Ready to Engage? Urban Middle School Teachers’ Responsiveness to Virtual Engagement Interventions on Their Classroom Practices

This action research examined teachers' responsiveness to targeted engagement interventions in their instructional practices in an urban middle school during virtual learning. These interventions were addressed through action research, and consisted of professional development, coaching and instructional feedback. Data collected in this eight-week study contained observational field notes, coaching plans, frequency chars, coaching questions, professional development constructs (frameworks), surveys, artifacts and interviews with participant teachers. Findings show: 1) positive responsiveness to teachers’ engagement interventions evidenced by an increase in engagement practices, 2) increase in teachers’ perceptions about instructional feedback, and professional development, 3) coaching surfaced as most impactful intervention, 4) socio-emotional and behavioral engagement practices were least responsive to change, and 5) teachers’ beliefs and growth mindset drove the need in practice change. Future recommendations consist of exploration into virtual practices that address: a) socio-emotional and behavioral engagement domains: b) student-teacher relatedness, and c) deep understanding and high participation.