Frequently Asked Questions

EDUCATOR encompasses teachers, leaders, academics and professional staff who see their role as primarily supporting students. Since that’s our background, we’re most qualified to support people from those roles. GUIDANCE captures the key ethos of our practice. We won’t tell you what to do, solve your problems for you or pass judgement. We will support you through thoughtful questions and personalised suggestions. GROUP shows that we’re a community of like-minded people working together. Rachel started the group, but she relies on a network of ex-teachers and other professionals. Also it creates the initials EGG, which is a really versatile metaphor for what we do (see more below).

Both are powerful symbols and versatile metaphors for what we do. Chickens bring to mind running around frantically, without real purpose or progress (we decided not to use gory, headless images). We’ve all felt that way when work hasn’t been going well. Eggs symbolise new beginnings, growth, breaking out of your shell - all those good things that we aim to help you with.

The focus of coaching tends to be on specific professional skills and knowledge. There is often a defined goal and timeframe, and the coach might establish the steps needed to reach the goal. Mentoring, like coaching, involves one-on-one conversations, but the focus is on personal and professional goals, skills and attributes. See more information in the Readings section.

We have found that talking to someone knowledgeable and empathetic helps in decision-making and offers different perspectives and ideas. This could be a friend, trusted colleague or a coach/mentor. Sometimes talking to someone like us, who doesn’t know all your history or who isn’t part of the same workplace, can be beneficial because it's confidential, non-judgemental and open-minded.

We are empathetic, thoughtful listeners who use a mix of experience, training and evidence-based practices to guide you towards attaining your goals. Our approach is strength-based and person-centred. We are guides not fixers, creative not one-size-fits problem-solvers, and optimists not whingers.

There’s no magic number of sessions. It all depends on what you want to work on and your budget. Usually the first full session is about getting to know each other and starting to understand what you’d like support with. The next session(s) are a chance to delve deeper, try out some options and reflect on what’s working and what else you might need.

We are not doctors, psychologists, accountants or lawyers so we won’t give advice that we’re not qualified to give. Our extensive network includes people in those areas so we can help you find someone who can support you if needed. That said, we are registered teachers and have mandatory reporting requirements.

Although our background is in education and we are passionate about supporting staff in the sector, fundamentally we just really like connecting with people and supporting their growth. Whatever industry you work in or whatever stage of your career you’re at, we will do our best to help you reach your goals.

We have worked with people in other countries and time zones so your location won’t be a barrier. We’ll do our best to find a time to talk online that suits you (without being the middle of the night where we are or where you are).