Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are some ways peer coaching could be especially helpful for teams working with students with ASD?
A: Coaching can provide the structure for accomplishing the goal of instructional consistency across settings for children with ASD. According to researchers, peer coaching provides a method for teaching partners to focus on “sharing skills, knowledge, and experiences to develop competence and confidence in the key people … influencing a child’s life. It is an equally effective tool for sharing knowledge and skills among colleagues working in the same, or different agencies” (Rush et. al., 2003).

Q: How do you keep peer coaching on a professional level after you become friends with your partner?
A: The structure of the peer coaching cycle (preconference, observation, postconference) provides the ground rules for keeping coaching on a professional level. Coaching partners agree in advance to adhere to the coaching framework using the Peer Coaching Self-Report for reflection. Colleagues and family members who have become friends may find that the structure of peer coaching provides them with a “safe” method of providing essential feedback to each other in a nonthreatening and nonjudgmental way.