Teacher-librarian--Peer Coaching Program

Enhanced Peer Coaching


Teacher-librarian Peer Coaching Program 2012-2013

Summary

The Teacher-librarian Peer Coaching Program is designed to help schools implement a professional development model that can enhance standards-based instruction by assisting teachers to offer students engaging, technology rich, learning activities. This will also involve the incorporation of the Big 6 research process and teaching inquiry with primary sources.

The program trains Teacher-librarian leaders to serve as peer coaches for colleagues. As coaches, these educators assist their peers in identifying ways that technology can strengthen classroom curriculum and enhance their students’ academic achievement. They also help their colleagues to develop the necessary technology skills and instructional strategies needed to integrate technology into teaching and learning.

What is Peer Coaching?

Peer coaches are educators who are recognized by their staff as strong instructional leaders. Many of them have had some success in integrating technology into their classroom curriculum. All coaches need to be willing to help other teachers in reaching this same goal. Coaches assist collaborating teachers to blend strong instructional practices and technology into classroom activities by discussing and sharing teaching practices, and supporting efforts to enrich student learning through the use of technology and engaged learning.

What roles do coaches assume?

Coaches assist teachers to develop the skills and strategies needed for classroom use of technology by

  • Planning technology rich activities or projects with individual teachers
  • Assessing and improving lesson design
  • Identifying resources or strategies necessary for successful learning activities
  • Modeling lessons that integrate technology and engaging learning strategies
  • Team teaching a lesson
  • Providing encouragement and support

Program Activities

Participants' first activities in this program are to link their coaching program to their schools’ educational improvement plans, to define who they work with and how that work will help reach their schools’ goals. They work to define their roles and responsibilities as a coach for themselves, and learn how to communicate this with their school staff.

The Teacher-librarian Peer Coaching program is comprised of eight days of training which will be conducted over the course of a twelve-month period. The duration of the training is designed to address the needs of coaches getting started. Participants in the first year training have the opportunity to apply coaching skills in their schools beginning after session five. Sessions six through eight are designed to build coaching skills and give participants a chance to work with other coaches to share what is working, and to discuss ways to address coaching issues they face in their schools.

$ Cost

The cost of the Teacher-librarian Peer Coaching program is $799 per participant for the entire year.

Please note that potential peer coaches must register for the Teacher-Librarian Peer Coaching Program through their local ESDs.

Teacher-librarian Peer Coaching Training Calendar for 2012-2013

Staff Development
Date(s)

Number
of Days

ESD 105
ESD 121
ESD 171
ESD 189
Session 1 Spring/Summer 2012
1
June 25 May 30 May 24 May 30
Session 2-4 Summer 2012
3
July 30 - Aug 1 August 22-24 August 7-9 August 22-24
Session 5 Online (TBD)
1
       
Session 6 Fall 2012 (TBD)
1
October     November
Session 7 (Summit) Winter 2013 (TBD)
1
February     March
Session 8 Spring 2013 (TBD)
1
May     May

Registration by ESD (All ESDs' registration links will be posted here as they become available)

ESD 105
PSESD
NCESD
NWESD

The training will be delivered at each Washington Educational Technology Support Center (ESDs) if enrollments allow.

For more information...

The nine Educational Technology Support Centers in Washington State are the conduit for professional development of the coaches. If you are interested in these programs, please contact your Ed Tech Director at your regional ESD.


Enhanced Peer Coaching

Peer coaching is professional development in which two or more educators work together--one coaching the other--to improve individual instructional practice. As colleagues in the same school, they share classroom experiences, observe and team teach in each other’s classrooms.

Enhanced Peer Coaching (EPC) works best for educators who have some experience with tech integration and learner-centered instructional practice and who are ready to coach a colleague in these 21st century techniques--Tier 2 or 3 educators.

We promote the Enhanced Peer Coaching program as a proven way to teach educators how to integrate technology-rich learning activities into standards-based instruction. The program is designed for teachers and teacher-librarians in Washington state who:

  • Have little or no training or experience with peer coaching.
  • Have regular access to a classroom.

Each peer coach we train will coach at least one teacher during the program’s training cycle. The peer coach provides one-to-one classroom-based support as the collaborating teacher learns to apply and refine new ways to deepen and strengthen the learning experience for each student.

Our peer coaches join a supportive, evolving community of learners and practitioners. They begin a long-term dialogue that covers shared experience, reflection, new understanding and the integration of tools that promote a new kind of learning environment. It’s a powerful way to try, refine and implement--as social learners.

Is Enhanced Peer Coaching for Me?

An ideal EPC participant is:

  • New to peer coaching or wants to expand his or her peer coaching skills.
  • Familiar with the basic principles of peer coaching, learner-centered instruction, and technology integration.

What Program Activities Can I Expect?

  • Instruction--comprehensive training sessions that introduce student-centered instructional practices.
  • Technology integration--how to enrich standardsbased lessons with specific educational technologies.
  • Coaching--how to coach a participating teacher. You must work with at least one other teacher during the school year. Together you’ll work closely to improve instructional practice, and integrate technology to strengthen classroom curriculum and improve academic achievement.

For more information on peer coaching, visit the OSPI site at http://www.k12.wa.us/EdTech/Grants/Competitive/PeerCoaching/etscpeercoaching.aspx

A Featured Teacher

Kindergarteners Engage with Digital Learning

Kindergarteners Engage with Digital Learning

A couple of years ago whenever anyone asked me how I used technology in the classroom I would sheepishly answer that the kids played educational games on 2 stand alone computers. Well that was then and this is now! Two years later, technology tools like a document camera, projector, and interactive whiteboard are fully integrated into my classroom.

Kelley Smith
Longview School District

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