Preparing to coach preservice teachers: professional learning of novice coaches

Abstract

ABSTRACT Traditionally, teacher candidate supervision models focus on evaluation rather than collaborative professional reflection. Through a university–district partnership, a new model was designed to disrupt this dynamic and draw on the expertise of practicing teachers to act as coaches. This case study describes the professional learning of novice coaches as they engaged in activities such as video/transcript analysis and mixed-reality simulation to develop coaching skills throughout a year-long series of professional development (PD). Participants’ perspectives were examined to understand what PD experiences were meaningful and how novice coaches began to understand themselves as coaches. Findings suggest the importance of intentionally building in time for reflection on coaching artifacts such as transcripts and videos, collaboration with other novice coaches to address common coaching concerns, and highlighting the successes in their developing coaching practices to support educators who are new to the coaching role.