Ring Elementary School Peer Coach, Brandi Meacham, works with fellow teacher Kim Ognibene.

Jamestown High School teachers, Donnelle Conti and Lisa Holt, are embarking on a new experience this year by serving as peer coaches. They know the importance of supporting all teachers in their building, as they had previously been mentor teachers. As peer coaches, Mrs. Holt and Mrs. Conti are currently working on an in-service workshop for the JHS staff on Differentiated Instruction focused on tiering. They have shared examplar lesson plans and activities that include Differentiated Instruction at JHS’ monthly faculty meetings and created a survey for all JHS teachers to establish a baseline to help implement professional development this year.

“Our goal is to be the non-judgmental peer that our colleagues can use as a resource in challenging their own best practices,” said Mrs. Holt and Mrs. Conti. “While we are not experts in Differentiated Instruction, our goal is to implement these practices in our own classrooms, so that we can then help support our fellow teachers.”

The Peer Teacher Coach Program is just one action plan of Jamestown Public School’s Strategic Plan, Goal 1, which is to increase peer conversations about professional practices by expanding available coaches.

“Jamestown Public Schools has established career ladder positions for teacher leaders to provide a high-level of support for teachers new to the profession, as well as experienced teachers who require improvement to reach higher standards of effective professional practice,” said Michelle McDowell, JPS’ Coordinator of Professional Learning. “Through careful selection, training and assignment of highly qualified Instructional Coaches, Curriculum Coaches, Peer Coaches, and Mentor

Teachers, the District aims to provide individual feedback and support to promote the professional growth of both novice and veteran teachers.”

The sixteen Peer Coaches are full-time practicing teachers who provide leadership and support for colleagues seeking to improve their practice. Peer Coaches may engage in any of the following activities to support professional growth:

¯     Provide individual & small group coaching of novice or experienced teachers

¯     Conduct non-evaluative lesson observations with verbal and written feedback using video observation where available

¯     Provide a ‘model classroom’ for teachers to observe directly or indirectly using video tools, including lesson debrief

¯     Conduct non-evaluative classroom walkthroughs to assess and support implementation of Common Core standards and curricula and,

¯     Observe and facilitate PLC meetings to strengthen the use of data to improve student learning

At Ring Elementary School, there is a peer coach for every grade level. Many of the peer coaches sit on the Ring Shared Decision Making Team, which determines building goals. They are able to bring that information back to their grade levels to meet the goal objectives. They also work with student data to determine where the academic need is and work with the grade level teams to make adjustments to classroom lessons to meet those goals. The peer coaches are also reading as a group, “Conscious Discipline” by Becky Baily, to learn more about how teachers can help students more effectively with their social skills and taking the information back to their grade level teams.

“The peer coaches have been very effective at Ring Elementary School,” said Marci Centi, Ring Instructional Coach. “Peer Coaches are still in the teaching role themselves; they have walked in teachers’ shoes and know their struggles. Our peer coaches have such a wonderful, positive attitude and really are helping out the children at Ring Elementary School.”