1. Avon Grove School District October 2009
Peer Coaching
A Tool for Growth-Oriented Supervision, Evaluation and Professional Development
Avon Grove School District
October 2009

2. Workshop Goals Essential Questions
What are the expectations and requirements for me, as a participant in the Peer Coaching Program?
How will I improve my teaching and student learning in my classroom by crafting and focusing on a specific goal?

3. For Staff Resources Avon Grove Wiki Peer Coaching
Please Read…
Peer Coaching: A Tool for Growth-Oriented Supervision, Evaluation, and Professional Development, August 2009
or…
For Staff Resources Avon Grove Wiki Peer Coaching

4. What do I know about Peer Coaching?
Read and complete the _______ regarding the parameters of Peer Coaching
Turn to a neighbor and share your answers
Check answers

5. X X X X X X X True False Question
After three consecutive years of participating in the Peer Coaching Program, I must revert to the traditional teacher observation model for a minimum of one year. X
Peer coaching is a form of professional development designed to improve my teaching practice. X
Principals cannot observe me formally if I am participating in the Peer Coaching Program. X X
Only tenured teachers can participate in the Peer Coaching Program. X
I must complete the peer coaching process a minimum of three times during the school year. X
The peer coaching process involves a pre-observation conference, an observation, and a post-observation conference.
Peer coaching increases opportunities for collaboration and professional growth. X

6. What is Peer Coaching?
…a process in which two or more professional colleagues work together for a specific, predetermined purpose in order that teaching performance can be improved as well as validated.
…a method to reflect on current practices or to expand, to refine, and build new skills.

7. What is Peer Coaching? …it is non judgmental, and non-evaluative.
...a mechanism for sharing new ideas; to teach one another; to conduct classroom observations; and to provide feedback on teaching practices.
…it is non judgmental, and non-evaluative.
…it focuses on the collaborative development, refinement and sharing of professional knowledge and skills.

8. Why Peer Coach? Professional Development Strategy
% of Teachers Transferring Practice to Classroom
Joyce & Showers, 1997
Description of new technique
10 %
Modeling of new technique
Up to 13 %
Opportunity to practice using new technique
Up to 19 %
Provision of feedback on the use of the new technique
Up to 22 %
Coaching on the technique
Up to 95%

9. How Will Peer Coaching Help Teachers?
Research indicates that Peer Coaching:
Enhances collaboration and communication skills
Allows professionals to function at varying levels of expertise
Affords teachers an active role in their own professional
development
Improves teaching and learning

10. Goal Setting Identify individual goal
Remember, this goal is for YOUR professional growth
Connect individual goal to AGSD Strategic Plan
Identify the Danielson teaching behavior that aligns with your goal

11. Goal Setting: Questions to Ask Yourself
Is my goal SMART?
Specific - focused on improving my own teaching behavior or practices?
Measureable – how will I measure achievement of my goal?
Attainable - can I attain this goal?
Realistic – can I accomplish this goal?
Timely – can I achieve this goal during this school year?

12. Goal Example
Individual Goal: I am working to improve my delivery of focus lessons in reading comprehension instruction to include (1) modeling, (2) metacognitive awareness, and (3) think alouds as evidenced by my daily lesson plans that include planning elements for a focus lesson.
Strategic Plan Goal: Academic Achievement: Reading
Danielson Framework: 1E – Designing Coherent Instruction

13. What do you think of these goals?
Sample #1: To utilize the gradual release of responsibility in science instruction
Sample #2: Successfully implement Collins Writing Program
Sample #3: Engaging students in learning

14. Review Your Goal Take a look at your own goal and ask
“Is my goal a SMART goal?”
Specific - focused on improving my own teaching behavior or practices?
Measureable – how will I measure achievement of my goal?
Attainable - can I attain this goal?
Realistic – can I accomplish this goal?
Timely – can I achieve this goal during this school year?
2. Revise your goal as needed
3. Share your goal with your neighbor

15. Pre-observation Conference
Share your goal with one another
Select possible dates & times for the observation
Use the Pre-Observation Conference Sheet to guide planning for the observation
Determine tool for gathering data
Make arrangements for coverage
Reference Peer Observation Pre-Observation Conference Sheet and the Record Sheet in the packet

16. The Observation
Use selected data collection tool for recording information
Stay focused on area identified for feedback
Be unobtrusive

17. Post-observation Conference
Partners meet to discuss the points observed using the interview protocol for post-observations
Discuss specific evidence observed related to the focus
Formulate an action plan
Implement your action plan prior to the second observation.

18. Repeat the Cycle
Pre-Observation
Observation
Post-Observation

19. What are Peer Coaching Teams required to do?
October
Attend workshop
Identify personal peer coaching goal
Conduct planning meeting to finalize goals
October – January
Schedule pre-conference, observation, and post-conference
February
Complete survey on observation cycle
February-May
May
Complete program survey

20. What Happens After Today’s Meeting?
Peer Coaching pairs hold a planning meeting to finalize and review goals
Select a teaching behavior from Danielson’s A Framework for Teaching to become focus of the peer coaching experience.
Identify which of the Strategic Planning goals the teaching behavior falls within.
Be prepared to share goals with your principal

21. Pairs schedule a pre-observation conference
Discuss how data will be collected
Complete a pre-observation form
Pairs schedule observations
of each other
Schedule in coordination with the principal
Two observations for each teacher

22. Pairs conduct a post -conference following each observation
Share findings
Use the Observer Forms
Each teacher develops a
brief action plan based upon
feedback and repeats the process

23. Important Reminder
Participating in Peer Coaching does NOT interfere with your principal’s right to observe in your classroom.

24. Peer Coaching Resources…
Peer Coaching Wiki
Instructional Coaches
Administrators
Peers/Colleagues

25. Questions