The effects of coaching on teacher efficacy, individual academic optimism and student achievement (original) (raw)

The intent of this study is to present an argument for coaching as an effective professional development venue for teachers in elementary school settings. Adult learning suggests that coaching, where a teacher and coach work together through a cycle of planning, modeling and conferencing, is an effective method to increase teacher ability. Teachers who exhibit effective teaching methods often display high teacher efficacy and academic optimism. A mixed methods design was used to examine the construct of academic optimism which consists of three variables, teacher efficacy, trust in adults and students, and academic emphasis. A survey was given to teachers in four regions of the United