1	Another set of eyes: Peer coaching encourages innovative teaching Elizabeth O. Hutchins, Assistant Professor Reference/Instruction Librarian St. Olaf College Pam Kessinger, Faculty Chair Reference Librarian Portland Community College
2	Innovative teaching “The quality of student learning is directly, although not exclusively, related to the quality of teaching. Therefore, one of the most promising ways to improve learning is to improve teaching.” -- Thomas Angelo, p. 7
3	Why peer coaching? “Teaching is more than a solo, isolated, and competitive act. Collaboration with others increases involvement in the process of teaching. To establish a collegial relationship between peers for mutual growth in teaching and learning.” -- Dale Vidmar
4	Peer coaching is NOT Summative Evaluative Competitive Punitive or negative
5	Peer coaching is NOT Hierarchical Judgmental Prescriptive Quick fix -- Lori Mestre
6	Summative v. formative Summative evaluation “great teacher” or “good job” v. Formative Assessment discussion about teaching and methods with peer -- Dale Vidmar
7	Coaching vs. mentoring Peer coaching is not mentoring, which is where “the support is one-directional rather than reciprocal….each Librarian [with] a distinct role in a hierarchy….One instructor is the protégé while the other is the teacher.” -- Lee-Allison Levene, p. 35
8	Peer coaching IS “Confidential Non-evaluative Flexible Voluntary (but encouraged) Based on trust Focused on observable behaviors” -- Syracuse University Library
9	Peer interaction In peer coaching, the librarian “interacts as an equal, teaching and learning from her or his partner.” -- Lee-Allison Levene, p. 35
10	Peer encouragement Support peer’s successful efforts Build on our strengths Engage in ongoing individual development Create a collegial environment
11	Supportive and collegial “When coaches offer specific technical feedback without judgment, they enable instructors to draw their own conclusions about the quality of their teaching. The library instructors make choices about what they may want to change and how to pursue further development.” -- Lee-Allison Levene, p. 36 Coaches “identify patterns” --Lori Mestre
12	Skills of a peer coach Inspire trust and a collegial relationship Build rapport Seek clarification Positive nonverbal behavior (body language, gestures) Active listening -- Dale Vidmar
13	Dialogue “…quick fixes make the person who shared the problem feel unheard and dismissed.” -- Parker Palmer, p. 151
14	Observation criteria What are the components of a successful learning experience, and how does teaching create it? -- Dale Vidmar
15	Pre-observation conference Start to build rapport & trust Share respective teaching values Establish ground rules for each one’s role Identify focus points to observe Establish times for observation and post-observation conferences Agree on means for collecting data -- Lee-Allison Levene, p. 38
16	Post-observation conference Instructor (one observed) initiates discussion Instructor’s role: evaluate class Coach role: offers descriptive feedback Coach asks open-ended questions “Feedback restricted to instructor-selected target skills….” -- Lee Allison Levene, p.39-40
17	Peer coaching “Do’s” Listen actively “Allow time for reflective statements” “Insert neutral probing questions to get peer to continue reflection” Serve as a mirror --Nancy Huling, p.20
18	"“Critically reflective teaching happens..." “Critically reflective teaching happens when we identify and scrutinize the assumptions that undergird how we work.” -- Stephen D. Brookfield, p. xii
19	"“Good talk about good..." “Good talk about good teaching is what we need—to enhance both our professional practice and the selfhood from which it comes.” --Parker Palmer, p. 144
20	References Angelo, Thomas A. and K. Patricia Cross. Classroom Assessment Techniques: a Handbook for College Teachers, 2^nd. Ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998 Brookfield, Stephen D. Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1998. Huling, Nancy. Peer Reflection: Collegial Coaching and Reference Effectiveness. Reference Librarian. 66 (1999). 61-74 Levene, Lee Allison and Polly Frank. Peer coaching: Professional Growth and Development for Instruction Librarians. RSR: Reference Services Review 21(3) (1993): 35-42 Mestre, Lori. The Peer Mentoring/Coaching Process. Retrieved 26 April 2004. http://www.library.umass.edu/instruction/librarians/peer Vidmar, Dale. Reflective Peer Coaching: Crafting Collaborative Self-Assessment in the Classroom. Retrieved 26 April 2004. http://campus.sou.edu/~vidmar/reflective_peer_coaching/ Palmer, Parker J. The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998. Syracuse University Library. Peer Coaching at SUL: Information and Guidelines for Participation. Retrieved 26 April 2004. http://libwww.syr.edu/instruction/staff/peer_coaching/peercoach.htm
21	Another set of eyes: Peer coaching encourages innovative teaching Elizabeth O. Hutchins, St. Olaf College hutchine@stolaf.edu Pam Kessinger, Portland Community College pkessing@pcc.edu