Criteria: Extensive research study across 163 schools with results that include specific and actionable items
Key Takeaway: Looking for insights on how administrators can enhance the effectiveness of teacher coaching programs? This study suggests that key strategies include fostering initial teacher buy-in, maintaining a non-evaluative approach, ensuring coaches have sufficient time for their roles, and establishing regular administrator-coach communication. By cultivating trust, autonomy, and a culture of celebration for coaching successes, schools can significantly amplify the benefits of these impactful programs.
Summation and Insights: This three year study across 163 schools examined teacher coaching programs and subsequently suggests several actionable items that school-based administrators can implement to become effective partners in teacher coaching programs. Starting at the very beginning of the year, administrators can create teacher buy-in via a kick-off event to announce that coaches are here to make teachers’ lives easier, not harder and that introduces the alignment between coaching and district goals to encourage teacher participation. Over the course of the year, coaches can play an active part in recruitment by sharing testimonials in places like faculty meetings as well as informally through social media. Another key aspect of successful teacher coaching is making sure that coaching remains free of any type of evaluative activity. Coaches and administrators must diligently emphasize throughout the year that coaching is a non-evaluative activity, and that teacher confidentiality is a priority. Moreover, care must be taken that coaches do not take on any administrative roles that may overlap with evaluation roles. Another key takeaway was that coaches need sufficient time to perform their coaching roles effectively. In this research study, coaches often expressed concern about the quality of their work when they were not able to concentrate fully on coaching. Here, the researchers recommend that administrators and coaches maintain communication throughout the year in order to evaluate the coaches schedule and workload; additionally, actively sharing information with staff about the roles and responsibilities of coaches can help everyone be respectful of coaches’ time. Regular meetings throughout the year between administrators and coaches are also recommended for creating collaboration, giving coaches the space to share challenges and successes, and making sure that coaching strategies continue to align with both school context and district goals. Within this research study, one on one meetings with principals were reported as one of the most valued activities by coaches. Finally, coaches should be given trust and autonomy to pursue their coaching decisions. This allows them to feel confident in their abilities, create teacher rapport, and personalize their support of teachers. The regular meetings between coaches and administrators can then also serve as reflective space to check in on challenges and collectively celebrate coaching successes.
Resource: Access here at Digital Promise.
Year: 2021
Author: Mahsa Bakhshaei and Angela Hardy
Primary Author: Masha Bakhshaei, https://www.instructionalcoaching.com/mahsa-bakhshaei/