When Extraordinary Circumstances Yield Exceptional Consequences: The Importance of Readiness, Receptiveness, and Responsiveness

During her last semester prior to retirement, a university professor of teacher education supervised 15 interns enrolled in a preparation program and college department different from the professor’s usual program and department due to changes in the college’s preparation program student enrollment and faculty availability. The ever-changing, extraordinary circumstances experienced by the interns and supervisor during the 2020 spring semester illuminate the vital roles of readiness to teach, receptiveness to feedback, and responsiveness to expectations (Author & Merritt, 2018). Established on authentic expressions and exchanges of trust, efficacy, agency, and cultural humility (TEACH), their shared journeys yielded exceptional consequences for both the interns and the supervisor guided and supported by the supervisor’s expertise as teacher educator, co-constructivist, and instructional coach.

Capacity-Building for District Reform: The Role of Instructional-Coach Teams

Background/Context This study contributes to our growing understanding of coaches’ role in district reform by introducing instructional-coach teams as a potentially important concept for understanding coaching activities that support systemic reform. Prior research shows that instructional coaches leverage their position between the district office and schools to coordinate policy implementation. This study builds on that analysis by adding a group dimension to instructional coaching at the district level. No other study to date has focused on the collective behaviors of coaches that facilitate reform efforts. Purpose/Objective/RQ/Focus of Study The purpose of this study is to examine the practices of effective instructional-coach teams and conceptualize the role of coach teams in district reform. Research Design I used cross-case analysis that relied on social-network, questionnaire, interview, and observational methods as sources of evidence to analyze how instructional coaches work together to build capacities for district reform. I identified two successful district-level coach teams with an explicit mandate to support reform efforts that were, however, operating in very different district contexts. The focus of this analysis was to identify and compare the circumstances that present in both cases and help explain why these districts have effective coach teams. Findings My findings describe how coach teams develop institutional capacities that enable districts to respond to policy demands. I find that differences in curriculum policy, district reform context, and professional collaboration are associated with differences in the teams’ relational structures. I link these differences to common process gains resulting from the collective working of coach teams. I found three important process gains: intranet systems, collaborative problem-solving, and collective expertise. Although both teams produced all three, they implemented process gains in very different ways. Conclusions/Recommendations This comparative study demonstrates the conceptual utility of instructional-coach teams for understanding the link between coaching and systemic district reform. More theory and research are needed to better understand the behaviors of teams of educators, and particularly instructional coaches, engaged in collective work to support district reform.

Inspiring Science Education for Civic Action

This is the issue's first Editorial, written by Mr. Mirjan Krstovic, current teacher of science in special education programming and a former school district instructional coach. Mr. Krstovic has worked in the STEPWISE programme since 2011 and authored or co-authored numerous book chapers about his work in this regard.

Career Confidential: Teacher feels micromanaged

A teacher feels that the principal is micromanaging, without any clear reason why. An instructional coach believes that teachers resent being assigned to receive coaching. A principal struggles to give teachers honest feedback about how they can improve.

Instructional Coaching: Navigating the Complexities of Leadership

This case provides opportunities for school leaders, including coaches, to examine ways to lead learning and build teacher capacity. Told from the perspective of a newly hired elementary instructional coach in a suburban district experiencing rapid growth, the intent of this case study is to explore how leaders and coaches can work together to develop collaborative learning experiences that cultivate reflection and professional growth among all teachers. In addition, school leaders using this case should examine the conditions and resources necessary to build strong professional communities that maximize student learning.