Coaching for Learning

Ever since the early seventies, we have known that students who are taught by teachers who have high expectations of them perform better than others. This begs the question: how do you do that, have high expectations of your students? Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) demonstrated the behaviours of teachers with ‘high expectations’: they ask a lot of activating questions, only provide clues when absolutely necessary, and provide regular learning-improving feedback about how their students are doing. Pedagogically, they are kind to their students.

Coaching for Learning is based on these principles.

Coaching for Learning is a systematic and purposeful method of coaching and providing feedback in a way that increases student motivation and enhances learning. It provides teachers with an instrument to systematically coach students with feedback, in terms of both process and content. This helps teachers to shape Coaching for Learning in a very concrete and practical way, that will enhance learning and its conditions. We’ve also linked Coaching for Learning to formative evaluation. Coaching for Learning is, after all, a formative evaluation on a micro level.

In 2016, Coaching for Learning won the NRO-VOR audience award – an award for scientists who make their work accessible and useful to everyone working in education. The jury recognised that the authors had converted their scientific research into a solid and practical manual with many practice opportunities for a large group of teachers. The jury report stated, ‘Providing good feedback is a prerequisite for good education. Coaching for Learning is an important contribution.’

Lia Voerman and Frans Faber collaborate with several trainers in Stichting Didactisch Coachen (The Coaching for Learning Foundation). It is their ambition that every teacher – starting in the Netherlands – will acquire the skills and attitude to guide students this way.

Lia is an experienced trainer and works at the University of Utrecht. She is a postdoctoral researcher in the field of providing feedback and teaching experienced professionals how to provide feedback. Frans is also an experienced trainer and coach. He worked as a teacher and supervisor for many years. Teaching and motivation have always been a special interest of his. Lia and Frans are both very passionate about Coaching for Learning because it provides teachers and coaches with a practical instrument that helps them systematically guide learners in their learning process.