Peer CoachingDr. Barbara Gottesman

Chair (retired), Educational Leadership

Author of

Peer Coaching for Educators

Purposes of Peer Coaching

• Professionals on the same level observing each other

• Improvement of teaching strategies

• Improvement of analytical skills

• Implementation of a new program

• Refining skills

Mottos

• No praise, no blame.

• No judgment, no evaluation

• Dragnet’s Joe Friday:

• “Just the facts, ma’am!”

Internalization of New Learningresearch of Joyce and Showers

Short term memory

Long term memory

THEORY 20% 5%

DEMONSTRATION 35% 10%

MODELING & GUIDED PRACTICE

70% 20%

FEEDBACK 80% 25%

COACHING 90% 90%

Peer Coaching

• 1. Request for a Visit• 2. The Visit• 3. Reflecting Alone: Coach reviews notes

and list some possibilities & Teacher reviews intent of lesson plan

• 4. Reflecting Together: The Talk after the Visit

• 5. Debriefing: Process Review 14 Q & A

Checklist for 1. Request for a Visit

• __ What do you want me to observe?

• __ specific concern defined

• __ coach narrows concern to observable

• __confidentiality established

• __no judgment or evaluation

• __ type of lesson, objective of lesson

Request for a Visit checklist

• __data gathering device: both decide

• __ seating chart

• __location of observer

• __time, place

• __time for the Reflecting Together:

Talk after the Visit

The Visit - Checklist

• __request for observation written at top of page

• __starting & ending time

• __method used to gather data

• __no judgment or evaluation

Reflecting Alone: the Coach reviews notes & lists possibilities• __ reviews data, deletes any comments• __decides how to present data gathered• __ lists 3 prompts on Coaching Form #1 to get

peer to start talking• __ prompts to get peer to analyze data• __lists 3 possibilities for improvement (real

coaching) if peer is ready (Coaching From #2)

Coaching Form #1

• This is what my peer asked me to observe:

• __________________________________.

• Probing questions to get peer to analyze data:

• 1. ______________________________

• 2. ______________________________

• 3. ______________________________

Coaching Form #2

• Suggestions for improvement if my peer is ready for real coaching:

• 1. _________________________________

• 2. _________________________________

• 3. _________________________________

Reflecting Together on Practice: The Talk after the Visit

• __ seating arrangement

• __opening statement: repeat Request

• __ coach walks through the specific written data collected during the observation

• __coach asked prepared probing questions

• __ peer begins to analyze data

Talk after the Visit * - Reflecting Together on Practice

• __ no praise or blame

• __coach continues probing questions until peer asks for suggestions for improvement

• __coach verbalizes suggestions in non-judgmental fashion

• __coach and peer decide upon next steps

Debriefing: Process Review 14 Q & A

• 1. Did the process work? Why?

• 2. Who talked the most? Why?

• 3. Were there any judgments or evaluations made? By whom?

• 4. Did the process include praise or blame?

Debriefing…….

• 5. Was the relevant data written down by the coach?

• 6. Was the written data related to the Request?

• 7. Did the coach’s probing questions lead the peer to analyze his own lesson?

Debriefing……

• 8. Would another data-gathering measure have been more effective?

• 9. Will this session lead to improvement of instruction?

Debriefing….

• Who benefits most from coaching?

• Will the peers exchange places and coach again?

Gradual Steps: Phase in Peer Coaching?

• Peer Watching

• Peer Feedback

• Peer Coaching

Start with Peer Watching

• 1. Make 4 visits to another classroom

• 2. Record visits on calendar

• 3. No feedback

• 4. Video tape self 4 times…….and watch the tape! Great for novices and veterans!

Peer Feedback

• 1. All involved go over rules and understandings for Peer Coaching

• 2. Observe and record data 4 times.

• 3. Share data and facts.

• 4. No coaching: just the facts: ma’m!

True Peer Coaching

• Review rules of Peer Coaching

• Establish trust and confidentiality

• Do 4 exchanges with feedback of recorded data AND suggestions for improvement….which is true coaching.

Advanced Coaching

• Costa & Garmston, Cognitive Coaching

• Content Coaching

• Real - Time Peer Coaching