74 The Coaching Toolkit for Child Welfare Practice
Natalie discusses where she is currently at on the scale and believes
she is somewhere between “much less than expected” and “less than
expected” which is right where she should be. She is apprehensive
and a bit nervous about undertaking this goal, but feels really
excited and is looking forward to the next coaching session to
discuss her progress. For a more thorough video example of the
GARS session, please see Coaching DVD, “GARS”.
Observation
In order to provide substantive feedback on progress, coaches must
observe learners practicing new skills. The coach must have a rubric
for the observation itself. This rubric identifies what discreet skills
are to be assessed and the corresponding skill level.
Sometimes coaches will have a pre-identified rubric, for example,
when implementing an evidence-based practice such as
motivational interviewing, but oftentimes coaches will need to
develop a form. Observation forms can be formal (see Table 4.2) or
informal (Table 4.3) which should be considered more of a guide for
note-taking.