A Roadmap for Improving the Academic Performance of All Pittsburgh Public Schools Students

GUIDELINES FOR PEER COACHING IN THE PPS COACHING MODEL Revised 6-3-09 Although the PPS Coaching Model effective May 12, 2008 remains unchanged for the 2009-2010 school year, the district strongly recommends that all curriculum coaches engage in peer coaching in accordance with the definition below. However, in schools that are not financially able to offer the full complement of academic programs and interventions, coaches may teach a core curriculum class, no more than two periods per day. Peer coaching in the PPS Coaching Model expands the professional development capacity of the district by assisting teachers to develop their practices and become resources for other teachers in the school and district. Curriculum coaches are a professional development resource whose responsibility is to support teacher learning and growth and facilitate effective district instructional practices to improve student achievement.
DISTRICT DEFINITION OF PEER COACHING

The curriculum coachs work is to support individual teachers in the implementation of the pedagogical strategies integral to the Core Curricula in order to increase student achievement. This is accomplished by providing individual teachers with specialized support in a laboratory classroom for a designated period of time. A professional learning community is created when fellow teachers, through observation of the laboratory classroom, provide feedback on Core Curriculum implementation and pedagogical strategies. The development of a professional learning community is further strengthened through weekly, monthly and bi-monthly professional development sessions with teacher. Through observing classrooms, and participating in a variety of professional development experiences, it is expected that the learning community will strengthen over time and become self-sustaining. Peer coaching is a collaborative effort between the coach and teacher as they design instruction that advances content competencies and the pedagogy of the teacher utilizing: the curriculum and data to inform classroom instruction. DL pattern and/or the Core Curriculum. formative assessments, including student work, to determine the effectiveness of instruction and to guide differentiated instruction. Peer coaching requires the creation of trust, communication, and shared responsibilities for all aspects of instruction between the coach and the teacher.

2009-2010 Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development REVISED 6-3-09

A Roadmap for Improving the Academic Performance of All Pittsburgh Public Schools Students

ELEMENTS OF PEER COACHING

To benefit from the peer coaching experience, teachers and coaches must: Establish a relationship between the coach and the teacher as a partnership to improve practice, inform, and improve the curriculum implementation. Share the belief that both the coach and the teacher have unique and necessary instructional knowledge and expertise. Apply recommendations of the coach to the daily practice. Coordinate instruction to achieve common and publicly agreed to goals aligned to district-wide goals. Share some of the duties traditionally performed by the individual teacher including but not necessarily limited to the following: building relationships with students, providing feedback to students, contributing to the planning of the lessons, and participating in reflective dialogue at the conclusion of a lesson or series of lessons. Use a cooperative process that includes face-to-face interaction, positive interdependence, and monitoring tools that document the work done between the teacher and the coach during the peer-coaching process. Focus on effective use of the Core Curriculum as a vehicle to improve student learning.
GUIDELINES FOR PEER COACHING IN THE COACHING MODEL

The district strongly recommends that all coaches perform intense one-on-one coaching with teachers on a rotating basis. Peer coaching maximizes the coachs professional development capacity as it provides intensive time for teachers to work directly with the coach. All coaches will work intensely one-on-one with teachers 4 times per week. Elementary K-5 Coaches: due to the six-day reading curriculum protocol, elementary curriculum coaches will have flexibility to work with teachers 4 times per week with no specified peer coaching days. K-8 ELA and Math Coaches: K-8 ELA coaches will have the same flexibility to work with intermediate grades 3-5 teachers 4 times per week with no specified peer coaching days as a result of the six-day reading curriculum. However, ELA K-8 coaches working with middle grade teachers will peer coach Monday thru Thursday with no peer coaching on Friday. K-8 math coaches will peer coach Monday thru Thursday with no peer coaching on Friday.

2009-2010 Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development REVISED 6-3-09

A Roadmap for Improving the Academic Performance of All Pittsburgh Public Schools Students

Middle, 6-12 and High ELA and Math Coaches: will peer coach Monday thru Thursday with no peer coaching on Friday.

