Saturday, June 28, 2014

Seeing Instruction Through the Outsider's Lens

There is no more powerful way of learning and improving on the job than by observing others and having others observe us.
Roland Barth

In last week’s post I suggested the idea of lab visits – opportunities for a group of teachers to visit another’s room.  I gave suggestions about the logistics of making these visits happen.  Today’s post focuses on the structure of the visit itself.  Over the years I’ve tested and tweaked the format of these observations, so I thought I’d share with you the structure I eventually landed on for a successful lab visit.

A good lab visit starts with giving teachers a chance to catch their breath – something they rarely get to do while they are teaching!  Review the agenda, including purposes and general learning targets for teachers.  These targets will connect with other work you have been doing at the school or district level (using Socratic seminars, think-alouds, conferring, etc.).  I generally list five or six related targets and ask each teacher to choose the one that interests her most.  Then I ask them to craft a focus question or wondering related to that learning target.  Each teacher who will be part of the lab visit reads her question aloud, and we chart those questions so that we can support each other’s learning throughout the day.  Next we read a quick article about taking a respectful stance while observing, and we review norms for focusing our observation (no talking – to each other, students, or the teacher being observed; trust that the teacher knows her students; shift your focus during the observation; etc.).  If possible, the host teacher joins us to give a quick overview of what we will see.  Before going to the classroom observation, we also talk about structures for note-taking.

Then we go observe a lesson!

After the observation, but before talking to each other, each teacher reviews her own notes, highlighting things that seem important.  Then we take time for written personal reflection – I might provide a writing prompt they can use to get started.  The purpose of the writing is to think about what they have just seen and how it relates to their focus question.  I also ask teachers to jot down any questions they have for the teacher about planning, on-the-spot decision making, and instruction. 

Before asking the host to join us, we review norms for collaborative work that include, for example, pausing before responding, polite probing (“I’d like to hear more about…”) and presuming positive intentions.  The host teacher then joins us.  With her present, we read a short quote that encourages respect when observing in another teacher’s classroom.  The host’s shoulders often visibly drop, and you can see her tension leave, as she realizes we are there to support her.  We want to eliminate, “you should have” comments, recognizing that we can’t change the lesson that was taught – we can only change ourselves.  Next, each participant shares a noticing and tells why it is important (noticings begin with the words, “I saw,” or “I heard” and steer us away from evaluative comments). 

The host then reflects on the lesson, including what she learned from kids.  Teachers follow up by asking her their questions.  Then she leaves.  Participants reflect again briefly (in writing) on what they are thinking now about their focus question.  Then they share their current thinking.  About that time we take a brain break!

After the break, we bring the discussion back to the topic of interest (using Socratic seminars, think-alouds, conferring, etc.).   We break into groups of three and do interview triads.  I provide a few questions related to our topic that are used to frame the “interview,” and the three participants take turns being the interviewer, speaker, and note-taker.  At the end of three rounds, they talk about the similarities and differences between the interviews in their group.  Then we come back together and have a whole group discussion that integrates what they just discussed with what they previously observed in the classroom. 

If time allows, we’ll do a fishbowl or try the approach we’ve been studying so that we experience it from the learner perspective.  For example, one participant might volunteer to read a complex text, sharing their thinking aloud.  Or we might read a related article and then have a Socratic Seminar about that text. 

As closure for our time together, participants write, and then talk, about their learning:  What have you discovered about your focus question?  About your learning target?  What might you do differently tomorrow?

If you’re interested in having teachers observe in each other’s classrooms, I hope you’ll find these suggestions useful.  Lab visits are powerful because when we watch instruction through the outsider’s lens, we are more able to recognize and name key components of effective instruction.  Following up with shared conversations helps us make meaning of what we have seen.  Although it may not be easy to open classroom doors to colleagues, it will be worth it!


This week, you might want to take a look at:

The NCTE Literacy Leader Award application. Two $2,500 scholarships will be given to support professional development in children's literature.  Due June 30!  (Requires a letter of recommendation from a supervisor.)  Sorry for the short notice – I just found out about this!
http://www.childrensliteratureassembly.org/teacher-leader-award.html

If you sometimes provide large-group professional development, you are probably part facilitator, part presenter.  This blog includes ideas to support you as a presenter – by thinking like a comedian!  Studies indicate that laughter boosts memory, so you may want to incorporate some of these ideas:


New series books for early readers:



A blog post about using graphic novels and comic books:


50 top books for teachers:


“I need help”  Read about coaches who were willing to say these 3 little words:



That’s it for this week.  Happy Coaching!

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