Coaching for Adaptive Expertise

If you are a leader or a coach supporting teachers to be reflective and adaptive experts in the classroom, then this excellent book is for you. The book is written with great attention to detail and is beautifully supported by snippets of coaching conversations which really bring the text to life and guide you to see how this framework can support teachers to flourish.

— Rachel Ball, Coaching Development Lead, StepLab

If you aim higher when developing teachers, you have to go deeper – and that is exactly what this book does superbly well by surfacing hitherto tacit mental models the better to analyse and improve them.
— Oliver Caviglioli, Director of WalkThrus

This book will make you a better coach. It covers many big ideas in coaching, adaptive expertise, agency, mental models, and coaching excerpts. All written in a clear, practical way by people who live and breathe coaching in schools. I wish it had existed 10 years ago.

— Dr. Mark Dowley, Associate Head, Staff Development at Birghton Grammar, Melbourne Australia

A masterclass in coaching on coaching. This book models the very process it teaches-guiding you through insights, models, and rehearsal to elevate your practice. A must-read for all coaches!

— Cat New, ASLT Lead Coach, Pilton Community College

In my work, I read a lot of books on coaching. This is one of the best! The mental models framework makes sense of what good coaches do instinctively, and the focus on decision-making puts teacher professionalism at the centre. What more do you want from a coaching book?

— Shane Learning, Organisational Coach

Coaching for Adaptive Expertise is the book I’ve been waiting for - absolute gold - hooking me from the introduction, which nails the core challenge in teaching today: improving instruction isn’t just about changing what teachers do - it’s about reshaping how they think.

— Lindsey Bennett, Head of Teacher Development, Astrea Academy Trust

I love this book. It gets to the heart of the challenge of teaching adaptively and provides a wonderful guide to coaching teachers which acknowledges the complexity of the process but keeps things simple. It reminded me of a Year 6 pupil I met recently, who praised her teacher because in maths she teaches them ‘hard sums but easy methods.’ I recommend this book to any school leader who is serious about improving their school through supporting teachers to be intentional, deliberate classroom practitioners… and that should be every school leader!

— John Tomsett, Educational consultant and author

Coaching for Adaptive Expertise is an exceptionally well‑crafted and evidence‑informed contribution to the field of effective teacher coaching. The authors achieve a rare balance: they ground their ideas in clear, robust theory while offering practical, actionable strategies that coaches can use immediately.
There is a great deal of value here for anyone looking to strengthen their coaching practice or deepen their understanding of how to help teachers refine and extend their craft. Whether you are a coach, a coach‑trainer, or a leader responsible for teacher development, this book provides insightful guidance that feels both relevant and usable. Most notably, it presents a compelling case – and offers practical, thoughtful solutions – for supporting teachers to make better instructional decisions: in the moment, with precision, and for the right reasons. It is a timely and important resource for anyone committed to improving classroom practice.

— Jon Gilbert, Professional Learning and Improvement Director at The Two Counties Trust

This book is an outstanding resource for developing a coach’s ability to guide teachers toward making more effective classroom decisions. Packed with practical strategies and evidence-based insights, it’s an invaluable tool for school leaders committed to driving sustained improvement in teaching and learning.

— Caroline Sherwood, Education Partner, Woodwater Academy

Sarah Cottinghatt is the research lead at Steplab and works with schools designing and delivering effective professional development. Sarah is the author and chapter author of books on teaching and professional development as well as part of the research team for the EEF’s guide to professional development.

Haili Hughes is an Associate Professor of Educational Innovation and Impact at La Trobe University in Melbourne. She was a school and trust leader for 20 years and has written ten education books.

Adam Kohlbeck is Director of Teacher Quality at Chiltern Learning Trust. He is also a doctoral student, researching teacher decision-making in complex environments and is a proud council member at the Chartered College of Teaching.

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