lesson observation matefl seminar july 2013 - final version
TRANSCRIPT
Seminar 6th July 2013
Workshop by Caroline Campbell
Lesson observation: a form of professional development
or a source of distress?
by Caroline Campbell - MATEFL workshop July 2013
Which picture represents class observation?
«I’m going to observe you next Wednesday»
How do you feel?
What would you like to know before the Head of
School/DOS/Mentor observes you?
Observe ME?
Why do some teachers resist lesson observation?
Fear of being assessed and critized
Self-conscious: it’s difficult to be natural
Fear that students might be reticent in the presence of an «inspector»
It’s difficult to ignore the person scribbling away at the back of the classroom
Fear of a written report that might influence certification or employment.
Reluctance to receive advice from a colleague
Lack of trust
Can you mention some types of lesson observation?
Formal observationTrainingProfessional DevelopmentMonitoringAssessmentData collectionUnannounced observation
Informal observationPeer observation
What should observers promote?
Self-development
Self-evaluation
Self-monitoring
Self-assessment
How to prepare for an observation
Pre-observation
Plan the logistics (both teacher and trainer should be aware of them).
The teacher should be informed about the type of observation.
The teacher should do some self-evaluation and prepare a lesson plan.
The trainer should sit and discuss the lesson with the teacher and/or read through the teacher’s self-evaluation notes and lesson plan.
The observer should let the teacher know what he/she would be looking out for.
The teacher should inform the students about the observation.
Post-observation
The teacher should reflect on his/her lesson immediately. (Hot feedback)
The teacher and the observer should have a post-observation meeting, not too long after the observation session. (Cold feedback)
The observer should provide both written and oral feedback.
The teacher should do a post-observation self-evaluation task and draw up an action plan.
A record of the observation together with the self-evaluation tasks and the written feedback should be kept in the teacher’s portfolio.
Giving feedback: an easy job?
Task: Effective Advice
the person involved
the setting
the topic/type of advice
the relationship between advisor/advisee
adapted from Advising and Supporting Teachers: M.Randall with B.Thornton
Task: Effective Advice
Effective Advice
• Led to a solution• Was specific• Was ‘owned’ by the
receiver• Was given by a person
who was trusted• Was given by a person
who had more knowledge of the situation
Ineffective Advice
• Wasn’t taken up• Had no particular action
involved • Was ‘imposed’ from the
advisor• Was offered by someone
who wasn’t trusted• Was given by a person
who didn’t have any real knowledge of the situation
taken from Advising and Supporting teachers: M.Randall with B.Thornton
Authoritative vs Faciltative Feedback
• If a helping intervention is "authoritative", it means that the person "helping" (e.g. mentor, trainer) is giving information, challenging the other person or suggesting what the other person should do.
• If a helping intervention is "facilitative", it means that the person "helping" is drawing out ideas, solutions, self-confidence, and so on, from the other person, helping him or her to reach his or her own solutions or decisions.
The six categories
Authoritative
• Prescriptive
• Informative
• Confronting
Facilitative
• Cathartic
• Catalytic
• Supportive
The advisor gives the teacher information or knowledge about the situation on which to base a new awareness and to facilitate personal growth.
Teacher lacks respect for advisor or process
No confronting
Anxiety distorts behaviour
Advisor is anxious about confronting teacher: anxious about status, about reaction of teacher
Behaviour freed from anxiety
Negative feedback given truthfully and uncompromisingly but non-destructively
Teacher shocked by negative feedback
Teacher becomes defensive
Aggressive feedback
Anxiety distorts behaviour
The problems facing the advisor and possible outcomes from Advising and Supporting Teachers: M.Randall with B.Thornton
Unseen observation
• Pre-conference
• Pre-lesson
• The lesson unseen
• Post-lesson discussion
• Post-conference
Bibliography:
Mick Randall with Barbara Thornton: Advising and Supporting Teachers, CUP
Jim Scrivener: Learning Teaching, Macmillan
IATEFL Voices: May-June 2011, Issue 220 pp. 11
Thank you!
Contact me on:[email protected]
Materials will be available at:www.carecampbell.blogspot.com
Seminar 6th July 2013 byCaroline Campbell