Peer Coaching in Washington State
Peer coaching is professional development in which two or more educators work together ― one coaching the other ― to improve instructional practice. As colleagues in the same school, they share classroom experiences, observe and team teach in each other’s classrooms.
Washington’s Enhanced Peer Coaching (EPC) is a two-year
course of professional development that works best for
Tier 2 or
3 teachers and teacher-librarians — educators who have some
experience with tech integration.
Previous experience with peer coaching is not necessary, however
course participants must have regular access to a classroom.
Each peer coach will coach at least one teacher during the
program’s two-year training cycle. The peer coach provides
one-to-one classroom-based support as the collaborating teacher
learns to apply and refine new ways to deepen and strengthen the
learning experience for each student.
Integrating easily into the school routine, course activities are designed to
energize collaboration and prompt coach trainees to work through the kind
problem-solution frameworks that occur regularly in the classroom.
Community of Practitioners
Based on the original Microsoft peer coaching curriculum, expert staff at the ESD-based Educational Technology Support Centers (ETSC) lead the training. The “enhanced” in Enhanced Peer Coaching refers to additional sessions spent to develop proficiency with specific technologies. EPC program coaches also join a supportive, evolving community of learners and practitioners. They begin a long-term dialogue that covers shared experience, reflection, new understanding and the integration of tools that promote a student-centered learning environment. It’s a powerful way to try, refine and implement – as social learners.
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