Benefits and Challenges of Instructional Coaching: A Case Study of Principal Interns' Perceptions and Experiences

• In Event: 79.051 - MTCC Roundtable Session 37
  In Roundtable Session: 79.051-1 - Leadership Experiences as Members in Learning Context

Abstract

This study explored principal interns’ (PIs’) perceptions of the benefits and challenges of instructional coaching (IC). The participants were five PIs from a 15-month, job-embedded, principal preparation program at a large public state university in the Southwestern, United States. Data were collected via three sources: interviews, documents, and audio-visual materials. The findings indicated that PIs obtained numerous benefits from IC including PIs’ growth, and teacher growth which ultimately enhances student learning. Additionally, PIs experienced various challenges consisting of teacher resistance and defensiveness, disagreement between PIs and teachers, and PIs’ struggle with asking good/reflective questions. The implications for policy makers and practitioners are also presented at the end of the study.
Keywords: instructional coaching, benefits, challenges, coaches, principal interns

Authors

• Fernando Valle, Texas Tech University

• Irma Laura Almager, Texas Tech University

• Chau Hong Phuoc Nguyen, Texas Tech University

• Selenda Kay Cumby, Texas Tech University

• Mehmet Akif Cihan, Texas Tech University

• Serife Turan, Texas Tech University