Coaching and Mentoring: Developing Teachers and Leaders: Policy & Practice in Education No. 29

In the continuous drive for improvement in learning and achievement in schools, the development of teachers and of school leaders remains a major focus of policy. As part of this project, alternative approaches to professional development have been introduced to Scottish education including coaching and mentoring and learning communities. The use of mentoring and coaching is evident at every level of teacher development from student teacher to expert teacher and from early leadership development to the sustaining of long serving head teachers. The idea of learning communities where teachers work together has been a recent addition to continuing teacher development but there are few publications that examine the use of strategies such coaching, mentoring and learning communities in Scotland and less that take a critical stance in relation to policy and practice. A critical appraisal of policy and practice in relation to continuing teacher development is the focus this book. In an edited