3-3. Peer Coaching

Based on "Peer Coaching For Educators" by Barbara Gottesman and James Jennings.

1. Why Peer Coaching?

In order for people to transfer/internalization of new skills they must have opportunities to explore these five critical teaching components:

		Knowledge Level or Short Term	Application Level or LongTerm
1. 2. 3.   4. 5.	Theory Demonstration Modeling and Guided Practice Feedback Coaching	20% 35% 70%   80% 90%	5% 10% 20%   25% 90%

The most effective way of learning is to utilize all five teaching methods. We are all aware of the first four components so we will focus on the last one (Peer Coaching).

Peer Coaching will:

1. Help establish a line of communication between faculty members.
2. Provide teachers a chance to think and talk about what they are doing.
3. Help bring techniques teachers may use instinctively to the conscious level, thus improving the change they will be repeated.
4. Expand teaching skills by expanding coaching skills.
5. Increase the amount of time teachers spend on discussing instructional issues.
6. Provide technical feedback from respected peers.
7. Help professionalize teaching since it offers teachers a chance to be involved in decisions that impact on them and their students (shared decision-making).
8. Provide opportunities to work together for the common good of the school environment.

2. What is Peer Coaching?

Peer coaching is a staff development model that provides a safe structured framework for a professional to observe a professional and provide feedback in five steps.

3. Three Phases of Peer Coaching

1. Peer Watching - to get use to observing and making other teachers comfortable being observed (2 months)
   1. Four visits to another classroom
      • visits noted on record
      • no feedback
   2. Videotapes of self
      • four lessons taped and watched
      • four tapes erased
2. Peer Feedback (2 months)
   • - Uniform training in five steps (coach offers no suggestions)
   • Four feedback sessions (handling data) with peer
3. Peer Coaching (2 months)
   • Review of five steps (coach offers suggestions and alternatives when asked)
   • Four visits and four coaching sessions

4. Five Steps in Peer Coaching

Step #1 Teacher requests a peer to observe a new technique or a specific concern
Teacher writes what he/she wants observed

Step #2 Coach comes and visits at the agreed upon time and observes what was agreed upon in Step #1
No judgments or evaluations!

Step #3 Coach reviews the teacher's original request, reviews his/her observation notes, and summarizes or categorizes as necessary. Do not include any evaluative statements

Step #4 The coach and teacher get together. The teacher controls the discussion NOT the coach. Coach gives suggestions if requested!

Step #5 Review: Did it work for us?

5. Implementation of Peer Coaching Consists of Six Sections

1. Selling the idea of peer coaching
   • overview of what it is, and what it isn't
2. Training in the Five Steps
   • role of principal and teacher are clarified
   • two people model the five steps (think out loud in Step #3)
   • guided practice where teachers now try all five steps (here
   • use three people, one coach, one teacher and one process observer)
3. Practicing peer watching Phases are:
   • Peer watching (observing a peer)
   • Peer feedback (handling the data)
   • Peer coaching (observing, handling data, and offering suggestions, if requested)
4. Skills needed to peer coach
   • coaching and feedback skills (no evaluation, no praise, no blame, etc.)
   • active listening and body language
   • observation skills and adult roles
5. Troubleshooting
6. Peer coaching (putting it all together)

6. Some DO's and DON'T

DO:

1. Listen actively
2. Pause...and make reflective statements
3. Insert neutral probing questions
4. Bite your tongue!
5. Let the peer fill silent gaps
6. Review only written data
7. Leave other concerns for other visits
8. Etc.

DON'T:

1. No blame, praise or judgments
2. Never set yourself as an example
3. Never offer solutions on your own
4. Examine only the requested concern
5. Break the peer coaching rules