Research On Pennsylvania Instructional Coaching Model

Excellent teacher makes excellent teaching.One of the keys to the success of students is a high-quality teacher who has the basic knowledge of pedagogy theory,understanding the course content,and mastering the teaching strategies and classroom management skills.To provide excellent education for every student in an increasingly-evolving era,teachers need sophisticated ability to create a creative learning environment.In the United States,with the more complex and deeper learning needs of students and teachers,and the policy orientation of learning and teaching standards,teachers need continuous learning,as well as the effective professional learning programs.Thereby,as a model design of teachers' professional learning,Pennsylvania regards it as one of K-12 teachers' professional learning methods,and a lever to achieve the goal of improving learning,teaching and school reform.In the cooperation of the Pennsylvania Education Department,professional research organizations and school principals,the instructional coach is regarded as distributed leadership to provide teachers with embedded-in professional learning,and share scientific teaching practice based on classroom,such as teaching strategy and application of educational technology.Instructional coaching usually takes the form of one-to-one or group through face-to-face or online communication ways.With the help of cycle process and data analysis to meet the personal needs of teachers and students,the teachers can smoothly apply new skills to classroom.Instructional coaching respects the characteristics of teachers as adult learners,focusing on the learning method of equal dialogue between coaches and teachers,and promotes teachers' self-reflection.This non-supervisory and non-evaluative coaching can make a cooperative partnership,which in turn gives impetus to the learning atmosphere of teacher group and school,and the development of professional learning community.At the same time,coaches themselves are educators,and their professional learning is achieved with the help of mentors,which also embodies the concept of cooperative development of instructional coaching.In the long-term practical research,the Pennsylvania instructional coaching is still not perfect.For example,there is no unified certification related to coaches,and individual teachers still are reluctant to participate in it.Outweigh such flaws,this model has become more and more mature,and has been adopted by more and more schools and teachers.It gradually improves the teaching and learning.Comparatively,this research on the Pennsylvania instructional coaching model can help us deeply understand the innovative way of teachers' professional learning.In our country,the in-service teacher education system is relatively complete with local characteristics,but we can pay more attention to the teacher's personal learning effectiveness and the shaping of school collaborative learning culture.For reference,we can take some advantages of instructional coaching into consideration,such as data-driven decision making,supporting teachers in need through excellent teachers,and gathering the mutual development vision of school with the help of teaching leadership.