Coaching Techniques for Educators: Teach Less, Coach More

This workshop is designed to empower educators with coaching techniques that enhance teacher-student relationships and promote holistic student development. Participants will explore evidence-based strategies from positive psychology and coaching psychology, focusing on these approaches into everyday conversations with youths to foster resilience, self-esteem, and academic success among students. This unique 1-day training workshop is crafted based on the book ‘Teach Less, Coach More: A Practical Guide for Educators to Unleash Youth Potential Through Coaching Conversations’, written by award-winning educator and International Coaching Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Mr Matthew Koh.

By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:

• Identify key principles of coaching psychology and their relevance in education.
• Apply the CLEAR coaching framework to facilitate effective and meaningful conversations with students.
• Employ the three levels of listening to better understand and respond to students’ needs.
• Develop coaching strategies for common student challenges (e.g. students dealing with perfectionism, resilience issues, or transitional uncertainty).
• Utilize a toolkit of powerful coaching questions to enhance

This course is ideal for:

• Secondary School Teachers / Lecturers / Tutors
• School Leaders
• School and ECG Counsellors
• Youth Workers and Mentors
• Parents of Teenagers

Dr. Jasmine Wee, Vice Principal, Assumption Pathway School:

“His book ‘Teach Less, Coach More’ offers actionable advice with real-life examples and coaching frameworks that help educators build a coaching culture that fosters student development and success.”

Kallie Dang, Employee Experience Manager, FlexOS:

Our organization recently hired Matthew to conduct a training workshop. We were immediately impressed with his professionalism and willingness to understand our specific needs. During the workshop, Matthew proved to be an excellent speaker, with an engaging and friendly demeanour. His content was both relevant and evidence-based, and he demonstrated expertise in the Q&A session, impressing participants with his knowledge. Our attendees were extremely satisfied with the workshop, rating it a perfect five stars. We highly recommend him to any organizations looking for a skilled well-being coach.

Sophia An, Technology Trainer

“I have read Matthew’s book, "Teach Less, Coach More," and have applied the coaching questions from his book in my parenting and teaching journey. It has brought a transformational shift in my communication with youths. Matthew is truly an inspiring and influential advocate and educator in Positive Psychology. If you are interested in exploring Positive Psychology, I highly recommend Matthew.”

Patrice Palmer, Professor and Online Educator, Canada

Business experts suggest that the “we have always done it that way” mindset can kill creativity, innovation and engagement. I would argue the same is true in the education sector. Matthew provides a well-researched book for teachers that emphasizes a “Teach Less, and Coach More” mindset. The book easily draws the reader into reflecting on ways to avoid imposing solutions on students but looking for ways to carve out space for them to share, enhance their learning, growth and development as young people. I encourage all educators to read this book and encourage them to think about how integrating coaching into student conversations can positively impact their lives.

Angela Ng, Senior Lecturer, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore

Matthew is a successful educator and experienced coach. The secret of his success lies in how he touches the students' hearts through coaching and not solely teaching. When I did a career switch to become an educator, I benefited a lot from Matthew's coaching, which helped me better engage with my students. This book is a gem, as it contains all of Matthew's wisdom and methods for engaging students, empowering them to own their learning paths. Even if you are already a successful educator, this book will guide you towards introspection and inspire you to become a more accomplished educator.

Shane Teo, Father of Three. Lecturer, Singapore Institute of Retail Studies , Singapore

‘Heartfelt and brilliantly effective. An absolute joy to read and ruminate how Matthew made clear what many good educators believe and aspire to adopt - a person-centric approach where learners are prioritised first and always. This book provides foundational coaching methods in a practical, step-by- step format, contextualised to the needs and realities of today's youth. As an educator, it resonates with the ways we aim to do good work beyond stipulated best-in-class frameworks. As a parent, it besieges me to examine my own everyday conversations and how they can be shaped to draw out my child's inherent best. I encourage one to open thyself both heart and mind as you read through, and be coached by the book's timeless principles and guiding questions.’

Mr Matthew Koh

• Master Trainer & Coach (Positive Psychology)
• MSc. in Applied Positive Psychology & Coaching Psychology (Distinction)
• Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• Certified Behavioural Consultant (DISC)
• Certified Strengths Profile Practitioner
• Certified SPARK Resilience Trainer
• Certified Meditation & Mindfulness Teacher
• Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA)

Matthew Koh is the Managing Director at The Positive Arena, where he uses evidence-based positive psychology and coaching psychology to enhance the well-being of individuals, schools, and organizations. Inspired by the growing mental health challenges faced by younger generations, particularly among Gen Zs and Millennials in the workforce, Matthew is a strong advocate for a proactive and sustainable approach to mental health. He emphasizes the importance of learning and applying positive psychology skills to thrive in life, not just survive.

As an award-winning educator with more than a decade of rich experience in education and adult training, Matthew is well-versed in curriculum development, pedagogy, and facilitation. His training and coaching sessions are marked by authenticity and compassion. With over 500 hours of coaching experience, Matthew is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Matthew has worked with corporate and school clients including Citibank, Guocoland, DIGI, FlexOS, Indigo & Co, Decor & Dwell, Ministry of Education, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, SUTD, others. He is also a motivational speaker who delivers talks to students ranging from primary to tertiary levels. As a Positive Psychology lecturer with an MSc. in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, he has trained numerous students to become well-being specialists and positive psychology practitioners, contributing to systemic positive change in individuals, schools, and organizations.

With a significant online presence, Matthew has garnered more than 8,000 followers on LinkedIn and was recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in 2024. He is also featured as one of the Top 25 Life Coaches to Hire in Singapore by Smart Singapore. Matthew is the author of the book “Teach Less, Coach More: A Practical Guide for Educators to Unleash Youth Potential through Coaching Conversations,” which captures his lived experiences in using coaching to nurture the next generation.