Peer Coach Peer Coach Program and New Program and New

Teacher/Staff Teacher/Staff SupportSupport

Grand Island Central School Grand Island Central School DistrictDistrict

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PurposePurpose

• The purpose of this session is collect The purpose of this session is collect information about your past information about your past experiences or needs regarding peer experiences or needs regarding peer coaching. This data will inform the coaching. This data will inform the design of the program.design of the program.

• To provide information about our To provide information about our GISCD Peer Coach program and new GISCD Peer Coach program and new teacher/staff support available.teacher/staff support available.

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Focus Questions: Focus Questions: Mentoring/Peer Coach Mentoring/Peer Coach

ProgramProgramPlease find your 9:00 appt. and discuss Please find your 9:00 appt. and discuss these questions. Please type the these questions. Please type the answers in a word document labeled answers in a word document labeled Peer Coach.Peer Coach.

• Have you been formally mentored?Have you been formally mentored?

• What would the perfect mentorship What would the perfect mentorship look like? What did you like best or look like? What did you like best or least from your mentoring least from your mentoring experience?experience?

• What do you know about the GICSD What do you know about the GICSD mentor/peer coach program? What mentor/peer coach program? What do you want to know?do you want to know?

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AgendaAgenda

• Access Prior knowledge:Access Prior knowledge: Focus Focus QuestionsQuestions

• Input of new information:Input of new information: History and requirements of History and requirements of programprogram

• Process new Process new information/Summarize:information/Summarize: Questions, on my mind post-its, Questions, on my mind post-its, ABC summarizing strategyABC summarizing strategy

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Mentoring/Peer Coaching Mentoring/Peer Coaching in the GICSD:in the GICSD:

• A formal mentor program was A formal mentor program was implemented in 1998-1999.implemented in 1998-1999.

• NYS mandated mentoring in all NYS mandated mentoring in all districts in 2004.districts in 2004.

• GICSD shifted from mentoring to the GICSD shifted from mentoring to the Peer Coach program in 2003-2004.Peer Coach program in 2003-2004.

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Mentoring/Peer Coaching Mentoring/Peer Coaching in the GICSD:in the GICSD:

• The Peer Coach program was The Peer Coach program was developed through collective developed through collective bargaining. bargaining.

• The program continues to grow, The program continues to grow, evolve and change every year.evolve and change every year.

• Description can be found in your Description can be found in your contract Section 5.3A.contract Section 5.3A.

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Mentoring vs. Peer Mentoring vs. Peer CoachCoach

• What do you What do you think is the think is the difference difference between a between a mentor and mentor and peer coach?peer coach?

• http://http://www.fox.com/www.fox.com/dance/videos/?dance/videos/?bctag=dance-s7-bctag=dance-s7-extrasextras

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Peer Coaches vs. Peer Coaches vs. Mentors:Mentors:

• Peer Coaches teach a full class load Peer Coaches teach a full class load and receive a stipend (Mentors and receive a stipend (Mentors mentored full-time).mentored full-time).

• Peer Coaches have no evaluative Peer Coaches have no evaluative responsibilities (Mentors had a very responsibilities (Mentors had a very minor one).minor one).

• Peer Coaches are subject or grade Peer Coaches are subject or grade level specific (Mentors were not).level specific (Mentors were not).

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Program Goal:Program Goal:

• To enhance teacher effectiveness To enhance teacher effectiveness and retain highly qualified and retain highly qualified teachers by providing an induction teachers by providing an induction program for new teachers/staff.program for new teachers/staff.

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Goals of the Program:Goals of the Program:

• To help new teachers/staff over the To help new teachers/staff over the inevitable “rough spots” within the inevitable “rough spots” within the first year of teaching.first year of teaching.

• To accelerate the learning curve for To accelerate the learning curve for first year teachers/staff.first year teachers/staff.

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Research:Research:

• Teacher induction has consistently Teacher induction has consistently shown to be effective in stemming shown to be effective in stemming teacher attrition (NYSED, 1991; teacher attrition (NYSED, 1991; Bullard, 1998). Further, teacher Bullard, 1998). Further, teacher mentoring appears to significantly mentoring appears to significantly impact a beginning teacher's impact a beginning teacher's movement along the continuum of movement along the continuum of skill development and self-skill development and self-confidence as a teacher (NYSED, confidence as a teacher (NYSED, 1989).1989).

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The Guiding Beliefs:The Guiding Beliefs:• There may be Master Teachers, but There may be Master Teachers, but

nobody ever really masters teaching.nobody ever really masters teaching.

