Logistics and Focus

Some comments so far have addressed the importance of trust amongst colleagues in order to make this process work and getting over the feeling of being “evaluated” just because some other adult is in your room observing.  Very legitimate and common concerns, according to the book.  Chapter 4 addresses logistics and making the process happen, which we have discussed some.  Chapter 5 addresses deciding on a focus.  A good idea that is mentioned is to start with something with which the person doing the inviting is pretty confident.  Also important to note is that the person will be more committed to a goal he or she has formulated rather than one formulated by someone else.  The coach should simply just ask “What do you want to know?” or “What am I looking for?”  It must be very clear for both parties to get an accurate record that will help the inviting teacher.   We are planning on meeting to discuss the logistic ideas such as how we will pre-conference, observe and post conference and develop some common understanding on these during in-service week.  What ideas do you have already on this?  What I mean by this is what are some good general guidelines for coaches and inviters as far as these things are concerned?  Also, what ideas do you have or ways do you like for focusing an observation?

Rationale and Questions

The rationale for peer coaching consists of seven reasons, or needs.  They are:

 

Ø  Reduce isolation among teachers

Ø  Build collaborative norms to enable teachers to give and receive ideas and assistance

Ø  Create a forum for addressing instructional problems

Ø  Share successful practices

Ø  Transfer training from the workshop to the workplace

Ø Promote the teacher as researcher

Ø  Encourage reflective practice

Which of these particularly catches your attention as important?  What questions do you or do you think others have about peer coaching before embracing the concept?  Include possible answers or not. 

Goals

Chapter 1 defines peer coaching as “a confidential process through which two or more professional colleagues work together to reflect on current practices; expand, refine, and build new skills; share ideas; teach one another; conduct classroom research; or solve problems in the workplace.”  Let’s go with the suggestion at the beginning of Chapter 1:  In the best of all possible worlds, what would you want peer coaching to look like, sound like and feel like at Meridianville Middle School?