2022 journal article
University-based literacy coaches as outsiders to the rural school context
Teaching and Teacher Education, 114, 103694.
author keywords: Distance coaching; School-university partnership; Literacy coaching; Rural schools; Teacher induction
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
4. Quality Education
(Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Source: ORCID
Added: March 31, 2022
This study examines how social positioning as outsiders shaped how university-based literacy coaches supported novice, primary-grade teachers in a distance-coaching model. Coaches were external to the rural schools, districts, and communities where they coached. Grounded in a sociocultural perspective, we analyzed coach and teacher interviews to understand the positioning of a literacy coach as an outsider and how coaches provided professional development in this context. Findings include benefits and challenges of outsider coaching and coach actions to facilitate productive partnerships. The coaches were positioned as outsiders by role and institutional affiliation, yet insiders by social interactions with individual teachers.