In this first chapter I shall look at the similarities between coaching and teaching.
The ICF description of coaching reads "Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires the client to maximize their personal and professional potential."
Moving the focus to teachers of teenaged students at High Schools, the definition of coaching might read "Coaching is partnering with students in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires the student to maximize their personal and academic potential."
High School teachers are professionals. Can they also be expected to act as professional coaches? I think so. According to the ICF, a professional relationship exists when there is a contract that defines the responsibilities of each of the people involved. That seems to be enough to also describe a High School teacher as also professionals when they coach, although it does not define how to coach.
A description of what a coach does can be read in the document "ICF Professional Core Competencies". This description is used as the foundation for certifying professional coaches, as well as the foundation for designing and accrediting coach training courses.
The ICF description of coaches' conduct reads, "Professional coaches aspire to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively upon the coaching profession; they are respectful of different approaches to coaching; and recognize that they are also bound by applicable laws and regulations.".
Something similar could be said to describe teachers too. "Professional teachers aspire to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively upon the teaching profession; they are respectful of different approaches to teaching; and recognize that they are also bound by applicable laws and regulations."
As a member of the ICF, and as a certified coach, an ICF Professional Coach also agrees to practice the ICF Professional Core Competencies and pledges accountability to the ICF Code of Ethics. What might those docuements look like for High School teachers?