Moving from evaluation to professional growth — ten coaching questions, a conversation model, and the Bere Coaching Compass for post-observation conferences.
These coaching questions are designed to transform post-observation conferences from performance reviews into meaningful professional learning conversations. They encourage teacher reflection, instructional refinement, and collaborative problem-solving.
1. Looking Back — What aspects of today's lesson went particularly well, and what evidence leads you to that conclusion? This begins with reflection on strengths, builds teacher confidence, and anchors the conversation in evidence rather than opinion.
2. Student Learning — What evidence did you observe that students understood the intended learning outcomes? Look for student responses, classroom discussions, assessment evidence, student work, exit tickets, and demonstrations of learning.
3. Learner Engagement — Which students were most actively engaged, and which students may have needed additional support? Why do you think that happened? This question shifts attention from teaching performance to learner participation.
4. Instructional Decisions — Which instructional strategy had the greatest impact on student learning during this lesson? Possible areas include questioning, cooperative learning, demonstration, discussion, activity-based learning, and technology integration.
5. Unexpected Moments — Was there any moment during the lesson that surprised you? What did you learn from it? Powerful coaching often begins with curiosity rather than judgement.
6. Differentiation — How effectively did today's lesson meet the needs of learners with different abilities, interests, or learning profiles? This encourages reflection on inclusion, differentiation, student voice, and equity.
7. Assessment for Learning — How did you check for understanding during the lesson, and what did that information tell you? Discussion may include formative assessment, questioning, observation, peer assessment, self-assessment, and feedback.
8. Professional Reflection — If you were to teach this lesson again tomorrow, what would you keep exactly the same, and what would you change? One of the strongest reflective questions, because it naturally leads to improvement planning.
9. Professional Growth — What professional learning or additional support would help you strengthen this aspect of your teaching? Possible support includes coaching, peer observation, a demonstration lesson, collaborative planning, a workshop, reading, or online learning.
10. Next Steps — What is one specific instructional goal you would like to focus on before our next classroom observation? Every coaching conversation should conclude with one clear, achievable improvement goal.
The Coaching Conversation Model moves through eight stages: celebrate success, explore evidence, analyse student learning, reflect together, identify one priority, plan practical actions, provide ongoing support, and observe again.
Effective post-observation conferences begin with teacher reflection before leader feedback, focus on student learning rather than teacher performance, use evidence instead of assumptions, celebrate strengths while identifying opportunities for growth, encourage professional dialogue rather than one-way evaluation, conclude with one achievable action step, and include follow-up coaching and support.
A few reframes are worth practising. Instead of “Why didn't you finish the lesson?” ask “What factors influenced the pacing of the lesson, and how might we adjust it next time?” Instead of “Students were not listening,” ask “At which points did students appear most engaged, and what instructional moves contributed to that?” Instead of “Your questioning was weak,” ask “Which questions generated the richest student thinking, and how might we build on those?” Instead of “You need to improve classroom management,” ask “What routines or strategies might increase student participation while maintaining a positive learning environment?”
The Bere Coaching Compass balances five dimensions in every coaching conversation: Purpose (was the intended learning clear?), Evidence (what did students demonstrate?), Reflection (what did we learn from today's lesson?), Growth (what is the next improvement goal?), and Support (how will leadership help achieve it?).
“The quality of post-observation conversations often determines whether classroom observation becomes a source of anxiety or a catalyst for professional growth. Great instructional leaders ask questions that invite reflection, encourage ownership, and strengthen teachers' confidence to improve.”
References
- Knight, J. (2007). Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction. Corwin Press.
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