GEAR UP for Change: Reimagining Administrators as Instructional Leaders

• In Event: The Education Leaders We Need Now: Innovations in Leadership Development and Approaches to Leading

Abstract

This single instrumental case study explores how targeted professional development through the GEAR UP initiative supported high school administrators in adopting equity-focused instructional coaching practices. Grounded in adaptive leadership and coaching for equity, the study examines how a two-day workshop and follow-up coaching influenced leaders’ readiness to implement restorative practices and foster mattering and belonging. Using survey and interview data, the study found significant gains in administrators’ perceived competence and leadership identity. Findings highlight the power of relational coaching stances and adaptive mindsets to reshape school culture and instructional support. The study offers a context-responsive model for developing administrators as equity-centered leaders capable of advancing educational justice.

Authors

• Charlotte Rainey Parham, University of Central Arkansas

• Donna Wake, University of Central Arkansas