A Hermeneutic Phenomenological View of Professional Development Motivation as Experienced by Secondary High School Staff Who Engaged With New Instructional Coaches

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of public-school teachers at the secondary level who engaged with an instructional coach at Peach Tree High School and Rock High School in a rural desert of California. The theory that guided this study was Knowles’s theory on adult learning, as it explained how adults learn and their motivations for professional development. The central research question was: what were the lived experiences of 10-12 public-school teachers at the secondary level while interacting with an instructional coach? The methodology in this qualitative study was hermeneutic phenomenology in which participants shared their lived experiences working with an instructional coach. The data collection methods were interviews, observations, and journal entries. The analysis approach to the coding was based on Saldana. The study highlighted the transformative impact of instructional coaching on classroom instruction and management. Teachers described adopting new strategies and approaches suggested by coaches, resulting in improved student engagement and learning outcomes. Importantly, the findings challenged negative perceptions associated with seeking help, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth among educators. Overall, this study provided valuable insights into the effectiveness of the coaching cycle in enhancing classroom instruction and management, as perceived by secondary school teachers in a rural desert setting. The findings contributed to the ongoing discourse on personalized professional development and underscored the importance of continued support mechanisms for educators.