Author: Marine Milad, Arab Open University, Kuwait
Email: marinemilad@yahoo.com
Published: March 1, 2017
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.5.1.04
Citation: Milad, M. (2017). Applying the CREAM Strategy for Coaching Teaching Practices. IAFOR Journal of Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.5.1.04
Abstract
Monitoring and evaluating staff tutors necessitates constant follow-up to ensure that they are in line with the University’s mission and vision. This has raised a fundamental educational question: how to coach rather than monitor the tutors. To answer this question, Cottrell’s (2008) CREAM (Creative, Reflective, Effective, Active, Motivated) strategy was applied to coach these tutors following the GROW Model (Goal, Reality, Options, Will way forward) as a framework for structuring both team and individual coaching sessions. Cottrell’s strategy was initially developed for enhancing the learner’s self-directed/autonomous learning. For the purpose of this implementation, the researchers applied the CREAM strategy as a self-assessment and observation tool. Being pragmatic leaders, they conducted three team coaching sessions and one-to-one individual sessions throughout the academic semester following the GROW Model to: establish SMART Goals, examine the current Reality, explore possible Options/Obstacles, and establish the Will. A checklist was developed to measure the staff tutors’ self-assessment of their Creative, Reflective, Effective, Active, and Motivated teaching practices and the same checklist was used by the head of the program as an observation checklist to evaluate these practices. The two tools were statistically analysed and a correlation was found.
Keywords
CREAM strategy, coaching, pragmatic leaders