Product reviews for The Perfect (Teacher) Coach

The Perfect -˜teacher' Coach written by Jackie Beere and Terri Broughton is a -˜must have' book for any school really interested in the continuing professional development of its staff and which has an ethos which allows, encourages and facilitates growth. The book is very readable and has many very practical and easily implementable ideas for helping teachers to reflect on their own teaching practice and develop strategies for improvement. The role of the coach is explained well and emphasises the need for empathy, rather than criticism, the need to be able to help teachers to come up with their own solutions and to recognise what it is that they wish to improve and achieve.

Many of the ideas suggested in this book can also be used with pupils in the classroom. I particularly like the iSTRIDE model which I will be using with my Grade 8 class this week in the hope of giving them a greater sense of purpose and ownership of their learning.

I will be sharing this book with the AST ( Advanced Skills Teacher) at my school as I think that the models suggested here will really help her in her role and will be asking her to lead professional development, based on this book, to the middle management team so that staff appraisal becomes a more consultative and interactive process. Targets and areas for development will thus ,hopefully, be recognised by teachers themselves and, with help from the coach, action taken to overcome barriers to outstanding learning in the classroom.