Coaching for Improvement: Developing the DoDEA Coaching Model

The International Coach Federation defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” While the concept of coaching is nothing new, it is gaining ground in new settings, including educational leadership. As a practical illustration, we highlight the transformative approach of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) towards restructuring its worldwide school system. DoDEA’s approach included formation of Centers for Instructional Leadership, and the work of those centers depends upon effective coaching. This paper describes the professional learning that contributed to emergence of the DoDEA Coaching Model.