Observation and Feedback

1. Observation and Feedback High Reliability Schools 1999

2. Observation

3. Classrooms are busy, complex environmentsThey require quick and accurate decisions given incomplete information... • 1. Multidimensionality • 2. Simultaneity • 3. Immediacy • 4. Unpredictable and public classroom climate • 5. History

4. Why Teachers are Unaware • 1. So much is happening so rapidly • 2. background experiences lead teachers to be insensitive to some issues • 3. Lack of emphasis on analysis in teacher education programs • 4. No feedback mechanisms in place

5. Examples of Classroom Problems Caused by a Lack of Teacher Awareness • 1. Teacher domination • 2. Lack of emphasis on meaning • 3. Lack of emphasis on motivation • 4. Segregation of student seating • 5. Reliance on repetitive seatwork

6. 6. Differential teacher- student interaction • 7. Allocation of time • 8. Opportunity to learn • 9. Lack of variety in task structures

7. Observation Systems • Observation systems can be both high-inference and low-inference • High-inference requires observers to infer to make judgments about what they see and hear • Low-inference more precisely defines the behaviors to be observed and the procedures for collecting data, thus reducing the need for observer to make judgments

8. Observers who make qualitative or quantitative judgments about teaching-learning behaviors run the risk of jeopardizing the validity and reliability of their findings • The more inferences one makes, the greater the chances for inaccuracy and inconsistency

9. General Principles for Observing Classrooms • 1. Focus on student response as well as teacher • 2. Avoid disturbing natural class environment • 3. Meet with teacher in advance to clarify expectations, procedures, etc.

10. Principles of Interpretation • 1. Remain nonjudgmental during data collection • 2. Screen background experiences and particular perspectives about what is “good teaching” • 3. Guard against generalizing about behavior • 4. Take into account effects on students

11. Teaching Content Variety of Teaching Methods Seatwork Questioning Techniques Teacher’s Response Feedback to Correct Answers Feedback When Student Fails to Answer Correctly Positive Expectations General Motivational Strategies Attributing Success to Causes Teacher’s Interactions with Students Time Off Task Instruments for Observation

12. Teaching Content for Understanding and Application • Purpose: To assess the degree to which the teacher teaches content not just for memory but for understanding and application • Use: When you have detailed information about the curriculum, instruction, and evaluation enacted during a content unit or strand

13. Variety of Teaching Methods • Purpose: To see if teacher uses a variety of methods in teaching the curriculum • Use: Whenever the class is involved in curriculum-related activities

14. Seatwork • Purpose: To see if seatwork appears appropriate to students’ needs and interests • Use: Whenever part or all of the class is doing assigned seatwork

15. Questioning Techniques • Purpose: To see if teacher is following principles for good questioning practices • Use: When teacher is asking class or group questions

16. Teacher’s Response to Students’ Questions • Purpose: To see if teacher models commitment to learning and concern for students’ interests • Use: When a student asks the teacher a reasonable question during a discussion or question-answer period

17. Feedback to Correct Answers • Purpose: To see if the teacher is giving appropriate feedback to students about the adequacy of their responses • Use: In discussion and recitation situations when students are answering questions

18. Feedback When Student Fails to Answer Correctly • Purpose: To see if teacher is giving appropriate feedback to students about the adequacy of their responses • Use: In discussion and recitation situations when students are answering questions

19. Communicating Positive Expectations • Purpose: To document the frequency and nature of the teacher’s communication of positive expectations for the class as a whole • Use: At any time

20. General Motivational Strategies • Purpose: To assess the degree to which the teacher’s general approach to instruction supports students’ self-confidence and motivation to learn • Use: When the teacher has been observed frequently enough so that reliable information is available

21. Attributing Success to Causes • Purpose: To see whether the teacher’s statements support student confidence and motivation to learn • Use: Whenever teacher makes comments to explain a student’s success

22. Teacher’s Interactions with Students • Purpose: To collect information on the teacher’s interactions patterns by recording on a seating chart each time the teacher speaks to an individual student • Use: When teacher is interacting with the whole class

23. Time Off Task • Purpose: To record a sample of all students’ attending behavior or non-productive use of time during the scheduled period • Use: Any time

24. WALKER SCHOOL OBSERVATION FOR TEACHER DEVELOPMENT HIGH RELIABILITY SCHOOLS

25. Observation • Why observe • What to observe • Benefits of observation • Feedback • Observation Process (Clinical Observation)

