What is instructional coaching?

Instructional coaching is like chili - it can mean different things to different people. While some vigorously debate whether chili must include meat, beans, or noodles, some educators and scholars hold strong opinions about the definition of instructional coaching.

Serious definition

In my work concerning instructional coaching, my coauthor and I adopt a broad, widely used, but admittedly limited description: it is a job-embedded, developmentally focused program in which coaches observe teachers and provide feedback for instructional improvement.

Benefit

Although early scholarship claimed that instructional coaching improved teaching and student learning, only in the last 15 years did research identify the causal effects of instructional coaching on teacher and student outcomes. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis of the causal evidence finds that instructional coaching is one of the most potent interventions for improving teaching and student achievement; however, these powerful positive effects depend on purpose, implementation, and context.

This feature was written by Seth Hunter, assistant professor of education leadership. To learn more about our Education Leadership program, please visit our website.