Observing and Chatting with Teachers

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Observing and Chatting with Teachers

• A focus on on instruction, assessment,
  curriculum, how kids learn, change and systemic
  change play out in the everyday world of the
  classroom

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Five Types of Teacher Chats

• A Conference - encourage one or two key ideas -
  usually one
• B Conference - extend that idea into a new area
• C Conference - respond to an area identified by
  the teacher
• D Conference - respond to an area identified by
  the observer
• E Conference - interact with ideas as the lesson
  is happening

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A Conference

• Introduction - bring voice into room, set the
  tone -- similar to the idea of inclusion in
  Tribes
• Phase I teacher identifies what worked and what
  they might do different next time
• Phase II identify one key area and discuss it --
  why it is important
• Thank the teacher

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B Conference

• Introduction (same as A Conference)
• Phase I(same as A Conference)
• Phase II (same as A Conference)
• Phase III explore how that skill could be
  employed in different ways/subjects
• Thank the teacher

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C Conference

• Introduction (same as A Conference)
• Phase I(same as A Conference)
• Phase II (same as A Conference)
• Phase III explore an area identified by the
  teacher as a concern or something they would like
  to learn
• Thank the teacher

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D Conference

• Introduction (same as A Conference)
• Phase I(same as A Conference)
• Phase II (same as A Conference)
• Phase III explore an area identified by the
  observer as a concern or as a possible new area
  to explore
• Thank the teacher

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E Conference (students, teacher and observer
interact)

• Agree on a time and a focus
• Identify how long you are going to be in the room
• Teacher or Observer can stop at an appropriate
  time to ask a question, or to talk about how they
  thought it went -- this can involve students
• Teacher can also ask the observer to teach a part
  or to re-teach a part to see what the kids
  preferred etc.

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Observing Teachers The Lenses

• Classroom management encouraging appropriate
  behaviour and responding to inappropriate
  behaviour
• Instructional methods level of use, power,
  integration do they match support the learning
  outcome
• Knowledge of the curriculum clear objective,
  appropriate level of difficulty
• Assessment for and of the learning

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