Volume 2 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal of K-12 Educational Research - Page 35

Journal of K-12 Educational Research 33 • The instructional coaching program needs more support from the district. • Clear communication needs to come from the district about the role and expectations they have for the instruc- tional coaches. Implications The results of the study can provide districts, principals, and instructional coaches with ways to enhance the implementation of an instructional coaching program. The effectiveness of an instructional coaching program relies on the thoroughness of the initial planning for implementation. The more research that is done prior to implementation, the better the chances of fidelity of implementation and the growth in teaching and learning on cam- puses utilizing instructional coaches. The current study provides insight into how districts can support instructional coaches to improve teaching and learning as well as how districts can more effectively implement an instructional coaching program with fidelity. Fidelity of Implementation Initial preparation of new program implementation cannot be overlooked. Many effective programs have failed because of underestimation of how important preparation was to eventual success of the program (Leonard-Barton & Kraus, 1985). The time spent in prior planning for the implementation of a program was in direct correlation to higher success rates. Findings of the current study agreed there was no prior implementation planning, which would have included training of the instructional coaches, determining the coaching model they would follow, or explaining to the coach, the principal, or the teachers the role and responsi- bilities of the instructional coach. The author suggests research - ing other districts which have implemented an instructional coaching program with success to find out what has worked for them and what has not. The fidelity of implementation of the instructional coaching program for the district, however, was at odds with Wallace, Blasé, Fixsen, and Naoom (2008) in that the core components of the program were not clearly defined to all stakeholders. This led to confusion at the district and campus levels which impacted the fidelity of the instructional coaching program from the district level to each of the individual campuses. Fidelity of implementation is affected when there is no clear evaluation in place for the instructional coaches. Evaluating the success of the implementation of the instructional coaching program relies on evaluating the effectiveness of the campus instructional coaches. Without a clear evaluation tool, there is no way to assess the effectiveness of the instructional coach and the instructional coaching program. Theme of Support The most common theme to emerge from the data analysis was support, which was stated 74 times by principals and instructional coaches throughout the interview study. This included both ends of the spectrum: instructional coaches felt supported by their principals and the other instructional coaches but did not feel supported by the district. In agreement to this, most principals also saw the lack of support from the district for the instructional coaching position. Joyce and Showers (2002) found that support by adminis - tration is vital to successful implementation of an instructional coaching program. Baker (2010) believed that district leaders need to work collaboratively with principals to provide guidance in designing and implementing the instructional coaching pro- gram as well as providing resources and support to instructional coaches and principals. Wren and Vallejo (2009) argued that if given adequate sup - port from the principal and district administration, the instruction- al coach can make a substantial impact on teaching and learning on the campus. Instructional coaching should be supported from the district level down to the principal. Support starts at the top levels of the district who then encourage support from principals. Theme of Trust The current study found 22 references to trust in the interview data. The instructional coaches shared that building a trusting re - lationship with teachers is important. Instructional coaches noted that teachers will not ask for help if they do not trust the person or the position. Principals also shared that the instructional coach had to build a relationship of trust with the teachers. This finding was in agreement with Knight (2009), who asserted that for the relationship between teacher and instructional coach to be effec - tive, open, and honest, there has to be trust. Biancarosa, Bryk, & Dexter (2010) also believed that coaching is about relationships and teachers must feel comfortable with instructional coaches