Perceptions and experiences of the role and process of coaching in the Gauteng Primary Language and Mathematics Strategy : a case of four teachers, their coaches and supervisors.
Date
2015-05-18
Authors
Kadenge, Emure
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Abstract
This study explores the coaching component of the GPLMS over the past 3 years, how it has
been implemented as well as the lessons learnt with the view to understanding the coaching
conditions required to assist teachers in changing their instructional practices. The GPLMS
intervention consists primarily of instructional coaching which has to mediate lesson plans to
teachers. This research specifically looks at the teacher-coach relations, the nature of
coaching support and monitoring and its impact on teachers. Research data were collected
through interviews of teachers in one FP school and one Intersen school in the Johannesburg
South district as well as from two coaches and their supervisors. A Peer Learning Group
(PLG) meeting in one school and a School-Based Workshop (SBW) in the other school were
observed. GPLMS documents which include lesson plans and teacher observation sheets
were analysed.
The data analysis reveals that instructional coaching combined with high quality lesson
plans are promising interventions with potential to improve teachers’ instructional practices.
Much progress, however, depends on the coaches’ interpretation of their role as well as their
attributes and qualities as far as the level of their subject knowledge and pedagogical content
knowledge and the respect and trust between themselves and their teachers are concerned.
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Keywords
Coaching, Teacher support and monitoring, Teacher change, Professional growth