26. VARIETY OF TEACHING METHODS • start time A B elapsed time • 9:00 2 1 4:00 • 9:04 1 1 8:00 • 9:12 6 11 5:00 • 9:17 2 5 2:00 • 9:19

27. Feedback

28. Theory • Theory gives an overview or perspective to the learner • Theory creates awareness, but gives limited basis for application

29. Modeling or demonstration • Modeling involves enactment of a teaching skill either through live demonstration, or through television, film, or other media • Level of impact: modeling appears to have a considerable effect on awareness and some effect on knowledge. Demonstration also increases the mastery of theory

30. Practice under simulated conditions • Practice involves trying out a new skill or strategy; simulated conditions are achieved by practicing either with peers or with small groups of children under circumstances which do not require management of an entire class • Level of impact: when awareness and knowledge have been achieved, practice is a very efficient way of acquiring skills and strategies

31. Structured feedback • Structured feedback involves learning a system for observing teaching behavior and providing an opportunity to reflect on those observations • Level of impact: taken alone, feedback can result in considerable awareness of one’s teaching behavior and knowledge about alternatives; it has reasonable power for acquisition of skills and their transfer to the classroom situation

32. Coaching for application • If constant feedback is provided with classroom practice, a good many, but not all, will transfer their skills into the teaching situation • For many others, however, direct coaching on how to apply the new skills and models appears to be necessary • Coaching involves helping teachers analyze the content to be taught and the approach to be taken, and making very specific plans to help the student adapt to the new teaching approach

33. The most effective training activities will be those that combine theory, modeling, practice, feedback, and coaching for application

34. CLINICAL OBSERVATION MODEL

35. Discuss the goals and objectives of the lesson in student terms (context too) Ask teacher to discuss what he/she would like to be observed Ask the teacher to describe what they would like to learn about their class Permit the teacher to change the lesson based on our discussion Describe the entire process from pre-observation through post observation conference Establish time for observation and post-observation PRE-OBSERVATION CONFERENCE

36. Arrive before class begins Locate yourself outside of the students’ view but so you can see faces Collect data not impressions Write log notes on significant events Don’t give opinions about the class at the end of the observation OBSERVATION

37. Post-Observation Analysis • Summarize Data • Examine notes on the log • Refer to teacher requests • Determine essential positive and limiting elements of the class • Write out suggestions for improvement of the class

38. Post-Observation Conference • Ask the teacher if this class was average or if there were any special qualities to the class • Ask the teacher what were the high points of the lesson • Ask if they would change any thing

39. Post-Observation Conference • Present data to them and ask for their analysis • Add to the data analysis or offer a different interpretation • Ask if they would change anything and what might they do differently • Make suggestions or offer resources • Establish follow-up meeting or observation if appropriate

40. HIGH RELIABILITY SCHOOLS

41. The culture of most school faculties has been highly individualistic, with nearly all interaction over day-to-day operations • Without collective action, schools have difficulty addressing problems that cannot be solved by individual action • Various models for team teaching have included forms of a collegial, inquiry-oriented notion.

42. Coaching

43. The extensive use of study teams and councils to facilitate learning is recommended • Each teacher and administrator has membership in a team whose members support one another in study • Each person can have membership in a coaching team of two or three • Each team is linked to one or two others, forming a study group of no more than six members

44. The principal and the leaders of the study group in a school form the staff development/school improvement council of that school • A representative from each school within a district cluster serves on the District Cluster Network Committee, which coordinates staff development efforts between schools and the district and works directly with the director of staff development

45. The coaching teams and study groups are the building blocks of the system • Team members support one another as they study academic content and teaching skills and strategies

46. Transfer... • Transfer refers to the effect of learning one kind of material or skill, or the ability to learn something new • Teaching, by its nature, requires continuous adaptation; it demands new learning in order to solve the problems of each moment and situation

47. Horizontal transfer refers to the conditions in which a skill can be shifted directly from the training situation in order to solve problems • Vertical transfer refers to conditions in which the new skill cannot be used to solve problems unless it is adapted to fit the conditions of the workplace

48. Setting up arrangements for the trainees to develop a self-help community to provide coaching is regarded as essential if transfer is to be achieved • Ideally, “coaching teams” are developed during training

49. Coaching involves three major functions: • 1- provision of companionship • 2- analysis of application • 3- adaptation to the students

50. Provision of Companionship • The first function of coaching is to provide interchange with another adult human being over a difficult process • The coaching relationship results in the possibility of mutual reflection, the checking of perceptions, the sharing of frustrations and successes, and the informal thinking through of mutual problems