The Effectiveness of Principal Coaching Practices on Improving the Professional Performance of Elementary School Teachers

Abstrak

This research is motivated by managerial gaps in conventional academic supervision, which often tends to be evaluative-administrative and fails to provide an effective space for stimulating teachers' professional development. The primary focus of this study is to describe the principal's coaching practices using the TIRTA model, analyze its impact on teachers' professional performance in designing and implementing learning, and identify inhibiting factors in its implementation. This study employs a qualitative approach with a case study method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis at SDN Cangkring 01, Baleendah District, Bandung Regency. Data validity was ensured through source and method triangulation, while data analysis followed the Miles, Huberman, and Saldana model, encompassing data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results indicate that coaching practices using the TIRTA flow (Goal, Identification, Action Plan, Responsibility) systematically implemented by the principal are effective in enhancing a transformative collaborative space between school leadership and educators. At the Goal stage, an equal partnership is established, making teachers feel valued. In the Identification stage, the principal facilitates teachers in mapping problems objectively through reflective dialogue. The implementation of this model reinforces a paradigm shift in supervision from judgmental oversight to empowering development. The findings conclude that the frequency and quality of coaching conversations have a significant correlation with the increase in intrinsic motivation and teachers' pedagogical skills in managing classroom learning.