Feasible Coaching Supports to Promote Teachers' Classroom Management in High-Need Settings: An Experimental Single Case Design Study

Abstract

Although there are many definitions of a high-need (or high-risk) school, typically researchers and policy makers agree it is a setting in which a vast percentage of students are (a) living in economic disadvantage, (b) from racially diverse backgrounds, (c) identified as having a disability, or (d) underperforming academically. Many teachers in high-need settings are new to the field or have experienced persistent challenges demonstrating effective classroom management. As a result, these teachers might benefit from intensive data-driven coaching to improve classroom management practice. Yet, existing empirically supported comprehensive coaching models tend to require resources that may be scarce in high-need settings. In this multiple-baseline single case research design study, teachers who requested assistance to provide effective classroom management received feasible coaching support (i.e., explicit didactic training, booster training with verbal modeling). Teachers implemented comprehensive classroom management plans with the highest level of treatment fidelity upon receiving booster training, and class-wide student behavior improved.

Keywords:

• classroom interventions
• teachers
• positive behavior support

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lindsay M. Fallon

Lindsay M. Fallon, PhD, is an assistant professor in the school psychology program in the Department of Counseling and School Psychology at University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research interests include promoting stakeholders' treatment fidelity of evidence-based behavioral interventions, evaluating factors related to the consistent implementation of school- and class-wide behavioral supports (e.g., barriers, collaboration among staff), and the efficient provision of supports to benefit students' behavior, particularly culturally and linguistically diverse learners in high-need settings.

Melissa A. Collier-Meek

Melissa A. Collier-Meek, PhD, is an assistant professor in the school psychology program in the Department of Counseling and School Psychology at University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research interests include the implementation of evidence-based interventions, particularly the assessment of treatment fidelity, evaluation of implementation facilitators and barriers, and development of strategies to feasibly promote treatment fidelity.

Kathryn D. Kurtz

Kathryn D. Kurtz is a doctoral candidate at University of Massachusetts Boston. Prior to beginning her doctoral program, Ms. Kurtz was a school psychologist in the Minneapolis Public Schools. Her clinical and research interest areas are in systems-level consultation, trauma-informed practices, social–emotional learning, classroom management, and urban school psychology practice.