Finding Solutions

Working together will produce the best formula

Solution focused coaching is about helping the learner find solutions rather than problems, build on their strengths rather than weaknesses and finding positive ways forward rather than looking at barriers that occur.

By directing energy in a positive way, focusing on strengths and working towards a solution, a learner will feel motivated and energised rather than de-motivated and demoralised.

It’s important to give the learner hope and optimism in a lesson and help them with practical ideas to help them improve.

It’s all about where the learner wants to go, how they are going to get there and how they will achieve great results rather than past mistakes, which can sap energy and prevent pupils from moving on.

With guidance, useful questions, resources and goal setting, we can move them on rather than just telling them what to do.

We need to change the view, help them see new situations, and change what they are doing by helping them reframe their thoughts.

Mix It Up

Setting lesson goals promotes confidence and self-motivation, focussed and resilient progress that leads to greater personal satisfaction.

The goal itself needs to come from the learner so they can own it, while your job is to help them achieve it.

The longer-term goals on a learner’s mind are usually the big events such as passing the theory and practical tests, or owning and driving their own car.

Hopefully we can establish being a safe driver for life too by encouraging self-reflection and ongoing learning.

Short-term goals are often considered at the end of a lesson, and reviewed at the start of the next during the recap.

Having discussed what went well and what improved last lesson, they should begin considering what they want to work on or improve on further, or possibly focus on a new topic.

It’s a good idea to write the goals down for reference, and if there are multiples, prioritise them with the learner.

They need to be inspiring and challenging, as well as specific, measurable and achievable in a realistic time frame.

Bear in mind that they can change and evolve, even during a lesson, but always keep the learner involved in the assessment and decision making, especially if a goal is proving too difficult you need to agree taking a few steps back.

Remember, they need to own their goals and the progress to achieving them.
These initial questions may help you set goals at the start of a lesson:

• What would you like to achieve in the next 60 minutes?
• What areas do you want to work on today in your lesson?
• What will make you feel this time has been well spent?
• What do you want to change?

Goals need to be clear and specific, with each short-term goal building towards the longer-term ones.

Let’s take roundabouts as a topic. Too often I hear the goal: “I want to improve on my roundabouts”. What exactly does that mean?

It needs to be more specific. Consider the following:

• I need to spot the roundabouts earlier and have time to work out which lane I need
• I want to understand mini roundabouts better
• I want to practice more multi lane roundabouts
• I want to keep to the correct lane on the roundabout as I know I struggle with that
• I want to approach the roundabouts slower and have more time at them as it feels rushed when I arrive
• I would like to feel more confident/happy/less stressed at the roundabouts
• I need to practice finding a safe gap on approach and timing my arrival at them
• I want to make better progress when I am on the roundabout and away from it
• I want to be more aware of what’s happening on the roundabout whilst I’m on it

Consider using two or three of these more specific goals and you have a solution focused approach, and the short-term achievements will build to longer-term success through their own hard work, satisfying desire and inspiring improvement.

Other potential strategies to help pupils improve:

The pupil needs to understand why it needs correcting and the risks, otherwise why would they do it differently.

The pupil can help sometimes with why it happened i.e. “I veered over the line as I was staring into my mirror for too long”. “I went on the amber light as I thought I was meant to”.

Use visual aids, white board, photos etc.

Prompt them or help them by talking through before you let them try to be independent again.

Use scaling to pass the responsibility to improve more on to them.

A reference point on a car (I’m not a fan of stickers!) can help. If they aren’t up to the junction line, get them in place by talking them up to the line. Then get them to look where the white line drops under their mirror, they can use that again. Same with a right turn, a reference point can be useful.

Help them understand a suitable speed, what does “slower” or “a bit more” actually mean. Use a definite speed i.e. 10-12mph for most left turns but some may be even slower and we will do one of those so you can see.

Get them to talk it through i.e. when they will use their mirrors if it’s a mirror fault.

Give them praise and encouragement when they do improve and feedback.
Ask them how it feels, get their feedback too.

Ask “Can you see what we are trying to achieve?” “Can you see why that’s better and safer when we come in slower?”

© Lynne BarrieMA
lynne@lynnebarrie.co.uk