Professional development for teachers currently working in the classroom is an important focus of educational programs and school systems. Continuous professional development is especially important for special education teachers to maintain current information related to strategies and supports that are effective in educating students with…

As district- and school-level leaders face increasing pressure from federal, state, and local accountability mandates there has been increased dependence on using and analyzing student data to help improve student performance. While the reporting of disaggregated data by student subgroup confirms that achievement gaps exist, it does not provide…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify what leadership coaches perceive to be the benefits of authenticity to their clients' success. Another purpose was to identify what barriers leadership coaches perceive as preventing their clients from developing authenticity. A final purpose of this study was to identify which strategies…

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of critical self-reflection by life coaches. Life coaching is expanding within many disciplines including education, health care, business, social work, and wellness. Life coaching involves a coach working with an individual or groups aimed at effecting change for professional and personal…

School site-based instructional coaching is a form of job-embedded professional development for teachers and an element of school reform. Coaches are hired based upon their pedagogical knowledge, content expertise, prior teaching experience, and "people skills." They are adept at handling a variety of social interactions at school sites,…

This qualitative study was conducted in the Midwestern U.S. It explored the stories of 27 educators who participated in a four-year instructional coaching project in a large urban school district. Subjects shared their perceptions of and meanings they constructed as a result of their experiences in the coaching project through participation in a…

When it comes to planning for instruction, many teachers may feel an overwhelming need to rely on prescribed curricular resources and when those are not available many teachers may feel lost. While several methods for improving instructional planning exist, research has shown that prioritizing standards, creating assessments aligned to those…

The purpose of this research was to examine how teaching reflective concepts and directing reflective writing would influence student coaches' (SC) level of reflective writing in a one semester coaching internship course. A Multiple baseline format was used to implement the intervention. The intervention used five reflective ideas to try and…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the relationship between the administrator and the literacy coach and describe the administrator's role in facilitating the work of literacy coaches. This study was guided by four questions: (1) What essential knowledge must administrators possess in order to effectively facilitate the work…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore possibilities for transformational coaching in education through the collaboration and cooperative argumentation of two researchers, one using appreciative inquiry to look at its transformative potential and the other using critical inquiry to investigate possible hegemonic and non-hegemonic…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore possibilities for transformational coaching in education through the collaboration and cooperative argumentation of two researchers, one using appreciative inquiry to look at its transformative potential and the other using critical inquiry to investigate possible hegemonic and non-hegemonic…

An integral part of teacher development are teacher observations. Many teachers are observed once or twice a year to evaluate their performance and hold them accountable for meeting standards. Instructional coaches, however, observe and work with teachers to help them reflect on their performance, with the goal of improving their practice.…

This study addressed the extent to which coaching, as a specific type of professional development, impacted teacher behavior and instructional quality. Specifically, this study sought to determine the extent to which teachers understood and used Marzano's nine high-yield strategies as a result of their participation in six weeks of on-site…

The purpose of this mixed-method case study was to uncover the common experiences of 69 first and second year mathematics coaches, bound by their participation in the Mathematics Coaching Program (MCP). Evidence supporting MCP implementation and the evolution of instructional practices were also investigated and reported. Interview, document, and…

Teacher turnover in New Jersey public schools continues to grow every year. As a result, schools and school districts are continuously seeking ways to ensure that every position available is staffed with highly qualified teachers. In addition, schools seek to provide familiarity and stability to those involved with the schools. In an effort to…