All Coaches: Peer coaching is not restricted to the first two periods of the day. This change will provide greater flexibility, allowing the coach to peer coach with more teachers.

INSTRUCTION IN THE PEER COACHING MODEL GUIDELINES

Elementary K-5 Curriculum Coaches Will peer coach with teachers in grades K-5 for a period of 4 to 5 weeks per teacher, 2 per quarter, allowing the coach to provide individual support for up to 8 teachers per year. Coaches may also work with a team of teachers that align with the Focus on Results grade level teams. Will peer coach a minimum of 90 minutes per day during the reading or math blocked periods of instruction. Will peer coach with teachers 4 days per week aligned to the six-day plan utilized in the elementary corereading curriculum. May peer coach with two math teachers in grades 3-5 only, no more than 8-9 weeks for the year. Will be reviewed and approved by the Teaching and Learning Team, Content Supervisor and Assistant Superintendent. Peer assignments are not restricted to the first two periods of the day. K-8 Curriculum Coaches Will peer coach with four different teachers throughout the school year changing assignment at the end of each grading period. Will peer coach 4 days per week while working with reading teachers in grades 3-5 providing flexibility to accommodate the six-day plan utilized in the elementary core-reading curriculum. Will peer coach for a minimum of 90 minutes per day during the reading or math blocked periods of instruction. Will peer coach with teachers in grades 3 - 8 during the first three grading periods. May peer coach with primary teachers during the fourth grading period, only. Will be reviewed and approved by the Teaching and Learning Team, Content Supervisor and Assistant Superintendent. Peer assignments are not restricted to the first two periods of the day.
2009-2010 Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development REVISED 6-3-09

A Roadmap for Improving the Academic Performance of All Pittsburgh Public Schools Students

Middle School Curriculum Coaches Will peer coach with four different teachers throughout the school year changing assignments at the end of a report period. Will co-teach a minimum of 90 minutes per day during the reading or math blocked periods of instruction. Math coaches may work with Algebra 1 teachers during the fourth grading period only. Will be reviewed and approved by the Teaching and Learning Team, Content Supervisor and Assistant Superintendent. Peer coaching assignments are not restricted to the first two periods of the day. 6-12 Curriculum Coaches Will peer coach two report periods with high school teachers, providing a peer coaching experience for four teachers per year. Will peer coach two report periods with middle grade teachers, providing a peer coaching experience for two teachers per year. Will be reviewed and approved by the Teaching and Learning Team, Content Supervisor and Assistant Superintendent. Peer assignments are not restricted to the first two periods of the day. High School Curriculum Coaches Coaches will peer coach with one mainstream/PSP 11th grade core curriculum teacher for the entire year, or they may peer coach with different 11th grade mainstream/PSPS core curriculum teachers rotating at the end of each report period. AND In addition to peer coaching with an 11th teacher(s), coaches will also peer coach another mainstream/PSP core curriculum teacher on a rotating quarterly basis. This will provide the coach with an opportunity to peer coach with a minimum of 5 teachers per school year.
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ELA Example: The coach will peer coach in an English 3 classroom all year while also peer coaching with: one English 1 teacher during first report; one English 2 teacher during second report; one different English 3 teacher during third report period; one English 4 teacher during the fourth report period.

2009-2010 Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development REVISED 6-3-09

A Roadmap for Improving the Academic Performance of All Pittsburgh Public Schools Students

Math Example: The coach will peer coach in an Algebra 2 classroom all year while also peer coaching with: one Algebra 1 teacher during first report; one Geometry teacher during second report; one different Algebra 2 teacher during third report period; one Algebra 1 teacher during the fourth report period.

