1

TE 807 Final Paper

Jen Glazier
August 2, 2014
TE 807

2
TE 807 Final Paper

Reflection on Peer Coaching Cycle

Reflecting on ones teaching practices is one of the greatest things a teacher can do in
order to continue growing and developing in the role as teacher. Teachers have a unique job in
that they can communicate with each other about ideas and strategies. This can be done through
peer-coaching. In peer-coaching teachers are partnered together and asked to observe something
specific about the other teachers practice. This teacher-driven observation (Grimm et al. 2014,
p. 25) allows teachers to communicate about inquiries, gather information and data, and come
together to analyze the data and talk about ways to improve practice, and this approach has
demonstrated potential to meaningfully improve instruction and student achievement (Grimm et
al. 2014, p.25). Through this course I have been able to participate in this type of teacher
observation with a peer.
When first thinking about this type of observation it tended to feel overwhelming and
slightly uncomfortable. The idea of another teacher looking and judging my lesson was a bit
nerve-racking. However, once I started learning more about the process, and how the observation
of my lesson was going to be based on something I wanted to improve upon, those feelings of
being judged turned into realizing what a great opportunity this was to talk with a fellow teacher.
The greatest benefit I encountered in this experience was the ability to think critically about a
successful lesson that I had already done by questioning student learning. By being able to
identify the focus question, and set up what I wanted to reflect on, it led for a more serious indepth analysis of my own. Partnering with a teacher who teaches a completely different grade
level led to some successes and some struggles for this assignment. It was a very neat and unique
experience to be able to talk with someone who teaches middle school, and have them observe
and analyze my preschool lesson plan. One of the most interesting things I encountered was the

3
TE 807 Final Paper

idea that even though we have different backgrounds, we both still experience similar issues
when it comes to teaching lessons. While it was interesting to look at such a different lesson with
a fresh mind, it also meant that we needed to further explain and clarify certain aspects of each
grade level. This step might have been eliminated if we both taught the same age.
While we had different backgrounds, we were still able to read and help each other
analyze our focus questions. One of my focus questions was, How can I better assess student
learning at the end of the lesson to see if children understand the learning goal? After
participating in the peer-coaching there are some changes that I would make to the assessment
portion of my artifact. The nature of preschool students is that they are all at different
developmental levels, making it hard to have just one end assessment question. After the
discussion about my lesson plan, and talking through the students development, I would add a
different goal for each of the different developmental levels I had identified in the lesson (low,
middle, high). I believe this directly answers the focus question and would allow for me to do a
better job progress monitoring my students. By creating a quick question about the goal for each
developmental level, I would be able to quickly see what student is continuing to develop skills
and which students need to push their thinking. This would allow for me to differentiate not only
within the lesson, but through assessment as well.
When participating as the observer in the peer-coaching observation, I felt that I followed
the protocol, and used it to guide my thinking and conversation. I felt successful when analyzing
my peers focus question, how to better organize groups, and that pushed me to question what
the goals of her grouping were. During the debrief portion I felt that I had studied the artifact and
tried to bring in my own experiences to better help my thinking for talking about different
strategies. While I felt focused on my peers focus questions, I felt that I was still thinking about

4
TE 807 Final Paper

my artifact and how my peer was going to observe my work. In the future, those nervous
feelings will be less, and I will be able to devote all of my energy towards my partner and trying
to help them come to a conclusion. I would like to try peer-coaching with my teaching partner
this upcoming school year.
Final Stance on Quality Teaching

