Modelling good practice
Modelling is demonstrating behaviour and skills so that staff can see and learn how to provide good support.
There are two ways that Frontline Practice Leaders model practice:
Frontline Practice Leaders constantly model practice because staff are watching how you behave and interact. You need to demonstrate exemplary practice. However, you cannot rely on modelling alone to influence staff behaviour. Staff have to interpret your behaviour and they may not always understand why you behaved in a particular way. Other ways of influencing staff behaviour are also needed. We have already talked about giving feedback and we discuss coaching in the next section.
There are two ways that Frontline Practice Leaders model practice:
- Passive modelling happens all the time. You must be aware that staff watch and learn from you when you interact and provide support.
- Active modelling is instructing staff to watch you provide support to show them a new or better way of providing support.
Frontline Practice Leaders constantly model practice because staff are watching how you behave and interact. You need to demonstrate exemplary practice. However, you cannot rely on modelling alone to influence staff behaviour. Staff have to interpret your behaviour and they may not always understand why you behaved in a particular way. Other ways of influencing staff behaviour are also needed. We have already talked about giving feedback and we discuss coaching in the next section.
Coaching
Coaching means instructing a support worker how to provide support and guiding their practice. The process is similar to how a music teacher instructs a student to learn a new song or skill.
A coaching session should include these steps:
This video demonstrates how to coach a support worker.
A coaching session should include these steps:
- Determine the support worker’s skill level by observing them and asking questions.
- Demonstrate how to provide support, explain the steps and give advice.
- Observe the support worker providing the support you have demonstrated.
- Provide feedback, answer questions and if needed provide further demonstration and advice.
- Once the support worker has learnt the skill or its basic elements, develop with them a plan to practice it.
This video demonstrates how to coach a support worker.
Coaching sessions should occur when opportunities arise and also be scheduled on a regular basis for each staff member in your team.
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Questions
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1. Think about a support worker who would like or would benefit from coaching.
2. Plan how, when and where you would provide coaching to this support worker.
3. Think about how you would use the above steps to provide coaching to this support worker.
2. Plan how, when and where you would provide coaching to this support worker.
3. Think about how you would use the above steps to provide coaching to this support worker.
Using technology to capture and reflect on practice
Having staff watch and comment on their own practice can help them to identify good practice and areas to improve. With permission, you can record videos of staff practice using mobile phones or tablets, and then use them for coaching purposes.
You can show videos of good support with staff in team meetings or supervision. This can be a learning tool for staff and used to create consistent support in the service.
You must ensure confidentiality. Obtain informed consent from the person being supported before recording videos. Do not keep photos or movies of the people you support on your personal devices and do not share them outside of your place of work.
You can show videos of good support with staff in team meetings or supervision. This can be a learning tool for staff and used to create consistent support in the service.
You must ensure confidentiality. Obtain informed consent from the person being supported before recording videos. Do not keep photos or movies of the people you support on your personal devices and do not share them outside of your place of work.
Summary
Frontline Practice Leaders use modelling and coaching to demonstrate and teach staff how to provide good support. The aim is to share your knowledge and skills with staff, so they become better practitioners.
In the next module we look at how to have in-depth discussions with staff in supervision.
In the next module we look at how to have in-depth discussions with staff in supervision.