we’re all in this together, or rely on the fact that a crowd draws a crowd. However, it’s not always the case, so when you’re the only advocate for starting a coaching culture in your school what do you do? – You Start With One. Join me in this episode where I’m in conversation with Elle Smith. Elle is the senior learning coach at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney, Australia and has a fascinating story to share about how coaching has grown and flourished there over the last seven years since ‘starting with one’ back in 2015.

In 2022, school leaders from around the globe can reflect on a two year period which saw the most significant changes and challenges they have ever had to embrace. There were no guidebooks nor case studies to refer to. So, when faced with both significant changes and challenges how do school leaders best support and grow the capacity, motivation and wellbeing of their team? How do they improve relationships and ultimately how do they improve outcomes for students? What is the most effective way of leading schools? Join me in this special episode of the ‘Coaching in Education’ podcast series where I’m joined by Chris Munro, Claudia Owad and Roma McKinnon to discuss the concept of ‘A Coaching Way of Leading Schools.’

Over the last dozen or more episodes we have heard terrific stories of how teachers, having served for 30 or 40 years, have found renewed enthusiasm for the profession through the impact coaching has had on them. But what if you are just fresh out of teacher training? What if the ink on your teaching certificate is still drying? What happens when you realise you have joined one of the most challenging professions out there? What happens when theory and good intentions meet reality? In this episode I am excited to be joined by two inspiring educators – Tomaz Lasic and Sue Knight. Both work as coaches in a long running, and in many ways trailblazing, In Class Coaching Programme in the Western Australian government school system. Their coaching helps early career teachers build their self-efficacy that is so essential at the start of their career. The strong reflective practices they build with them increase their confidence and resilience in an increasingly complex and difficult environment that is classroom teaching.

From surviving to thriving. A student’s guide to feeling and doing well at university. Join me in conversation with our very own Global Director – Professor Christian Van Nieuwerburgh, where in this episode we take a sidestep into the field of positive psychology to discuss Christian’s latest book, co-edited by Paige Williams. Listen in as we consider how university students can access strategies, insights and hacks from some of the leading academics in the field of positive psychology as they navigate their way not only through university life but in their life beyond education as well. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Surviving-Thriving-students-feeling-university/dp/1529741130

Join me in this episode where I’m in conversation with Robyn Trzeciak, Amy Parsons and Jordan Warren. A group of young educational leaders who have a proven track record of empowering teachers to improve student outcomes. Through a collective, coaching approach, they have been able to build upon the well-established coaching culture at River Gum Primary School and have pushed the school’s learning growth even further, to some of the highest levels in the state of Victoria. This is a great example of how a strong coaching culture can not only survive but actually thrive through a period of leadership change.

Building a high performing team using a coaching approach to leadership. With over 40 years of experience in education, 20 of those as a Principal, Roma McKinnon is no stranger to developing school leadership teams. In this first of two episodes, Roma shares with us the ‘How’ of developing the capacity of senior leaders using a coaching approach. Learn about the wins and the challenges of Roma’s experience in both her role as Principal of River Gum PS in Melbourne as well as her school improvement work with the Department of Education across Victoria. Some excellent examples of what happens when theory and good intentions meet reality.