| Schools are increasingly more diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, social class, ability, and language as are disparities in educational outcomes between students. Many teachers enter these contexts not feeling prepared to meet such diverse needs. Conversations about diversity and equity are often included in college coursework but do not carry over to the field experience. My research examined a professional learning community of college field supervisors who were learning how to prompt prospective teachers to think about equity within their teaching practice using a Coaching for Equity Cycle. My research question investigated how supervisors made meaning of their transformation within a professional learning community focused on cultivating equity-oriented supervision. Sub-questions included: (1) What transformation occurred? (2) What was the process of transformation?, and (3) What did the supervisors learn about equity-oriented supervision as they transformed?;This constructivist-based research used audio-taped dialogue of the supervisors' conversations, individual supervisor reflections, and a researcher's journal to understand how supervisors made-meaning of their transformation towards enacting equity-oriented supervision. Hatch's (2002) political analysis method served as a vehicle for highlighting and focusing on the concept of transformation that underpinned this study. Member checking played a key role occurring at the beginning of each session with the participants.;The findings of this study are presented in three sections organized around the three sub-questions. In the first section, Chapters 5-7, the journeys of three of the six supervisors are shared to illustrate what transformation occurred as they worked together within the professional learning community. These coaches' portraits illustrate different turns or changes they experienced as they learned to Coach for Equity. The coaches also named certain moves related to how the learning community supported their growth and prompted these turns.;In the second section, Chapter 8, a cross-case analysis of the six supervisors' journeys is offered to explicate the process and components of the transformation with the goal of illustrating how transformation occurred. One model is presented to show the prominent role of inquiry in the individual supervisor's transformation. The second model shows the process of transformation and the role of the learning community in prompting critical reflection and resolving tensions through comparing stories, modeling, probing, and reframing.;In the third section, Chapter 9, themes are presented that outline what the supervisors learned about equity-oriented supervision as they transformed. These themes include the importance of supervisors: forming relationships on multiple levels, becoming transparent about their role, viewing equity work as a process, and making conversations about equity a comfortable fit.;This research sheds light on the complexity of the transformation that occurred for field supervisors as they worked within this professional learning community focused on cultivating equity-oriented supervision. The findings have important implications for those designing professional development and interested in promoting equity-oriented pedagogy. |
