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Peer Coaching: Developing a Culture of Professionalism



The successful model of peer coaching comes at a time when districts are faced with budget cuts. Districts are desperate to find affordable, sustainable and most importantly, effective opportunities to provide professional development that creates a culture of professionalism. According to research findings from the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), effective professional development is job-embedded, ongoing, driven by school performance data, highly collaborative and provides opportunities for feedback and reflection. (Fullan, North Central Regional Laboratory, Sparks & Loucks-Horsley, 2002)

Peer coaching develops a culture of professionalism by embedding the school-based professional development standards into daily practice which include: reflective dialogue, deprivitization of practice, collaboration, collective focus on student learning, shared norms and value, structured methodology and connected to other aspects of school change. According to Diane Matsche, Andrea Thiry and Travis Jirska, who are leading the charge of peer coaching in their Wisconsin school districts, "The coaching process itself ignites the kinds of conversations which perpetuate professionalism. The collaboration and contributions of expertise throughout the building builds the climate of trust necessary for the shared professionalism you are ...More  seeking."

The Peer Coaching Program trains teacher leaders to serve as peer coaches for colleagues. The coach collaborates with the teacher and together they go through the coaching cycle: Assess, Set Goals, Prepare, Implement, and Reflect. A coach uses active listening, paraphrasing, clarifying questions, and probing question to communicate with a teacher or group of teachers. These communication skills encourage teachers to reflect one their lessons and think how they can retool their lessons to include components from the Learning Activity Checklist. (Lisa Semrow, Director of Director of Curriculum and Instruction Broadhead School District).

To meet your 21st century professional development needs peer coaching is a researched proven, cost effective, and sustainable method of creating a cultural of professionalism.

Resources Cited: This list of characteristics comes from work of the National Staff Development Council (Sparks 2002), Michael Fullan (2001), North Central Regional Laboratory (Sparks & Loucks-Horsley, 1989), and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (2003, July).

Kruse, S., Louis, J. S., & Bryk, A.(1994, Spring). //Building Professional Communities in Schools. Issues in Restructuring Schools// (Issue Report 6). Madison, WI: Universit of Wisconsin, School of education