Often, during coaching cycles, coaches
observe teachers. That’s helpful in that it may allow us to offer
recommendations, ask thought-provoking
questions about the learning, and affirm
or praise
things that went well. But I’m more and
more convinced that giving the teacher the chance to be on the observing end is
a coaching practice I can’t live without!
Observing a lesson in action can
sharpen teachers’ attention to student learning and broaden their instructional
repertoires. Observation supports inquiry and provides opportunities to further
develop their teaching craft.
When observing, teachers are freed
from the ongoing, intensive brainwork of on-the-spot decision-making. As an observer,
they don’t have to worry about what the student on the other side of the room
is doing or get materials ready for what will come next in the lesson. They can give their energy to watching and
listening. As Shelley Harwayne describes, observers have the chance to drive in
the slow lane,* deciding what they will pay attention to and when.
During observation, teachers can be
encouraged to both look at the big picture and also to lean in to look more
closely. They can note the arrangement
of the room and how the choreography of the lesson is playing out, then zoom in
to focus on the work of one group or one student. These are the benefits of being an observer.
Effective observation starts with wondering.
During a pre-observation meeting with the teacher, review the lesson and discuss
what you are wondering about. Will students grasp the concepts as intended?
Will they find the work interesting? Together, review the lesson plan with an
eye toward what to watch for. Consider
the planned learning activities, how you anticipate students will respond to
these activities, and what you should both be sure to notice along the way. You
can simulate the lesson in your mind, imagining together how students will
respond to questions. You can consider processes students might use and missteps
they might take.
Observing a lesson in action opens the
door to new possibilities. Through observation, teachers can soak up ideas and
sharpen their vision for student learning. If you are usually the one doing the observing
during coaching rounds, it’s worth turning the tables and giving teachers the
opportunity to observe. That’s the
modeling phase of the GIR model. It can be the initial step in a coaching
round or one you return to as you see the opportunity for a teacher to glean
the benefits of driving in the slow lane.
----------------------------------
Giving teachers the opportunity to observe
is something I’m passionate about! You
can read more about it in my book, Collaborative Lesson Study,
that LAUNCHES THIS FRIDAY! I’M SO
EXCITED! The book is available here, and the 20%
discount code is still good: TCP2019. Please
indulge me in celebrating this book. I’m
so excited to share what I’ve learned!
*Harwayne, S. (2000) Lifetime
Guarantees. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
Strategies
for building relationships with hard-to-reach teachers:
Taking “status of the class” online:
The
Frayer model for learning vocabulary (great for content-area learning):
Wow
students with positive messages about their upcoming learning:
Core
routines for making thinking visible:
That’s
it for this week. Happy Coaching!
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