Peer Coaching - Expanding Learning Horizons

Coaching for 21^st Century Curriculum

The ICT Peer Coaching Course is an internationally accredited professional development program that helps schools create engaging, technology-rich learning activities for students. The program trains teacher-leaders to help colleagues identify ways that technology can strengthen the classroom curriculum and enhance students’ academic achievements.

The ICT Peer Coaching Program encourages teachers to learn from each other through reflection, sharing of teaching strategies and ideas, and joint curriculum design. It also trains you to help colleagues develop the skills and instructional strategies to integrate technology into their teaching and learning.

Coaches have communication and collaboration skills that can encourage collaboration among teachers. They are not part of the process of evaluating teachers. They sometimes serve as experts, but more often they are learning from, and with, the teachers they coach.

View our video discussing Peer Coaching in schools:

ICT Peer Coaching Course Overview

The ICT Peer Coaching Accreditation consists of 3 face-to-face full day workshops and 2 online sessions. At the end of the course each participant is accredited as a coach and also a facilitator, enabling them to coach and certify other teachers within their school as ICT Peer Coaches.

The course aims to not only improve teachers' use of technology in teaching and learning, but also train them in the use of specific language and reflective processes that will help them coach other teachers. This will ensure that the coaching program can be cost effectively scaled, developing a school-based team of coaches.

Upcoming Courses

Sydney
When: 21^st – 23^rd March, 2012
Where: Microsoft, 1 Epping Rd, North Ryde

Brisbane
When: 28^th – 30^th March, 2012
Where: Microsoft, Level 28, 400 George Street, Brisbane

Melbourne
When: 18^th – 20^th April, 2012
Where: Computelec, 477 Williamstown Rd, Port Melbourne

Cost: $995 Ex. GST, includes morning tea, lunch and all workshop resources

As seen in the last week’s Four Corners episode "Revolution in the Classroom" on the ABC, the explicit focus on teachers reflecting on each other’s practice is a powerful way to effect change in teacher quality and student learning.

Episode "Revolution in the Classroom", Four Corners on ABC

Program Overview:

Online: Live Meeting 1 (Approx. 1 week prior to Course) - 1 Hour	Why Peer Coaching? Welcome and Course Overview, Research to support peer coaching as a vehicle for professional learning.
Day 1: 8:30 - 4:30pm	The What, Why and How of Peer Coaching Research supporting peer coaching methodology, Coaching Roles and Responsibilities, the Coaching Cycle, Developing a School Coaching Plan, 21st Century Learning, The Language of Coaching
Day 2: 8:30 - 4:30pm	Assessing Lesson Design What does ICT rich learning look like? Assessing lesson design through improvement templates, coaching role plays
Day 3: 8:30 - 4:30pm	The Lesson Improvement Process Lesson improvement templates, reflection on school coaching plan, Coaching Roadblocks, Professional Development Standards and Evaluation Preparing Other Coaches Explore and apply the principles of highly effective coaching to eventually accredit others within your schools
Online: Live Meeting 2 Approx. 6 weeks after Course - 1.5 hours	Reflection on Peer Coaching Implementation Reflection and analysis of Implementing and Sustaining Peer Coaching, Submission of Analysis of Coaching Roadblocks and Coaching Plan

What will teachers gain from ICT Peer Coaching?

An internationally recognised accreditation as a Peer Coach supported by Microsoft and Peer Ed in the USA.
Practical ideas about role of technology in teaching and learning
An understanding of coaching and how to implement it within their own school, including the development of a working plan
A network of other educators with whom to share resources and ideas about implementing peer coaching
Templates and resources to assist the peer coaching process in their school
The ability to certify other teachers within their school to become peer coaches

Requirements for Peer Coaching

It is a requirement that your Principal or member of the Leadership Team (Deputy / Assistant Principal) attend the first half of Day 1 of the course. This will ensure that they understand the concept of Peer Coaching and are involved in the potential implementation of Peer Coaching at their school
Participants will need to bring a laptop with administrator rights
Microsoft OneNote 2010 installed prior to the course (a 60 day trial version can be downloaded here http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/onenote/)
A Windows Live ID which can be created at www.hotmail.com or www.live.com. If you have a Hotmail or Live.com address already, you are registered (NB - You can set up a Live ID using an existing email account and password)

References

Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.