| Although instructional coaching and professional learning communities provide ongoing, job-embedded support and professional learning, little is known about what role the instructional coach serves within the setting of the professional learning community or what coaching skills teachers find most helpful within this setting. Research examining the specific role of the instructional coach within the professional learning community is nearly nonexistent. This mixed-methods study investigates the role of the instructional coach within the setting of the professional learning community, what coaching skills teachers find most helpful within this setting, and what impact instructional coaches have on teacher perceptions of the professional learning community. Themes from semistructured interviews, observations, and open-ended survey responses revealed that teachers and instructional coaches perceive multiple roles and coaching skills within the professional learning community. The instructional coach serves as a bridge to guide teachers to new learning through providing specific supports, manifesting the partnership principles, showing availability and trust, and sharing instructional strategies and ideas. Utilizing the PLCA-R survey, descriptive statistics identified the impact instructional coaches have on teacher perceptions of the professional learning community. |