Teaching is spectacularly unlimited (Ayers 1993, p.5). There is no stopping point to

being a quality teacher. Quality teaching is not something that is worked toward and then
forgotten. In order for quality teaching to take place, a teacher becomes the student and is also
constantly learning. In the classroom there are a lot of factors that must be in place in order for
quality teaching to happen, willingness and effort by the learner, a social surround supportive of
teaching and learning, opportunity to teach and learn, and good teaching,
(Fenstermacher&Richardson 2005, p.190). By positively motivating students, celebrating
diversity, and creating a caring classroom community, quality teaching can occur in the
classroom (Doyle and Doyle 2003). A quality teacher often reflects on classroom lessons,
student learning, and best practices to create the best learning environment for students.
Fenstermacher and Richardson (2005) argued that quality teaching it appears is about more than
whether something is taught. It is about how it is taught (p.189). In the classroom, quality
teaching is more than just delivering concepts and material, it is how the teacher makes that
information relevant and relatable for students to best understand the learning outcomes. A
quality teacher constantly reflects on their own practice, celebrates individuality and diversity,
and works to build strong relationships with students and families.
One of the most important things a quality teacher can do is to self or peer reflect on
current teaching practices. One of the ways I have had success doing this is though peer-

5
TE 807 Final Paper

coaching. Peer-coaching allows teachers to work with a peer to focus on improving one specific
aspect of teaching. Peer coaching allows teachers the increased ability to analyze their own
lessons, enhance student progress, improve student achievement while also sharing in
successful practice through collaboration (Becker 2014, paragraph 5). When teachers embark in
this type of observation it is tailored to fit the exact needs of the teacher and classroom being
observed, teachers engage peers in gathering and analyzing classroom data-data that speak to
the unique context of their own classroom (Grimm et al. 2014, p. 25). Peer-coaching is a type of
way that teachers can reflect on their current practices and make sure student learning outcomes
are being met. Through the course of my teaching, my experience with peer-coaching has been
positive. Being able to take a specific lesson, and pull out an explicit focus question, allowed for
deeper questioning and thinking about what was going on in my classroom. The lesson that I
reflected on in my peer-coaching cycle was a preschool math lesson involving counting. The
way the previous lesson used assessment was just with teacher observation at the end of the
small group. After creating a focus question regarding measuring student achievement, my
partner and I were able to reflect and analyze the lesson. The end result was creating three
different assessments to correspond with early, middle, and later development. This allowed for
my lesson to differentiate within the assessment. A quality teacher looks how to differentiate
material across students, and makes learning meaningful by using a variety of assessment and
projects. Differentiation happens when a teacher looks at where students are in their learning,
and creates unique and individualized learning opportunities for that student. Communicating
with a peer teacher allowed for not only collaboration, but also the exchange of new strategies to
approach lessons and assessments. Communicating with other professionals is a high leverage
practice identified by TeachingWorks (2014), and carried out skillfully, these practices

6
TE 807 Final Paper

increase the likelihood that teaching will be effective for students learning (Teaching Works
2014). Reflecting and collaborating with peers is one example of how to become a quality
teacher.
Another important element in being a quality teacher is the idea of teaching a
multicultural curriculum by recognizing and celebrating the diversity present in the classroom
(Sleeter 2005). Teachers prepare students to be citizens of the world, which means subject
matter, as well as, breaking down stereotypes and providing opportunities for students to learn
about various cultures. At school, diversity can mean learning style, race, gender, sex, socioeconomic, ability and family style. Sleeter (2005) argued that because assumptions guide what
teachers do, it is worthwhile to spend time examining the basis on which one makes teaching
decisions (p.30). As a quality teacher, one must reflect upon their own ideas about diversity in
order to create an open and caring classroom. Creating a caring community where stereotypes
are broken down and students are celebrated for their individuality affects quality teaching, In a
caring school, everyone must hold a vision of equity (Doyle and Doyle 2003, p.259). By
creating curriculum and lessons that reflect the diverse makeup of the students in the classroom,
quality instruction can occur because it is individualized to the needs of the student. This also
allows for students to learn about each other in a safe environment. Sleeter (2005) also argued,
learning to work with multiple perspectives, multiple frames of reference, and multiple funds of
knowledge is at the heart of multicultural design (p.32). Quality teachers realize that each
youngster comes to us with a specific background, with unique ideas, desires, abilities,
intentions, and needs. Somehow, we must reach out to each student; we must meet each one
(Ayers 1993, p.7). Getting to know the diverse make-up of the classroom will allow teachers to
engage in strategic relationship-building conversations with students (TeachingWorks 2014).

