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:
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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