NEW YORK, July 17, 2012 – Learning Forward, the organization that created the Standards for Professional Learning, and Tutor.com, the leader in one-to-one, on-demand learning solutions, are collaborating on a new, high-impact service to maximize the effectiveness of thousands of instructional coaches. Offered through the Learning Forward Center for Results, Coaches’ Connect will provide support to instructional coaches from experienced, master coaches online using Tutor.com’s real-time learning platform. The service will launch in September 2012.
This collaboration brings together Learning Forward’s decade of experience helping school districts implement the Standards for Professional Learning with Tutor.com’s 12 years of experience creating and implementing the leading-edge online learning platform. Learning Forward was instrumental in providing guidance to Tutor.com when the company expanded and launched its first professional development support program, MyLivePD™ Online Coaching Service, in the fall of 2011. MyLivePD was funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
MyLivePD was implemented in three school districts and several Teach for America regions. Early reports show that teachers enjoy this timely, relevant and actionable support model and are using it right away in their classroom teaching: 96% of teachers rated the quality of the service as good, very good or excellent; 85% of teachers are using knowledge from their online coaching session within just one week in their classroom; and, 82% agree that MyLivePD is helping them do their job better.
Coaches’ Connect will leverage this technology-based approach to provide expert guidance and support to instructional coaches when and where they need it. The service is driven by individual coaches’ needs and is aligned to the Standards for Professional Learning. The Learning Forward Center for Results Master Coaches, who already train thousands of instructional coaches across North America, will respond to the specific needs of instructional coaches as they work to support the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. This cost-effective and high-impact service compliments district and state training programs as well as the professional learning offered through the Center for Results Instructional Coaches Academy.
“Instructional coaches are essential to improving educator effectiveness and student achievement,” said Stephanie Hirsh, executive director of Learning Forward. “Our collaboration with Tutor.com will bring immediate and powerful support to coaches responsible for guiding teachers in implementing effective practices in the classroom.”
“Professional learning is undergoing dramatic changes to the benefit of our schools, teachers and students,” said George Cigale, founder and CEO of Tutor.com. “We are pleased to collaborate with the recognized leader in the field to bring our model of on-demand support to important agents of change—instructional coaches.”
