Transformation A roundtable interview with Teachers who Coach
features three Teachers who Coach - in this order in the picture, Hazel, Sam and Alina. The bald guy is Coach Martin Richards and he asks the interview questions, as coaches often do.
● 16 years teaching across United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Singapore, China ● Burnout led her to seek coaching in Singapore; it transformed her approach and well-being ● Now an ICF ACC professional coach, working full-time with teachers and school leaders ● Focus: first let teachers experience coaching, then train them to apply it to colleagues and students ● Has supported whole-school culture change by integrating coaching language and practices
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Former history teacher in United Kingdom Originally dreamed of joining the army, but was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and couldn’t enlist Entered teaching reluctantly; struggled with anxiety, chronic insomnia, and low confidence during teacher training and NQT year A pivotal turning point came when a student asked: “Sir, are you okay?” he lied and said “I’m fine” (Feelings Inside Not Expressed) This moment led him to accept coaching and begin recovering Coaching led to reduced anxiety, better sleep, energy, confidence and a shift from victimhood to empowerment He later became an international coach and speaker, founded Student Breakthrough and Educators Coaching Academy, and now trains teachers globally Works especially with students facing major challenges (mental health crises, gangs, self-harm)
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Based in Moscow, ex.secondary English teacher and mentor, now doing career counselling for adults and teenagers Passionate about student well-being and personal growth Began coaching informally through emotional support for struggling students Now integrates coaching ICF and mindfulness to reduce stress and build self-awareness Believes emotional regulation is foundational for learning Sees listening and empathetic questioning to strengthen teacher-student relationships facilitator. Outcomes: Saw marked improvement in students’ confidence, independence, and emotional intelligence, plus stronger trust-based relationships. Mission: Advocates for coaching as a transformative tool for both teachers and students and believes every educator can find something valuable in coaching.
reshaped not just your teaching, but your sense of who you are as educators. Let's begin with what life looked like before coaching entered the picture. Sam: Honestly, I was close to breaking. I'd started teaching history in the UK, but behind the surface I was struggling with anxiety and chronic insomnia. I felt like a fraud, showing up every day pretending I was fine. The pressure to perform left no room to breathe, let alone grow. Hazel: I hear that. I had spent over a decade teaching across several countries - the UK, UAE, Thailand, Singapore, China - and I just burned out. I said yes to everything, fixed everything, carried everything. Coaching found me at that point, when I was tired and questioning whether I could keep doing this. Alina: My situation was different but equally intense. I had been teaching English and other subjects in Russia and then moved to China. I came from a very traditional, rule-bound system where the teacher controlled everything. My students were performing, but not thinking for themselves - and I felt I was suffocating their creativity. Coaching offered a way to break that pattern.
things for you? Sam: It gave me space to be honest. The first time someone coached me, they didn't try to fix me. They just listened and asked, "What do you want to feel proud of this week?" It was disarming - and freeing. Slowly, my anxiety eased, my confidence returned, and I started sleeping again. Alina: For me, it opened the door to trust. I stopped controlling every detail and started asking students what they wanted to learn and how they wanted to do it. They became more confident and independent, and I became calmer. It wasn't just new techniques - it was a new mindset. Hazel: Coaching gave me permission to be human. In Singapore, I experienced my first coaching conversation and realised how powerful it is to be truly heard. It rebuilt my sense of self - not just as a teacher, but as a person. That led me to train professionally as a coach, and eventually that led me to train professionally as a coach, and to focus on helping teachers and leaders bring out the best in themselves, define success on their own terms, and create influence that reaches beyond job titles.
What helped you embed it in your practice? Hazel: I built it into the fabric of my days. I used coaching questions in planning meetings, in conversations with colleagues, even in the way I reflected on my own work. It wasn't something extra - it became how I thought. Sam: I surrounded myself with people who spoke the same language. I built a support circle with colleagues, and later founded the Educators Coaching Academy so teachers could experience coaching themselves. That sense of community kept me going. Alina: I experimented relentlessly. I brought coaching questions into feedback, goal-setting, even classroom discussions. When I saw how it empowered students, I couldn't imagine teaching any other way.
this journey? Sam: I feel lighter - not because the job got easier, but because I see it differently. Coaching helped me find purpose again. Hazel: I'm more grounded. Coaching taught me boundaries, and with boundaries came energy. It gave me back the joy that burnout had taken. Alina: I'm more trusting - of students, and of myself. I no longer see control as strength. I see connection as strength.
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