• The best teachers are reflective people, The best teachers are reflective people, always trying to improve their practice.always trying to improve their practice.

• If learning didn’t occur, then teaching If learning didn’t occur, then teaching didn’t occur; the teacher merely didn’t occur; the teacher merely presented the content in such a way presented the content in such a way that it was inaccessible to the students.that it was inaccessible to the students.

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The Guiding Document:The Guiding Document:

Enhancing Professional Enhancing Professional Practice: Practice:

A Framework for TeachingA Framework for Teaching

(2(2ndnd Edition ASCD, 2007) Edition ASCD, 2007)

by Charlotte Danielsonby Charlotte Danielson

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Who Participates?Who Participates?• A A New TeacherNew Teacher is a teacher who has no prior is a teacher who has no prior

teaching experience or has an Initial teaching teaching experience or has an Initial teaching certificate.certificate.

• A teacher holding an Initial certificate must A teacher holding an Initial certificate must be mentored for one year before obtaining a be mentored for one year before obtaining a Professional certificate.Professional certificate.

• The decision to assign a peer coach (or not) The decision to assign a peer coach (or not) occurs when the new teacher ‘talks turkey’ occurs when the new teacher ‘talks turkey’ with the superintendent.with the superintendent.

• A A Peer CoachPeer Coach is a tenured teacher with at is a tenured teacher with at least three years of experience teaching in the least three years of experience teaching in the subject area that they will be peer coaching.subject area that they will be peer coaching.

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Requirements of Requirements of Program:Program:

• New teachers & peer New teachers & peer coaches meet at least coaches meet at least 4 hours per month.4 hours per month.

• Each new teacher Each new teacher and each peer coach and each peer coach receives eight (8) ½ -receives eight (8) ½ -days of release time.days of release time.

• The peer coach must The peer coach must keep a log of all keep a log of all activities and time activities and time spent with the new spent with the new teacher.teacher.

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Sample LogSample Log

DateDate Type of ActivityType of Activity If release If release time was time was requiredrequired

Number of Number of clock hoursclock hours

BeforeBefore DurinDuringg

AfterAfter

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Requirements of Requirements of Program: Program:

• New teachers/staff must maintain New teachers/staff must maintain an electronic portfolio.an electronic portfolio.

• New teachers/staff perform a self-New teachers/staff perform a self-assessment twice during the year.assessment twice during the year.

• Peer Coaches receive up to 20 Peer Coaches receive up to 20 hours of training and meet hours of training and meet regularly with the Peer Coach regularly with the Peer Coach Coordinator.Coordinator.

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Requirements of Requirements of Program:Program:

• A peer coach can A peer coach can work with 1 or 2 work with 1 or 2 new teachers.new teachers.

• Eight one-hour Eight one-hour “Support Group” “Support Group” workshops are workshops are held after school; held after school; all new all new teachers/staff are teachers/staff are welcome.welcome.

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NYS Mentor Teacher NYS Mentor Teacher Internship GrantInternship Grant

• The Peer Coach and Mentee will The Peer Coach and Mentee will participate in 10 full-day sessions.participate in 10 full-day sessions.

• New teachers/staff with their peer New teachers/staff with their peer coach will be required to attend 2-coach will be required to attend 2-3 days of regional conferences.3 days of regional conferences.

• Stay Tuned!Stay Tuned!

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New Teacher/Staff New Teacher/Staff SupportSupport

• 8 after-school workshops offered 8 after-school workshops offered throughout the yearthroughout the year

• New teachers/staff WikispaceNew teachers/staff Wikispace• New teachers/staff without a peer New teachers/staff without a peer

coach can call on the Peer Coach coach can call on the Peer Coach Coordinator for assistance at any Coordinator for assistance at any time.time.

ConclusionConclusionDiscuss these questions with your 4:00 appt.

What is the purpose of the Peer Coach Program?

What are some potential pitfalls of this program?

What do you feel are the benefits?

Questions…

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Summarizing StrategySummarizing Strategy

• ABC … ABC … – Share a word or phrase that Share a word or phrase that

begins with your selected begins with your selected letter to summarize the day.letter to summarize the day.

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ResourcesResources

• http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/faqmentoring.htmfaqmentoring.htm

• GICSD and the GITA Contract GICSD and the GITA Contract

ImagesImages• www.clipart.com, www.clipart.com, Item: #31211836, Item: #31211836,

Item: #31212535Item: #31212535