Coaching Philosophy and Model

Critical to CEI’s success is a coherent and consistent definition of the coaching relationship, combined with the structures and protocols that enable this relationship to flourish. The following eleven core coaching competencies were developed by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) to support greater understanding about the skills and approaches used within today’s coaching profession. The ICF defines coaching as: partnering with clients in a thought- provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The ICF Standards/Core Competencies are grouped into four clusters and are not weighted – they are all fundamental for any coaching relationship to have positive outcomes.

A. Setting the Foundation

  ●    Meeting Ethical Guidelines and Professional Standards

  ●    Establishing the Coaching Agreement

B. Co-Creating the Relationship

  ●    Establishing Trust and Intimacy with the Client

  ●    Coaching Presence

C. Communicating Effectively

  ●    Active Listening

  ●    Powerful Questioning

  ●    Direct Communication

D. Facilitating Learning and Results

  ●    Creating Awareness

  ●    Designing Actions

  ●    Planning and Goal Setting

  ●    Managing Progress and Accountability

Additionally, CEI follows the “transformative coaching” framework developed by Elena Aguilar in The Art of Coaching. According to Aguilar, there are four phases to the coaching relationship:

        1.   Surfacing the current reality;

        2.   Recognizing root causes and underlying mental models that contribute to gaps/problems of practice;

        3.   Exploring emotions in order to name and release them and enable the school leader to access deeper levels of courage, commitment and confidence; and

        4.   Creating new beliefs and ways of being, which lead to the creation of new, more authentic and productive behaviors.

Within each phase, the emphasis within the coaching relationship is always on building and enhancing the school leader’s resilience, reflective abilities and appropriate skill sets. Our coaches move seamlessly within their coaching conversations along the “Coaching Continuum” to meet the needs of the present moment and its attendant circumstances. Along this continuum, “calibrating” is more directive and instructive, “consulting” and “collaborating” are more a sharing of resources and perspectives and exploring intended and unintended outcomes, and “coaching” is more facilitative and reflective.

In support of improvement efforts, CEI coaches work with principals to determine data-driven school improvement strategies that focus on critical improvement indicators. The primary focus for CEI’s coaching of the school’s leadership will involve a review of the data indicators, how to use the metrics and progress monitor, and how to develop effective action plans (e.g. next steps, timelines, expected outcomes, etc.). Coaches will work with principals to demonstrate measurable student progress and growth at each administration interval on formative assessments. Of paramount importance is developing the ability of each school team to align their selected skills-based formative assessments with the NYS standards. Additionally, coaches will work with principals to review summer data to inform planning and practices for the following school year.

In analyzing a school’s culture, CEI coaches will work with principals to review student attendance data to focus on positive behavioral support systems to strengthen all students’ attendance as well as developing interventions for students with chronic absenteeism. Similarly, coaches will work with principals to review behavioral incidents (rate, location, time of day, etc.) to better understand the root causes for these incidents and to develop adaptive solutions that build a supportive culture and climate. Related to all of these outcomes, coaches will work with principals to identify the strategies for improvement in order to codify these strategies and their impact (student outcomes) in the school’s reports.

The information that follows presents an overview of CEI’s coaching philosophy and model and the structure of CEI’s coaching.