Coaching for Systems Excerpt.pdf
Coaching for Systems and Teacher Change
About the Authors
Jennifer D. Pierce, Ph.D.
Senior Technical Assistant Consultant/Researcher, American Institutes for Research (AIR), Arlington, VA.
Dr. Pierce has experience working as a teacher, coach, and leader in both higher education and K-12 settings. Her areas of expertise include supporting the implementation of evidence-based interventions and applying Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).
Kimberly St. Martin, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, Michigan’s MTSS Technical Assistance Center, Michigan Department of Education, Lansing.
Dr. St. Martin works with State Education Agencies, assisting in the use of implementation infrastructures to support educational initiatives.
Introduction
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In today’s world, educators must develop the skills needed to support a diversifying student population. Effective coaching has become a cornerstone of professional learning, helping to improve teaching, student learning outcomes, and systems-level change. Furthermore, coaching has grown ubiquitous, yet many coaches lack formal preparation for their roles.
This book aims to bridge that gap by serving as a practical resource for coaches at various levels, providing research syntheses and tools to enhance their capacity to support individual teachers and teams. The content is divided into three sections: foundational research on coaching, strategies for effective coaching, and implementation frameworks.
MAKING GOOD USE OF THE CONTENT
Each chapter contains Key Questions and Chapter Take-Aways, which are designed to prompt reflection and summarize essential ideas in coaching practice.
Introduction and Core Concepts
Making the Case for Coaching
KEY QUESTIONS
- Why is coaching a prominent form of professional learning in education?
- How have educational policies influenced the evolution of coaching roles in schools?
CHAPTER TAKE-AWAYS
- Effective teacher practice significantly impacts student outcomes, emphasizing the need for robust support systems.
- One outcome of emerging research was the widespread acceptance and adoption of coaching as a vital professional learning strategy.
- Evolution of coaching roles now includes systems and hybrid coaching alongside traditional teacher coaching.
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
This chapter provides a historical overview of coaching, starting from its inception in educational practice and research in the 1980s, dissecting its evolution in response to educational policies, and analyzing the dual roles of systems and hybrid coaching.
Table 1.1 - Definitions of Terminology Used in This Text
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Professional Learning | Various supports provided by coaches to teachers and teams, including workshops and communities of practice. |
| Coaching Teachers | Focused on improving teacher practices to enhance student outcomes. |
| Systems Coaching | Supporting teams of educators leading school-wide implementation efforts. |
| Hybrid Coaching | Coaching that supports both teachers and implementation teams. |
Coaching by the Numbers: A Deeper Look at K–12 Schools
Coaching Role Statistics
An examination of coaching roles in schools reveals increasing rates of implementation and support across various educational settings, emphasizing the significance of continuous coaching efforts in improving overall educational quality.
Table 1.2 - Percentage of Teacher Coaches by Role
| Role | 2007-2008 | 2015-2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Coach | 47.3 | 44.4 |
| Math Coach | 22.2 | 27 |
| Science Coach | 8.3 | 7.5 |
| Unspecified Coaching Role | N/A | 34.5 |
Table 1.3 - A Contextual Look at Coaching in Schools
| School Factor | 2007-2008 | 2015-2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of students qualifying for FRPL 0%-34% | 61.4 | 68.2 |
| Enrollment 500 or more students | 67.9 | 72.9 |
| Traditional public school | 63.4 | 65.9 |
COACHING ACROSS THE DECADES
The coaching movement has seen substantial evolution since the 1980s, reflecting the complex intersections of research and policy affecting educational systems.
Phase 1: Laying the Groundwork for Coaching (1980s–2001)
During this time, foundational research by Joyce and Showers indicated a significant gap between knowledge and practice that coaching could fill, effectively improving both teacher and student outcomes. Various studies during this phase highlighted the importance of coaching in educational settings.
Phase 2: The Evolution of the Coaching Role (2002–2014)
Increasing policy support and research during this period expanded the coaching role beyond traditional boundaries, integrating more comprehensive support mechanisms for teachers and implementation teams.