Utilising Peer Coaching as a Tool to Improve Student-Teacher Confidence and Support the Development of Classroom Practice

Teaching is a profession that requires a variety of skills and attributes that can be used to improve classroom practice. This research used peer coaching to help support the development of skills through dialogue and discussion. The research group were PGCE Science Students training to become teachers in the UK. They were introduced to peer coaching during the course. This article describes the structures developed to enable students to coach each other and thus enhance their development. The students were given questionnaires to ascertain to what extent they felt they had developed their skills as a result of being involved in peer coaching. The questionnaire design provided both qualitative and quantitative data. The evidence indicates that the peer coaching procedures had a positive impact on student teachers’ professional development partially because it helped develop their confidence as a classroom practitioner and also because it equipped them with strategies to support them during their school practice. Data was analysed and has been used to draw conclusions to inform peer coaching in an education setting.