7
TE 807 Final Paper

Building relationships with students allows for teachers to better understand how each student
learns, and how to better prepare lessons to make sure learning is taking place. In my classroom
this takes place through the use of multicultural books, posters, toys, etc. The diversity of my
classroom is also celebrated through the use of a family book which shows the unique family
makeup of each child.
Based on my experiences I believe quality teaching happens when a teacher forms a
relationship with students and families. While teachers are there to teach material, and students
are there to learn, there is a better chance of this happening when students feel they are respected
and can share their values and opinions. Students spend most of their day at school and McBee
(2007) mentioned the importance of having a caring adult in students lives who takes the time
to get to know them, show an interest in their circumstances, just listen to them and their
concerns, and communicate high expectations for them (p.34). One of the ways to initiate the
relationship between school and home is by the creation of a caring classroom. McBee (2007)
stated caring and being cared for is more central to our lives and our success and happiness than
is any piece of academic knowledge (p.34). By simply getting to know your students and their
interests, and letting them get to know you, teachers create a respected relationship. Also, by
getting to know the interests in the classroom, teachers can better prepare lessons that are
relatable and engaging to students. It is just as important to build a relationship with the students
family as it is the student. Caring and getting to know the students and families in your
classroom strengthens the bond between home and school, and shows the student that both
teacher and family are partners in their learning. A high leverage practice defined by
TeachingWorks (2014) is communicating about a student with a parent or guardian. This is
done in my classroom through parent-teacher conferences, home visits, newsletters, daily

8
TE 807 Final Paper

communication, and through parent volunteers. One of the most significant ways I connect with
students and families is through home visits. The initial home visit is done before school in order
to provide for a first meeting at a comfortable location for the student and family, thereby getting
to know the student and any concerns the parents or family might have. This is the starting point
for my relationship with families and students. It is important for teachers to encourage parents
and families to participate in their childs education and show their child that they are there to
support them. When teachers form relationships with students and their families it allows for
shared authority and decision making in a childs education (Doyle and Doyle 2003, p.260). It
is important for teachers to build relationships with students and families to strengthen the homeschool connection and to get to know the students to better plan lessons and assessments.
There are many different aspects that go into quality teaching. With my teaching
experience and learning experience, I feel quality teaching is best achieved through teacher
reflection, recognizing and appreciating diversity in the classroom, and building a relationship
with students and their families. I agree with the statement that Ayers (1993) made that teachers
are a large presence in the lives of students; we take up a lot of space and we have a powerful
impact. This is why I chose teaching: to share my life with young people, to shape and touch the
future (p.5). Through quality teaching, teachers can make a great impact on students and their
future.

9
TE 807 Final Paper

References
Ayers, W. (1993). Beginning: The Challenge of Teaching . To teach: the journey of a teacher (111). New York: Teachers College Press.

Becker, J. (2014) Peer Coaching for Improvement of Teaching and Learning. Teachers Network.

Doyle, L. H., & Doyle, P. M. (2003). Building schools as caring communities: Why, what, and
how? The Clearing House, 76 (5), 259-261.

Fenstermacher, G. D., & Richardson, V. (2005). On making determinations of quality in

teaching. Teachers College Record, 107 (1), 186-213.

Grimm, E., Kaufman, T., & Doty, D. (2014) Rethinking Classroom Observation. Educational
Leadership, 24-29.

High Leverage Practices. (2014). TeachingWorks. Retrieved July

31, 2014, from http://www.teachingworks.org/work-of-teaching/high-leverage-practices

Mcbee, R. H. What it Means to Care: How Educators Conceptualize and Actualize Caring.
Action in Teacher Education, 29, 33-42.

Sleeter, C. E. (2005). Teachers' Beliefs About Knowledge . Un-standardizing curriculum:

multicultural teaching in the standards-based classroom (28-40). New York: Teacher
College Press.