Coaching Conversations
Enhancing Teaching, Leading, and Learning through professional coaching
Course Information and Key Themes
Coaching in education is a professional learning approach and way of being rooted in collaborative conversations, where effective questioning and active listening support colleagues (and students) in reaching their full potential. Over the past decade, coaching has become increasingly prominent in both education and the corporate world, valued for its ability to enhance professional growth, leadership, collaboration, and inclusion. This course brings those benefits into Irish schools, supporting early career teachers, experienced educators, and school leaders with the skills and theory to strengthen teaching, leading, and learning.
Participants will explore coaching as both a professional learning method and a way of being, with practical modules focused on coaching skills, peer coaching, building coaching cultures, and the role of coaching in school self-evaluation (SSE) and school improvement. The course will also touch on mentoring, and how coaching skills can enhance professional conversations within the Droichead process.
In a time shaped by rapid change and the rise of AI, human-centred skills such as listening, empathy, and questioning are more essential than ever. This course offers a timely and engaging opportunity to develop those skills, helping participants to create more reflective, supportive, and collaborative school environments.
Course Overview
Course Outline
Module 1: Coaching and Mentoring in Irish Schools
By the end of this module, participants will:
- Differentiate between coaching and mentoring within an educational context.
- Explain how coaching supports professional learning and collaboration
- Evaluate the role of coaching in fostering teacher growth, improving student outcomes, and enhancing school culture.
Module 2: Coaching Conversations – Skills for Teachers and Leaders
By the end of this module, participants will:
- Apply active listening, questioning, and feedback techniques to facilitate effective coaching conversations.
- Use the GROW Model to structure and guide coaching dialogues that promote teacher reflection and problem-solving.
- Assess the impact of coaching conversations on professional learning, teacher agency, and student engagement.
- Recognise the link between trust in coaching conversations and the Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice
Module 3: Building a Coaching Culture in Schools
By the end of this module, participants will:
- Describe the key characteristics of a coaching culture and how it supports professional learning.
- Identify potential barriers to coaching in schools and propose practical solutions.
- Develop a plan to integrate coaching into their school’s professional learning framework.
Module 4: Peer Coaching – A Collaborative Approach to Professional Learning
- Define peer coaching and explain how peer coaching supports teacher reflection, growth, and instructional improvement.
- Identify strategies for embedding peer coaching within school structures.
- Apply key principles of peer coaching, focusing on trust-building, reflective dialogue, and professional learning differentiation.
Module 5: Coaching for School Self-Evaluation (SSE) and School Improvement
By the end of this module, participants will:
- Explain how coaching aligns with the six-step SSE cycle and school improvement priorities.
- Evaluate the role of coaching in enhancing reflective practice and professional learning.
- Identify opportunities to use coaching as both an SSE target and a tool for school improvement.
Course Author
Coran Swayne
“I created this course because I believe coaching is a key tool for helping ourselves, our colleagues, and our students unlock their full potential. This course is designed to support teachers and leaders in primary and special schools to grow with confidence, lead with compassion, and create lasting impact in their school communities.”
Bio
Coran Swayne is an administrative deputy principal in East Cork Community Special School. Prior to this role, he taught and held middle leadership positions in Scoil Chill Ruadháin (Brooklodge National School), bringing with him a strong grounding in both classroom practice and school leadership. He is also a lecturer, PhD candidate, and UCC Excellence Scholar at University College Cork, where his research explores how school leaders cultivate coaching cultures in schools.
Coran holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and a Master’s in Education from UCC, as well as a Bachelor of Education from Mary Immaculate College. A qualified coach, he is committed to the belief that coaching can transform both personal and professional growth.
In addition, Coran works has worked a facilitator with Oide, providing professional learning in Physical Education. His approach is grounded in evidence-based practice, with a passion for fostering inclusive, collaborative, and reflective school cultures through coaching.
What Participants Say About SummerCPD Courses
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