Instructional coaches have the potential to improve teaching practices that directly impact the quality of teaching that students receive. Thus, they are a valuable resource to schools that use them wisely. Unexamined, the work of an instructional coach may not add to program quality and therefore drain resources of budget and time. Research from…

This study contributes to the knowledge and planning that impacts the efforts and staffing of instructional specialists. This investigation contributes to having a better understanding of what an instructional specialist possesses in terms of qualities when interacting with teachers. Further implications can help determine how to shape and develop…

It is estimated by the year 2025, ELLs will make up one-quarter of the student population in the U.S. (Baecher et al., 2012). Simultaneously, literature has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of preparation for preservice and Inservice teachers to meet the needs of ELLs (e.g. Ballard, 2016; de Jong, 2013; Lucas et al., 2013; Villegas et al., 2018;…

Given the importance of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for improving outcomes for students with disabilities, it is key that preservice special education teachers have the opportunity to implement EBPs with high levels of fidelity during their teacher preparation program. For this reason, the authors conducted a systematic review of the…

In response to executive order mandates from states and governors, many early care and education (ECE) settings closed or transitioned to providing virtual services to children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. For ECE coaches, these closures resulted in the need for rapid adjustments in the way they provided coaching services. These…

This paper examines the coaching behaviours of different paddlesport coaches (n = 17). A sample of coaches specialising in non-competitive paddlesport from professional, club and educational contexts are examined utilising a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews. The three groups are shown to share common aspect such the importance of…

This mixed-methods study sought to explore the impact the role a mathematics curriculum coach has on teacher efficacy and instructional practice. School systems across the country are being asked to do more with less money. At the same time, districts are faced with mathematics standards that require a new approach to instruction. In response to…

Our study contributes to understanding teacher mentoring by exploring impacts of feedback from multiple mentoring sources as teachers with varying levels of experience learned to implement student-centered instruction. Mentees in our study learned to implement a student-centered model, supported by mentoring from students and teachers experienced…

Academic language is the language that students must engage in while participating in the teaching and learning that takes place in school (Schleppegrell, 2012) and science as a content area presents specific challenges and opportunities for students to engage with language (Buxton & Lee, 2014; Gee, 2005). In order for students to engage…

For school districts in California, just as one set of revolutionary new content standards is beginning to feel familiar, another deep change is brewing. Districts have now had more than five years to wrestle with how they implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) (NGA Center & CCSSO, 2010). Many have made large-scale…

Background: Despite increased access to student learning data, scholars have demonstrated that teachers do not always know how to use these data in ways that lead to deep changes in instruction and often lack skills and knowledge to interpret results and develop solutions. In response, administrators have invested in instructional coaches, data…

This study discusses how four instructional coaches' roles and identities, as well as the school district context, have influenced their development as instructional coaches. This study thematically analyzes the narrative stories of four elementary school English instructional coaches in New Taipei City, Taiwan. The study concludes that the way…

Many educational policy initiatives use instructional coaching to accomplish their goals. Yet we know little about the role of reading coaches in mediating the relationship between policy and teachers' classroom practice. In this article, we investigate the role of reading coaches in mediating the relationship between Reading First policy and…

Although coaching is used in many schools to facilitate teachers' professional learning, few studies look closely at coaching discourse. Exploring how coaching facilitates teachers' professional development, this study used tape-recorded coaching sessions and individual post-interviews to examine the one-on-one coaching interactions of 4…

In the struggle to raise U.S. students' achievement in literacy, Hartnett-Edwards says, the emphasis has shifted from finding the right materials to creating better teachers. Central to creating better teachers are literacy coaches. The author claims that the role of literacy/reading coach has evolved beyond its roots in NCLB legislation, when…