Download - INITATIVE OVERVIEW

With regard to the concept of using Peer Coaching as a way to increase teacher effec7veness and thus influence student achievement, very li=le research has been done. However, the studies that have been conducted do show that Peer Coaching can be an important part of boos7ng teacher effec7veness. In their report Research on Coaching, Corne= and Knight stated that there are two reports which indicate there is a solid link between teacher quality and student achievement. When analyzing the Na7onal Assessment of Educa7onal Progress (NAEP) data, Weglinsky demonstrated clear evidence regarding the importance of professional development for teachers: Students In math classes taught by teachers who had received specialized professional development in working with different student popula7ons outperformed their peers by 107% (2000). While examining the data collected by Truesdale, Corne= and Knight were able to demonstrate a link between effec7ve teaching and student achievement in a 2003 study involving 10 teacher volunteers from two different groups. Weeks later the teacher group that was given only staff development did not retain much, if any, from the staff development presenta7on. The teacher group that received peer coaching in addi7on to the staff development demonstrated an increase in skills transfer aUer receiving both the staff development and peer coaching (p198). Addi7onally, Weglinsky’s 2000 study indicated that teacher quality is one of the most important variables that impact student achievement. According to Grant Wiggins, “Adjus7ng our performance depends on not only receiving feedback but also having opportuni7es to use it” (2012). Robert Marzano stated, “schools must provide opportunity for focused feedback and prac7ce” (Hei7n 2011). Marzano further stated that teachers “can observe and discuss good teaching though coaching . . .”(Hei7n 2011). Peer coaching is a large part of the School Innova7on Through Teacher Interac7on model, developed by Pierce and Hunsaker (1994). Each teacher selects a goal and develops an ac7on plan to help reach that goal. Then data collected from peer coaching sessions is used as a forma7ve evalua7on to help the teacher reach said goal. Pierce and Hunsaker stated there are many benefits derived from peer coaching including: Increased levels of collegiality, enhanced teacher understanding of concepts, and strengthening ownership of changes in teaching ability (1994).

References Corne=, J. & Knight, J. (2008) Research on Coaching. Retrieved from h=p://www.instruc7onalcoach.org/images/downloads/research-‐pubs/Corne=_Knight_2008.pdf Hei7n, L. (2011) Marzano on Developing Teachers. Educa1on Week Retrived from h=p://www.edweek.org/tsb/ar7cles/2011/10/13/01marzano.h05.htm Hunsaker, T. W. , & Pierce, D. (1996) Professional Development for the Teacher, of the Teacher, and bys the Teacher. Educa1on, 117.1. Retrieved from h=p://www.projec7nnova7on.biz/educa7on_2006.html www.educa7on.ne.gov Wiggins, G. (2012) Seven Keys to Effec7ve Feedback. Educa1onal Leadership, 70 (1), 10-‐16.

INITATIVE OVERVIEW

•  Data-‐ Teacher evalua7on data, Failure data, and NESA score data

•  Staff Evalua7on model that aligns with the new Performance Framework for Nebraska Teachers

•  4 Veteran/model teachers who volunteer to play the roles of the peer coaches

•  A minimum of 4 copies of Casual Evalua7on Model, Robert Marzano (2005)-‐ one for each Peer coach at a minimum

•  Staff Development funds to pay for training of 4 Peer coaches during year 1

•  Principal’s 7me to meet with teachers involved to determine goal that the teacher will be coached on

•  Staff Development 7me for teachers to learn and collaborate about peer coaching-‐ Year 1

•  Release 7me for the Peer coaches each semester-‐ maximum of 5 hours each semester-‐ to observe and collaborate with the teachers with whom they are coaching

•  Ongoing staff development 7me for Peer coaches to meet with one another for support over the course of all 3 years

.

•  Principal gathers data regarding student achievement and teacher evalua7on

•  Upon review, principal will meet with the staff development leader to determine necessary interven7ons

•  Principal and staff development leader will familiarize themselves with Marzano’s Casual Evalua1on Model

•  Principal and staff development leader will present to faculty the concept of peer coaching and the benefits gained from par7cipa7ng in the program

•  At that 7me, the posi7on descrip7on for peer coach will be posted seeking 4 qualified veteran teachers from the staff

•  Staff applying need to have a minimum of 8 years of experience

•  Principal and staff development leader will interview applicants and select the most qualified teachers to be trained as peer coaches

•  AUer selec7on, the principal and staff development leader will begin the training of the selected peer coaches

•  Training will take place possibly aUer school, selected Saturdays, or during summer break.

