Evaluation of a coaching programme for cooperating teachers

In this study, the implementation effects of a programme for the training o f coaching skills with Dutch primary school teachers acting as cooperating or supervising teachers for teachers-in-training are described. Coaching is a form of in-class support intended to provide teachers-in-training with f eedback on their functioning and thereby stimulate self-reflection and self -analysis to improve instructional effectiveness. Based on the pre- and pos t-training ratings of coaching conferences with the teachers-in-training, a significant treatment effect was found for the coaching skills concerned w ith the development of autonomy (empowerment), feedback and the encourageme nt of self-reflection. The teachers in training did not rate the trained co operating teachers as more effective than the untrained cooperating teacher s. The above-average ratings provided by the coached teachers in training, however, showed that they perceived the coaching conferences to improve the ir instruction. The dimensions of teaching discussed most frequently by bot h the trained and the untrained groups during the coaching conferences were evaluation, management of order and monitoring.