This document provides an introduction to peer coaching. It defines peer coaching as a process where teachers work together to share expertise, provide feedback and support to help each other improve. The document outlines the benefits of peer coaching such as providing professional development support embedded in the classroom. It also describes the roles and structure of a peer coaching program including modules to train coaches, examples of the coaching cycle, requirements for accreditation and feedback from teachers who participated in a pilot program and found peer coaching improved their lessons and use of technology.

1. Lena Arena
Project Coordinator, DER NSW Sydney Region
An Introduction to Peer
Coaching

2. “The more powerful technology becomes,
the more indispensable good teachers are.”
- Michael Fullan
A quote…

3. Peer coaching is a process by which teachers
work with one another to share expertise and
provide feedback, support and assistance.
The peer coach does not advise or tell. He or
she asks questions and supports the coachee
to find their own answers.
Peer coaching is not mentoring.
What is Peer Coaching?

4. 1. provides job-embedded professional
feedback and support
2. promotes active learning by offering teachers
opportunities to become involved in
meaningful discussion and planning, observe
other teachers, be observed, and receive
feedback
3. offers teachers opportunities to link the ideas
learned in professional learning sessions to their
teaching context
4. is a collaborative partnership between peer
coach and coachee and not a mentor-
novice relationship.
Peer Coaching…

5. The Peer Coaching Structure

6. Peer Coaching Roles
•These are the three people who lead the
program. Dr Les Foltos is a program director.
PC Program
Directors
•These are the people who can train facilitators.
There are currently 3 in Australia.
PC Master
Trainers
•These are the people who can train coaches to
work with teachers. They can also coach.PC Facilitators
•Peer coaches work with teachers in schools.Peer coaches
•Participating teachers work with a peer coach.
Later they may choose to train as a coach.
Participating
teachers

7. Why Peer Coaching?
This table was adapted from research on the impact of professional development
(Joyce & Showers, 1994; Showers, Murphy & Joyce, 1996). The impacts have been
replicated by later research.
Relationship between Type of Training and Impact

8. Peer Coaching Example

9. Peer Coaching Cycle

10. • 3 full days face to face workshops. Terms 1 and 2
• Friday 10 May 2013
• Friday 31 May 2013
• Monday 24 June 2013
• In-between tasks, collaboration via VC
• In-school coaching practicum
• Peer Coach Accreditation on completion of all
modules and submission of evidence
• Total of 50 hours including in-school practicum
The Structure
Peer Coaching Pilot

11. Module 3
Pedagogy skills and knowledge
The modules
Module 1
Peer Coaching Theory
Module 2
Coaching skills and knowledge
Module 4
Practice the coaching
Module 5
Plan to put it into practice in your school.
1
2
3
4
5
6 Module 6
Back to school to do it!

12. 1. A coaching log signed
by a principal (or
delegate) and
participating teachers.
2. A brief coaching report
from one teacher you
are coaching.
3. A record of a lesson
improvement process
including notes re
observation and
feedback.
Accreditation
Evidence – in school practicum

13. 4. A coaching chronicle or
narrative description of
what you actually
achieved.
5. A peer coaching
implementation plan for
a full program in 2013
Accreditation
Evidence – in school practicum

14. 1. Attend all 3 training
days
2. Coach at least 2 staff
members
3. Complete and submit all
activities required as
evidence
Your commitment
To become an accredited Microsoft Peer Coach

15. • Wiki and edmodo group will be created to
support schools
• Contact Lena for assistance at any time
Support

16. • Canterbury Boys High School
• Cronulla High School
• Georges River College - Penshurst Girls
Campus
• Randwick Girls' High School
Peer Coaching Pilot Schools 2012

17. 1. “Due to peer coaching and the skills I have
developed with Smart Notebook and the IWB, my
lessons have come alive, my students enjoy the lesson,
students come up to the board, much more
interaction, it is more student centred and there is a
lot more time spent on discussion.” Teacher 1
2. “The students who were ordinarily more difficult to
engage enjoyed BlogEd quite a lot. Other benefits to
emerge from the Peer Coaching program are an
increase in personal motivation and the increase in
my level of confidence, both allowing me to take the
next step of integrating BlogEd into my teaching
practice. …I highly recommend the peer-coaching
program to any future participants as I have greatly
benefited from this experience.” Teacher 2
Teacher Feedback

18. “I wanted to incorporate more technology into
my teaching and get the students to use the
laptops more. The thought of spending one on
one time with a more senior teacher was a bit
confronting but it was also an opportunity. I found
Cathie to be more approachable than I had
predicted. The sessions that we had together
were quite fun. I tested the student’s reaction to
the Smart Notebooks that I created and had a
positive feedback from the students. I also had
the opportunity to include some of the resources I
created into my accreditation portfolio.”
Teacher 3
Teacher Feedback

19. Lena Arena
ICT Consultant K-12
Sydney Region
Phone: 9582 2851
Carmelina.arena@det.nsw.edu.au
Questions?