‘A way of Being, A Way of Becoming’: Emotion Coaching promotes practitioners’ confidence and practice to support pupils’ emotional regulation

 

Submission type

Symposium

Scheduled

Room 114, 11-07-2019, 13:30 - 15:00

Keywords

Emotion Coaching; evidence-based, universal relational-approach; teacher wellbeing; behaviour management; emotional self-regulation; active learning

Summary of Symposium

Emotion Coaching (EC) is a novel, relational-based universal practice to communicate, support and manage emotional regulation in educational settings. This symposium looks at the development of our understanding of how educational practitioners use EC within settings. Initial research focused on whether the approach could be translated from family focus into educational settings. The supporting doctoral research proposes a contingent, staged-model of EC integration and a spectrum of practitioner use. A recent case study in a cluster of multiracial, inner-city schools illustrates practitioners feel more confident in managing emotional behaviours, particularly challenging incidents, and noted enhanced personal self-regulation and emotional awareness.

Auteurs

Auteurs

Evaluation of a training project to support adult development of Emotion Coaching in multi-cultural schools

Gus, LT (Licette)
Licette Gus Psychology Ltd., 6 The Mansion, Northwick Park, GL569RJ, Blockley

 

Abstract ID

143-3

Submission type

Oral only

Keywords

Teacher Development, Emotion Coaching, Emotion Socialisation, pupil social and emotional learning, self-regulation

Summary

The aim of this training project was to promote adults’ awareness, competency and use of Emotion Coaching (EC) as an emotion socialisation strategy to support the development of pupil social, emotional and mental health. A mixed methods approach, using questionnaires and case studies, was adopted to analyse the findings.

 

28 school staff, from a cluster of 6, inner-city London schools (1 secondary and 5 primaries) serving a multi-cultural community, participated in a two-phased EC training. A one-day initial training focussed on the theoretical and practical aspects of EC and this was followed by a series of five workshops over four months. The workshops provided staff with the opportunity to personally engage with EC in more detail and activities designed to encourage adult reflection on their emotional wellbeing and responses to pupils. 

 

The evaluation highlighted improvements in school staff’s understanding of, and confidence in how to use EC as a strategy to support pupil emotional health and wellbeing; increased emotion socialisation skills and confidence in self-regulation. These changes were supportive of increasing reports of positive interactions with pupils. 

 

Emotion Coaching training for school staff is effective in developing teacher emotion socialisation skills which support pupil social and emotional learning and development.

 

Auteurs

The Practitioners’ Voice and Model of Emotion Coaching Engagement

Gilbert, C.L. (Louise)
Norland College, 39-41 Upper Oldfield Park,, BA2 3LB, Bath

 

Abstract ID

143-2

Submission type

Oral only

Keywords

Emotional awareness; Practitioner Emotional identity; Model of Emotion Coaching engagement; Spectrum of Emotion Coaching use.

Summary

The focus of the doctoral research was to investigate the practitioners’ experience of EC practice. This qualitative study of EC-trained practitioners, guided by constructivist grounded theory, used intensive, semi-structured interviews with practitioners from the original EC pilot project (n=21).

Inductive analysis proposed an incrementally-staged model of adoption, adaption and integration of Emotion Coaching (EC) into educational practice and setting culture.  Practitioners’ emotional identity (their reactions and reasoning to emotions in themselves and others) informed their emotional awareness. However, emotional awareness was altered by engagement in EC training, practise and by settings’ EC commitment. 

EC empowered practitioners to model empathetic responses, and confidence to manage personal and professional emotional behaviours. Regular EC practise, positive experiences and opportunities for peer discussion encouraged EC adoption, adaption and assimilation into practice. A proposed practitioner ‘spectrum of EC use’ suggests EC is used as a specific technique for managing emotional behaviours and as an approach to inform educational practice. 

 

Regardless of practitioners’ emotional identity, all reported increased emotional awareness in themselves and others. The model suggests that, as awareness is contributory to practitioner’s emotional identity and reactions and reasoning to emotions in themselves and others, opportunities present to engage in EC practice. 

Auteurs

Introducing Emotion Coaching into UK educational settings: Focussing on the practitioner experience

Rose, J (Janet)
Norland College, 39-41 Upper Oldfield Park,, BA2 3LB, Bath

 

Abstract ID

143-1

Submission type

Oral only

Keywords

Emotion Coaching; universally applicable relational-based approach; professional practice, adult self-regulation; Behavioural Impact; Attachment Aware Schools

Summary

Emotion Coaching (EC) in educational settings offers a novel, universally applicable, relational-based practice to manage behaviours and promote sustainable wellbeing and resilience. In 2010 in a disadvantaged, rural town in SW England, a mixed-methods pilot project trained educational practitioners in EC (n=127). Additional to improvements in children’s academic and social behaviours, practitioners felt more confident managing emotional behaviours and reported enhanced self-regulation and emotional awareness. 

 

These findings have been replicated in a 3-year mixed-methods study that trained educational practitioners to be setting EC-lead practitioners (n=162). Significant improvement in practitioners’ emotional awareness, self-regulation, empathy and patience with a belief that a person-focussed setting-culture had emerged, were identified.  Attachment Aware Schools, a targeted, interventionist project promoting practitioner attachment awareness in relation to behaviours and learning, included EC as the universal, relational-based practice approach. Teaching and support staff (n=107) in 40 schools from two disparate socio-economic areas reported the positive impact on professional practice and adult self-regulation.

Although educational EC research is still in its nascency, these findings suggest the efficacy of adopting EC strategies. EC promotes supportive, inclusive, nurturing relationships in educational settings to encourage equitability of access to sustainable psychological strength, resourcefulness and foster learning opportunities for all.

 

Auteurs