Variations to the above requirements may be made in consultation with the building Principal, Assistant Superintendent, Content Supervisor and the Chief Academic Officer. Will be reviewed and approved by the Teaching and Learning Team, Content Supervisor and Assistant Superintendent. Peer assignments are not restricted to the first two periods of the day. The principal, the respective ITL, and the coach will decide selection of the teacher(s) who will be paired with the coach collaboratively. Decisions should be based a variety of factors including building level data. It is recommended that the ITL of the content area (English and Math) be one of the teachers selected to work with the coach, providing he/she is teaching a Core Curriculum. Coaches may peer coach with teachers on improvement plans. They may peer coach for no more than one quarter with a teacher who is on an improvement plan. Both the Core Curriculum teacher and the coach should be in the laboratory classroom four times per week. Based on the districts teaching and learning professional development cycle, coaches will work closely with the principal to establish an observation schedule for laboratory classrooms to facilitate content teachers professional learning of strategies to implement the Core Curriculum. Follow-up by the coach to support the teachers application of observed teaching strategies into the classroom is necessary and must be supported by the principal. The principal must establish an accountability system in the school to support the coaching model and application of content-specific professional development provided by the coach into the classroom.

2009-2010 Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development REVISED 6-3-09

A Roadmap for Improving the Academic Performance of All Pittsburgh Public Schools Students

Responsibilities within the peer coaching model Responsibilities of the coach include: 6-12 & High School Coaches meet and co-plan with the Core Curriculum teacher (s) a minimum of two times per week during the preparation time and/or PD period. Middle, K-8, and Elementary Coaches meet and plan with the Core Curriculum teacher one to two periods per week that may occur during the teachers prep period, ESEP time, grade level team meetings, etc. Submit professional development plans to curriculum supervisor and principal. Implement the Core Curriculum using the districts approved curriculum framework. Establish professional learning communities where teachers are peer observed, actively participating, and committed to sharing best practices. Confer and collaborate with the teachers on all aspects of assignments and grading. Only cover classes, if needed, in order for observations of the PD practices to facilitate peer observations. Conduct professional development for study groups before and after the laboratory classroom observation based on the district-developed professional development cycles. Provide feedback on the implementation of the curriculum to the writers and curriculum supervisor. Responsibilities of the Core Curriculum teacher include: Be the teacher of record for attendance, grades in SASI, and Integrade. Meet and co-plan with the curriculum coach a minimum of one to two times per week depending on grade level. Submit lesson plans to coach and principal. Implement the Core Curriculum using the districts approved curriculum framework. Apply pedagogical strategies integral to the Core Curricula routinely, including but not limited to utilizing: o data to inform classroom instruction. o the DL pattern and/or the Core Curriculum as intended. o formative assessments, including student work, to determine the effectiveness of instruction and to guide differentiated instruction. Participate in peer observations and professional learning to evidence growth in practice. Confer and collaborate with the coach on all aspects of assignments and grading.

2009-2010 Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development REVISED 6-3-09

A Roadmap for Improving the Academic Performance of All Pittsburgh Public Schools Students

Cover classes, if needed, in order for observations of the PD practices to facilitate peer observations. Be accountable to continual implementation of established practices from peer coaching and PD cycle.

Peer Coaching in the Co-teaching Model is not: One person teaching a subject while the other person prepares lessons for the following day. One person teaching while the other person sits or stands by watching. One person dominating the planning and execution of lessons. One person teaching and the other person tutoring students. One person teaching while the other person works with at risk students. One person teaching while the other is acting as a student intervention specialist.

THE BENEFITS OF PEER COACHING IN THE CO-TEACHING MODEL

Peer Coaching provides opportunities for coaches and teachers to: Model collaborative skills and increased teacher responsiveness to students. Capitalize on the unique, diverse, and specialized knowledge and skills of the coach and the teacher. These opportunities allow teachers to create solutions to classroom challenges. Exchange ideas, expertise, and grow professionally through reciprocal exchanges of ideas. Provide laboratory classrooms for teachers to observe the Core Curriculum being implemented. Provide powerful professional development and learning opportunities, which contribute to the development of a strong Learning Community in the building. Utilize collaborative planning between the coach and the teacher as a model of effective conferring for other teachers. Provide comprehensive feedback of the curriculum to the writing team.

2009-2010 Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development REVISED 6-3-09