Impact of peer coaching strategy on pre-service teachers’ professional development growth in Kuwait

Abstract

Abatract This qualitative study investigated how peer coaching in supervision affects Kuwait’s pre-service teachers’ professional growth and how head department supervisors can organizationally support peer coaching to improve teachers’ professional development. Pre-service teacher pairs carried out a peer coaching cycle (i.e., preview conference, lesson observation and data collection, reflective conference). Data were collected and analyzed from 12 pre-service teachers and 6 head department supervisors. The peer coaching strategy fostered teachers’ professional growth based on teaching practices, teacher learning, team cooperation, and teachers’ self-confidence, enthusiasm, and autonomy as well as the application’s obstacles. Head department supervisors’ results showed a general approach for ensuring organizational support for the peer coaching strategy. Recommendations are provided for applying peer coaching in Kuwait’s educational system.