One Size Does Not Fit All: Understanding Teacher Preferences for Instructional Coaching

• In Event: Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: Division K Section 8 Poster Session 3

Abstract

We analyzed how coaching was received by 71 teachers involved in a middle school reading initiative in which instructional coaching was part of the professional development (PD) model. We examined teachers (20% of our sample) who we categorized as resistant to coaching, who were the least engaged in the coaching process. Results highlight the complexities of the coaching process, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all model of coaching may not always be the best fit. Teachers who resisted coaching either did not make time for coaching, did not implement coach feedback, or resisted the instructional model. When instituting reforms, providing PD options may enable teachers to maintain a sense of agency while increasing the potential for positive instructional change.

Authors

• Alison Gould Boardman, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Ashley Seidel Potvin, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Jennifer K. Jacobs, University of Colorado - Boulder