How Peer Coaching Helps Teachers Implement GATE Strategies and the SCGM

Susan Winebrenner, M.S. www.susanwinebrenner.com ITAG Conference 2013

760.510.0066

Peer Coaching:Ensures long term implementation of

strategies learned from PD eventsAllows teachers to utilize each other’s

expertise to solve problems or challengesCan give teachers the confidence to

volunteer for gifted cluster classesFits in perfectly with PLC agendas

What does the research show? If your school wants teachers to implement and continue to

use methods they have learned in professional development experiences, create an on-going collegial peer coaching program at your building. Peers helping peers learn about and implement new methods are much more effective than speakers or full-time mentors.

The peer partners can be at the same level of expertise and can still help each other toward ongoing implementation. They can be at different grade levels or on different teams, but the method is still highly effective. This study has been ongoing for more than 25 years and continues to demonstrate the same amazing results.

Showers and Joyce, ASCD 2002: Effects of Peer Coaching on Student Achievement (slight variation in different study years)TYPE OF PD ONE WEEK

LATERONE MONTH LATER

THREE MONTHS LATER

Lecture Only 10% 8% 3%Lecture with demonstrations

30% 20% 3%

Lecture with audience participation and practice

65% 60% 5%

Lecture with audience practice and on-site collegial peer coaching

90+ % 90+% GUESS!!!

Mindset by Carol Dweck, Random House, 2006.

Explains the differences between people who welcome challenges and those who avoid them.

“How Not to Talk to Your Kids” by Po Bronson. Free at www.nymag.com.Explains how adults’ words and actions influence how the degree to which children learn to welcome challenging opportunities throughout their lives. Summarizes Dweck’s work as well.

Easy success makes kids adopt lower standards and self-expectations and try to guarantee that all appears effortless.

When adults praise outcomes that were created by little or no effort, verbally, with high grades, or awards, children continue to seek that praise instead of taking risks by being willing to work hard.

Giving kids the “smart” label may actually be contributing to their underachievement; if not presently, then later in life. Teaching them the value of hard work supports lifetime achievement

All students should make at least one year’s academic growth for every year they spend in school.

Easy success = underestimation of one’s own abilities

Leading a Book Study GroupVolunteers only – teachers may come in and go out as

they pleaseMeet at least monthly – take turns providing food and

chocolateUse the Book Study Leader’s Guide from Multimedia

packageConcentrate on one strategy with one subject area at a

timeAdd other strategies only when teachers indicate they

are read- even then teachers can choose which to work on

Study Group Meeting FormatSHARE feedback from members regarding their use of

strategies included in previous meetings. Encourage group members to solve each other’s challenges.

STUDY the new topic to be introduced at this meeting. Examine available Extension Menus.

WATCH any videos that document classroom demonstrations of the target strategies

What’s next? Collegial Peer Coaching should either accompany or follow Book Study Groups to ensure ongoing implementation of learned strategies.

Format - continuedDISCUSS the targeted strategy. Show

group where supporting material may be found.

CONNECT the content from the meeting to application to required standards. Allow time for teachers to meet in grade level or subject specialty groups during this meeting to coach each other to implementation.

From the Professional Development Multimedia Package that supports “Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Classroom, 3rd edition, 2012, freespirit.com. Used with permission

Stages of Collegial Peer Coaching(CPC)Stage One: Partners meet to decide what will be observed and

design the observation tool Observation is confined to the effects of the lesson

ON STUDENTS Visitor LEAVES completed observation tool in

demonstrating teacher’s classroom Partners trade roles and do a second observation There is no formal post observation discussion

Stages of Peer Coaching -CPCStage Two: Same as Stage One except a post observation

discussion may be scheduled at

the invitation of the teacher being observed.Purpose of meeting is to discuss the data

observedThere are no judgments or advice asked for or

given

Stages of Peer Coaching-CPC Stage Three: Same as Stage Two except the person being

observed may ask for one suggestion for improvement the next time the same lesson or technique is used

 

Compatibility of peer coaching with other programs

Complements RTI and gives teachers tools for the top part of the RTI triangle.

Gives structure and ownership to PLC groupsEnhances efforts to create consistency

between teachers to deliver programs with “fidelity”

Ends the typical isolation of teachers

Peer Coaching and Cluster Grouping – A Perfect DuoThe Schoolwide Cluster Grouping Model (SCGM) A much needed paradigm shift in the delivery of gifted education

services in times of lean budgets and with the outcomes of improved services for all categories of gifted students including:Twice ExceptionalPrimary ageCulturally and Linguistically DiverseUnderachievers and Non-productive studentsStudents who go “under cover” to fit in

The Cluster Grouping Handbook. freespirit.com

SCGM Suggested classroom composition

30students

in 3 classes

Gifted High Average

Average Low Average

Far Below

Average

A 6 0 12 12 0

B 0 6 12 6 6

C 0 6 12 6 6

From The Cluster Grouping Handbook, freespirit.com. For classroom placement variations, see the article on Cluster Grouping by Dina Brulles and Susan Winebrenner in Gifted Child Today, Fall, 2011

What are some advantages of cluster grouping?