•  During the pre-‐opening workshop, the principal and staff development leader will announce the peer coaches and review the program, allowing teachers to ask ques7ons and assuage any fears.

•  Principal will observe/evaluate all teachers that are new to the building and have less than three years of experience first, before conduc7ng any observa7ons of other staff

•  From that observa7on, the principal, teacher, and peer coach will meet to discuss an area that the teacher evaluatee would like support with. At that point, the teacher will set a specific, measurable goal.

•  The teacher from above and the assigned peer coach will then work together through a small series of mee7ngs, walk through observa7ons, and more in-‐depth observa7on. Target-‐specific feedback for the teacher will be given in a 7mely manner so as to help them work to reach their goal.

•  During the second half of the year, aUer the proba7onary teachers have had opportuni7es to work with a peer coach and receive feedback, the program will be made available to any teacher interested in par7cipa7ng. Any interested teacher will fill out an online Google doc with all available areas for peer coaching. The staff development leader will review the Google docs and assign the appropriate peer coach for each interested teacher. They will follow the same procedure as outlined for proba7onary teachers, however there will possibly be fewer mee7ngs with a veteran teacher

•  At the end of the second school year, teachers will be asked to submit an evalua7on of the peer coaching program in order to ensure the program is working as intended.

•  During the 3rd year, expansion will con7nue

•  At the end of the 3rd year, data pertaining to teacher evalua7ons,

student failure rates, and NeSA scores will be gathered again and

reviewed. Classroom data gathered throughout the coaching

process will also be reviewed

Using peer coaching as a support to tradi7onal teacher evalua7on methods can help to increase teacher effec7veness and increase student achievement. Standard teacher evalua7on methods used in most schools today may not always provide essen7al feedback in a 7mely manner to encourage and support teacher effec7veness. In order to increase both quan7ty and quality of evalua7ve feedback, peer coaching can be used to supplement evalua7ons done by the administra7ve team.

YEAR 1 Ac(on Person(s) Responsible August-‐September Gather data from teacher evalua7ons, failure

rates, NESA Scores Principal

October Analyze data and determine need for peer coaching

Principal and Staff Development Leader

November Present data to Department Heads, discuss the impact of peer coaching with this group


January Align peer coaching guidelines with the NDE Performance Framework. Present informa7on to faculty regarding the beginning of a peer coaching program to 7e into both evalua7ons and Marzano Instruc7onal Rounds.


Post posi7on informa7on for Peer Coaches. Seeking 4 veteran teachers from the teaching staff.

February Review applicants , interview, select up to 4 Peer Coaches to a=end training

Principal

March Begin training of Peer Coaches Principal and Staff Development Leader Summer Finalize training Peer Coaches Principal and Staff Development Leader

YEAR 2 Ac(on Person(s) Responsible August Introduce Peer Coaches and their role at pre-‐

service mee7ng Introduce Peer Coaches and their role at pre-‐service mee7ng

August-‐September 1st formal evalua7on of all new staff-‐iden7fy goal to work on with peer coach

Principal

October-‐December Two informal observa7ons with each new staff member during this 7me-‐ coach will provide specific feedback/data on progress towards goal

Peer Coaches

January-‐March 2nd formal evalua7on of 1st year faculty Principal April-‐May Two informal observa7ons with each new staff

member Peer Coaches

Select 2nd and 3rd year teachers sign up for support from Peer Coaches via Google Docs.

YEAR 3 Ac(on Person(s) Responsible August Present informa7on to faculty regarding the use

of Peer Coaching in selected areas of Teacher Evalua7on Frameworks

Principal, Staff Development Leader, Peer Coaches

August-‐September 1st formal evalua7on of all new staff Principal,

October-‐December All teachers set up one mee7ng with Peer Coach regarding an area of interest.

Teachers, Peer coaches

January-‐March 2nd formal evalua7on of 1st year faculty Principal,

March-‐May All teachers set up one mee7ng with Peer Coach regarding an area of interest. Faculty use online Google Doc to sign up with the Peer Coach that serves their interest.

Peer Coach, All teachers

May-‐June Gather data on teacher evalua7ons, failure rates, NESA scores-‐Principal Review the data to determine if teacher evalua7ons are be=er, failure rates are down, NESA scores are up. Also review classroom data gathered along the way.

Principal , Staff Development Leader and Peer Coaches