Team+4

 How can a school demonstrate readiness for coaching?

Coaches assist collaborating teachers to blend strong instructional practices and technology into classroom activities by discussing and sharing teaching practices, and supporting efforts to enrich student learning through the uses of technology and engaged learning. “Our research suggests that human resources—such as openness to improvement, trust and respect, teachers having knowledge and skills, supportive leadership and socialization—are more critical to the development of professional community than structural conditions.” – //[|Building Professional Development Community in Schools]//

A school must have a community of trust and collaberation along with a strong commitment to implement a peer coaching program. According to Sean Tierney and collegues, "The attributes that make a coaching program successful are: leadership support; strong shared vision, open, trusting and supportive community; identifying the right coaches; supporting the program with time and other resources". The Peer Coaching Program Sponsored by Microsoft [|http://pc.innovativeteachers.com] indicates that coaches guide teachers to develop the skills and strategies needed by:


 * Planning technology-rich activities or projects with individual teachers.
 * Identifying resources or strategies necessary for successful learning activities.
 * Modeling or team-teaching lessons that integrate technology and engaging learning strategies.
 * Reflecting or debriefing on learning activities.

The Peer Coaching Program V3: indicates successful coaches need the following attributes. Schools demonstrate readiness for the Peer Coaching Program when they show strong leadership support, overall understanding of the program, and have identified teacher coaches with the stated attributes and have allocated time and resources to implement the program.
 * Is able to build trust with peers.
 * Builds on what a teacher needs.
 * Is a team player.
 * Communicates well and listens to teachers.
 * Knows what teachers are doing in their classrooms.
 * Can show teachers how to replace what they are doing with something better, not just present technology as an add-on.
 * Is highly organized and plans well in advance with teachers.
 * Provides a safe, risk-taking environment and is non-threatening, non-judgmental, and accepting.
 * Is flexible.
 * Has enough depth and breadth of knowledge to help teachers who are at various stages of technology integration, including knowledge of appropriate instructional strategies.
 * Knows how to organize and structure a technology-rich classroom.
 * Is recognized by staff as a strong/outstanding teacher.