Grouping all gifted children into cluster classes provides social, emotional, and academic advantages to students.

Teachers can focus instruction because they have a slightly narrower range of achievement levels in their classes.

Achievement rises at grade levels that use clustering.

Schools provide full-time gifted services with little additional costs.

Parents keep their gifted children in their home schools.

What are potential challenges of cluster grouping?

Parental pressure to place children who have not been identified as gifted into the gifted cluster classroomPlacing students when enrolling during the school yearChallenging highly gifted students in more mixed-ability classes.Monitoring that consistent compacting and differentiation is taking place in gifted cluster classes.

The SCGM: Achievement Implications

Narrowed range of abilities allows for more focused instructionTeachers learn strategies for advanced ability learners

they can use for all students, not just the gifted studentsOn-going assessment of students’ strengths and needs ensures

continual progressGifted students are more likely to receive advanced instruction and

extended learning opportunitiesNot all student are working on the same material at the same timeHigher expectations for all students!BONUS: Parents of gifted children allow their children

to continue to attend their home school.

*This requires first creating a gifted student data base.

Case Study

Glendale, AZ

2000 - 2006

Gifted IdentificationContact Dr Dina Brulles - dbrulles@gmail.com

Glendale, AZ

Numbers of gifted population depicted by ethnic representation of White and Hispanic gifted student populations between 2000-2006

SCGM Research Results Glendale AZ 2009

NonELL in NG Cluster

286 57 78

SCGM Research Results (2)

SCGM Totals (3)

Student Type

Number

Pre-test Post-test

% of Change

African American

32 64.06 86.06 34.34

Hispanic 300 61.98 84.02 35.56

Caucasian

173 63.94 85.15 33.17

Asian 40 69.30 87.48 26.23

Native American

9 56,78 86.56 52.45

ELL 250 63.02 84.38 33.89

Non-ELL 304 63.26 85.12 34.56

Female 270 63.79 84.99 33.23

Male 284 62.55 84.59 35.24

Administrators’ Perspective

Is there evidence of: Yearly academic growth? Pre-testing?Flexible grouping?Compacting curriculum?Differentiated learning?Student directed learning?Small & large group instruction?

Using Data and the Administrator Observation Form

ADMINISTRATOR OBSERVATION FORM

Topics for PLC or Book Study MeetingsCharacteristics of gifted learnersNomination & ID proceduresCompacting and Differentiation strategiesFlexible grouping strategiesCreating tiered assignmentsCurriculum compacting and DifferentiationIndependent StudyCluster Grouping benefits and challengesCommunication with ParentsAdd your own

Achievement implications of The SCGM: Narrowed range of abilities allows for more focused

instructionOn-going assessment of students’ strengths and need

ensures continual progressTeachers learn strategies for advanced ability learners they

can use for all students, not just the gifted studentsGifted ELL students are more likely to receive advanced

instruction and extended learning opportunitiesHigher expectations for all students

What are potential challenges of cluster grouping?

Parental pressure to place children who have not been identified as gifted into the gifted cluster classroomPlacing students when enrolling during the school yearChallenging highly gifted students in more mixed-ability classes.Monitoring that consistent compacting and differentiation is taking place in gifted cluster classes.

In summary…For student and teacher accountability,

fidelity to adopted program goals and expected outcomes is essential.

This includes training for teachers on how to consistently compact and differentiate the adopted curriculum for both learners who struggle and learners who are advanced.

These outcomes are much more likely to occur when Collegial Peer Coaching is included in PD programs

Stages of Peer CoachingStage One: Partners meet to decide what will be observed and

design the observation tool Observation is confined to the effects of the lesson

ON STUDENTS Visitor LEAVES completed observation tool in

demonstrating teacher’s classroom Partners trade roles and do a second observation There is no formal post observation discussion

Stages of Peer CoachingStage Two: Same as Stage One except a post observation

discussion may be scheduled at

the invitation of the teacher being observed.Purpose of meeting is to discuss the data

observedThere are no judgments or advice asked for or

given

Stages of Peer Coaching Stage Three: Same as Stage Two except the person being

observed may ask for one suggestion for improvement the next time the same lesson or technique is used