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 events Allows teachers to utilize each other’s expertise to solve problems or challenges Can give teachers the confidence to volunteer for gifted cluster classes Fits 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 LATER ONE MONTH LATER THREE MONTHS LATER Lecture Only 10% 8% 3% Lecture with demonstrations 30% 20% Lecture with audience participation and practice 65% 60% 5% Lecture with audience practice and on-site collegial peer coaching 90+ % 90+% GUESS!!!

Carol Dweck’s Research 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 = underestimation of one’s own abilities 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. James

Leading a Book Study Group Volunteers only – teachers may come in and go out as they please Meet at least monthly – take turns providing food and chocolate Use the Book Study Leader’s Guide from Multimedia package Concentrate on one strategy with one subject area at a time Add other strategies only when teachers indicate they are read- even then teachers can choose which to work on

Study Group Meeting Format SHARE 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 - continued DISCUSS 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 -CPC Stage 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 observed There 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 groups Enhances efforts to create consistency between teachers to deliver programs with “fidelity” Ends the typical isolation of teachers

Peer Coaching and Cluster Grouping – A Perfect Duo The 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 Exceptional Primary age Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Underachievers and Non-productive students Students 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 12 B C 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 classroom Placing students when enrolling during the school year Challenging 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 instruction Teachers learn strategies for advanced ability learners they can use for all students, not just the gifted students On-going assessment of students’ strengths and needs ensures continual progress Gifted students are more likely to receive advanced instruction and extended learning opportunities Not all student are working on the same material at the same time Higher 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. 19

Gifted Identification Case Study Glendale, AZ 2000 - 2006 Gifted Identification Contact Dr Dina Brulles - dbrulles@gmail.com

Academic Effects of Clustering and Non-Clustering Gifted Students in Mathematics

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 Student Type Number (n) Pre-Test Scores Post-Test Scores % of Change Gifted Cluster 554 63 85 34.9% NG in Gifted Cluster 535 56 76 35.7% NG in NC 2627 40 57 42.5% ELL Gifted Cluster 250 84 33.3% ELL NG in GC 249 55 73 32.7% ELL NG in NC 1504 39 46.2% Non Ell in GC 304 NonELL in NG Cluster 286 78 36.8% Non ELL Non Gifted in Non Cluster 1123 NonELL in NG Cluster 286 57 78

SCGM Research Results (2) Student Type Number (n) Pretest Scores Posttest Scores % Of Change Grade Level Grade 2 72 70.15 92.29 31.56 Grade 3 143 64.04 87.76 37.04 Grade 4 102 59.48 83.63 40.60 Grade 5 75 65.52 84.03 28.25 Grade 6 60 63.50 83.07 30.82 Grade 7 35 61.46 79.34 29.09 Grade 8 67 57.25 77.33 35.07

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 These topics can become the subjects of PD meetings

Topics for PLC or Book Study Meetings Characteristics of gifted learners Nomination & ID procedures Compacting and Differentiation strategies Flexible grouping strategies Creating tiered assignments Curriculum compacting and Differentiation Independent Study Cluster Grouping benefits and challenges Communication with Parents Add your own

Achievement implications of The SCGM: Narrowed range of abilities allows for more focused instruction On-going assessment of students’ strengths and need ensures continual progress Teachers learn strategies for advanced ability learners they can use for all students, not just the gifted students Gifted ELL students are more likely to receive advanced instruction and extended learning opportunities Higher 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 classroom Placing students when enrolling during the school year Challenging 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 Coaching 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 Stage 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 observed There 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