Metaphors University Instructional Coaches Use to Frame Their Coach-Coachee Relationships with Secondary Classroom Teachers

Abstract

In instructional coaching, the successful collaboration of the coach-coachee dyad is critical for a fruitful relationship. In this study, we focused on what metaphors university faculty who served as coaches working with secondary classroom teachers used to describe their lived experiences. By illuminating their metaphors, it made it possible to bring their unconscious thoughts to the surface. Survey methodology was used to collect data and a reflexive iterative approach, along with a consensus coding strategy was used to analyze the data. Although the instructional coaches used different metaphors to characterize their coach-coachee relationships, they all identified and credited three salient characteristics to the success of their relationships: respect, trust, and reciprocity. The richness the findings reveal suggest value in collecting and interpreting metaphors coaches use to describe their experiences. By highlighting the inner-thoughts expressed through metaphorical language, it may help in decisions on pairing and practice of meaningful coach-coachee relationships.