Piloted in 2007-'08 with five teachers (two Home Teachers and two Teachers-in-Residence).
Epanded to 26 (13 Home Teachers and 13 Teachers-in-Residence) in 2008-'09. 

Teacher-to-Teacher was designed as a free program that provides new teachers (in their first five years) with a music Teacher-in-Residence who models excellent instruction in an empathetic, non-evaluative and supportive manner.  The program is based on grounded mentoring, an approach where both teachers collaboratively plan lessons, instruct students, and reflect together on student learning and achievement.  The goal is to improve instructional effectiveness and student achievement, and to modify teachers’ capacity to modify themselves.   

Each Home Teacher chooses areas to focus on throughout the residency in their own classroom.  They generate ideas of how the Teacher-in-Residence can help with those areas, incorporating his/her abilities, strengths and resources.  Rather than trying to “fix problems,” the Teacher-in-Residence and Home Teacher mutually create possibilities for long-term growth.  The Teacher-in-Residence is not involved in any evaluative procedures regarding their mentee.  Without the fear of being evaluated administratively, the mentee is more likely to be open to trying new teaching techniques.

The process  of grounded mentoring is based on Joyce and Showers' research that suggests that very little staff development/coursework actually gets transferred to the classroom.  By utilizing coaching in the teachers' own classroom, the new theory, strategy or technique will be utilized.

(Joyce, B. & Showers, B. 1995.  Student achievement through staff development 2^nd ed.)