Rethinking Coaching: Transformative Professional Development

Abstract

The study was designed using a multiple case study approach in which four middle school teachers engaged in a form of coaching based on Habermas' and Mezirow’s learning theories. Each participant examined their vision of teaching, and then compared their vision to video data of their classroom instruction. Teachers then created individual projects to address the gap between their visions and their instruction. Data comes from interviews, field notes and video data, as well as interview data from administrators and team member of the participants. Results from this study suggest that a teacher’s vision is reflexive with the context of their instruction and develops with experience. The study also provides evidence that when placed in a situation where teachers make their own professional development choices, those choices focus on pedagogical content knowledge as well as practical and technical interests. However, in less formal spaces, the professional development interests of teachers begin to reflect the more emancipatory interests.