Instructional Coaching

Value of Instructional Coaching in the Ugandan Contexts

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Initial Impressions of Instructional Coaching:

At first, I associated coaching with athletic coaching and assumed instructional coaching would involve giving instructions and strict enforcement. However, I have come to realize that in an educational setting, especially for educators, it is much more than that. Instructional coaching involves a collaborative and supportive approach to improving teaching practices and enhancing student learning outcomes through intentional meaningful conversations, practical steps, feedback, and follow-up.

How Instructional Coaching Fits into and Benefits the Ugandan Context:

Instructional coaching can have significant benefits for teachers in the Ugandan context, as it can support them in improving their teaching practices and increasing student learning outcomes. As Mary E. Martin notes in her article "Qualities of Instructional Leadership Among Principals in High-Performing Christian Schools," lower school principals view instructional leadership as practices that enhance teacher and student learning. Specifically, lower school principals define this leadership as "providing teachers specific learning tools," "providing instructional tools for best practice instruction," and "someone who is constantly learning and helping teachers learn so they can increase student learning" (Martin, 2019, p.169). In Uganda, many teachers have not received feedback on their teaching practices, despite their theoretical knowledge of pedagogical approaches. Therefore, instructional coaching can provide teachers with guidance and support to implement effective instructional strategies tailored to the Ugandan curriculum and cultural context. With the diverse cultural needs and languages across regions in Uganda, instructional coaching can enhance teaching practices, promote student engagement, and improve learning outcomes. Additionally, English language support provided through instructional coaching can help teachers effectively deliver English content, which is Uganda's medium of instruction. Based on my personal experience, instructional coaching can benefit the entire education system in Uganda by providing much-needed guidance and support to teachers who have not had access to such resources before and consequently improve student learning.

Comfort and Need for Further Knowledge:

Based on what I have known about instructional coaching so far, I feel comfortable and confident that this concept is unpopular yet very beneficial. At the same time, there are specific implementation strategies, cultural considerations, or research evidence in the Ugandan context that I still need to explore to deepen my understanding.

Impact of Instructional Coaching on Capstone Project:

I have not begun to work on my Capstone Project yet, but instructional coaching can positively impact my work. It can provide valuable insights, strategies, and support to enhance my communication practices, data collection skills, and analysis and then improve the outcomes of my project. Instructional coaching can also be a professional development opportunity, helping me refine my research methodologies and approaches.

Impact of I Corinthians 13 Characteristics of Love:

The characteristics of love outlined in I Corinthians 13, such as patience, kindness, and humility, can greatly influence the success of my instructional coaching. By embodying these qualities, I can create a supportive and trusting environment, foster positive relationships with teachers, and effectively guide their professional growth. This is because the presence of love in coaching relationships can enhance communication, as Knight quotes, “"Love," Freire writes, "is the foundation of dialogue … [because dialogue] cannot exist … in the absence of a profound love for the world and for [people]"” (Knight, 2022). When there is communication and collaboration built on love, there will be patience, kindness, and forgiveness when mistakes are done and genuine feedback. These ultimately lead to effective partnership and hence improved teaching practices for the teacher and student outcomes which means that I am successful as an instructional coach.

References

Knight, J. (2022) The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching. [edition unavailable]. ASCD. Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/3292649/the-definitive-guide-to-instructional-coaching-seven-factors-for-success-pdf (Accessed: 4 May 2023).

Mary E. Martin (2018) Qualities of Instructional Leadership Among Principals

in High-Performing Christian Schools, Journal of Research on Christian Education, 27:2, 157-182,

DOI: 10.1080/10656219.2018.1500501