Expanding Lines of Ownership: Direct and Indirect Coaching

In the Clinical Educator Training, direct and indirect coaching skills are like an ax and pruning shears: both are helpful, but you need to use the right tool at the right time. Trying to chop down a tree with a pruning shears or shaping a hedge with an ax is not very effective.

Direct coaching may be necessary, especially at the beginning of the school year, because of time constraints. The preplanning days are not the time to use the discovery method. Take a few minutes to explain why you will be so direct in the beginning, but after that just tell the new educator what they need to know and be able to do on the first day of school and possibly what they should do the first three weeks of school. Use clear definitive statements, make your points with conviction, and explain why your ideas should be adopted.

Indirect coaching takes more time, but it expands the new teacher’s lines of ownership. Indirect coaching should begin as soon as the new teacher’s classroom begins to show signs of a safe and orderly environment. Once these signs are present, the coach can begin to use indirect coaching. Indirect coaching methods include observations, asking questions, presenting possibilities, and most importantly getting the new educator involved in the discussion and decision-making process.

Direct and indirect coaching are both important and necessary strategies in coaching a New Educator. Sometimes you only get results by telling a new educator exactly what needs to be done. This means being firm and clear, but never rude or offensive. On the other hand indirect coaching is necessary in helping the New Educator examine their own practice and take the steps necessary to grow professionally.

Source: Dr. Doug Miller, NESS Program Facilitator