Professional learning from instructional coaches
Many educators believe that coaching institutionalizes effective instructional practice. Coaches are experienced peers who guide less-experienced colleagues on effective practice. Although some educators say external coaches are more effective because they can say things internal coaches may feel politically constrained from saying, others prefer the model of coaches who are onsite and can help during breaks and in regular team meetings. PLC team members, district office staff, and outside consultants play a valuable role in coaching teachers on instructional techniques that will improve student learning. Coaches are particularly helpful in several key areas:
- Knowing how to use differentiated instruction to deliver standards-based lessons
- Understanding classroom management
- Using lesson and course pacing schedules
- Making lessons developmentally appropriate for young adolescents
- Developing literacy skills (see the Chapter 1, “Rigor,” for more on literacy).
The Peer Assistance and Review Program (PAR) is a teacher peer assistance and review program that links employment policies and procedures with activities for professional development.
In the Spotlight
Richard Henry Dana Middle School (Outside Source),
a California Middle Grades Partnership Network school
and a Schools to Watch™-Taking Center Stage 2006 model, Wiseburn Elementary School District. The school’s “peer coaching” program enables instructors to visit other classes to gain an appreciation of one another’s work and ideas for their own lessons. Shared lunch periods offer opportunities for informal professional sharing. In addition, the Peer Assistance and Review program enables first- and second-year teachers the opportunity to work closely with a mentor teacher and gain information and assistance throughout the year.1
Aliso Viejo Middle School (Outside Source), Capistrano Unified School District. The PLC approach enables the special education team and general education teachers to work together to understand the learning styles and challenges of certain students and to share ideas that work best in classrooms.
Each year, departmental teams in effective middle schools review what worked in pacing and delivering the grade-level content within the school year. Coaches from schools that experienced student achievement gains in a specific content area can work with departmental teams from district schools during pre-session in-service days to help them develop effective pacing schedules.
Adolescents today require a high degree of literacy to understand complex texts. As a result, many middle schools use “literacy coaches” to support academic area teachers who may not have learned about effective reading instruction. Literacy coaching includes many features common to effective professional development:
- It is grounded in inquiry and reflection.
- It is participant driven and collaborative, involving the sharing of knowledge among teachers within communities of practice.
- It is sustained, ongoing, and intensive.
The International Reading Association (IRA) (Outside Source), developed Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches (PDF; Outside Source), with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and in collaboration with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) (Outside Source), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (Outside Source), the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) (Outside Source), and the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) (Outside Source). The standards outline what a literacy coach should know and be able to do in delivering both leadership and support in individual academic areas.
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Footnote
1 “Richard Henry Dana Middle School: Teaming Builds an Unwavering Commitment to Achievement” Middle Grades Spotlight, (Spring, 2006), 15.
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