Professional Documents
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Improving Teaching: One Conversation at A Time
Improving Teaching: One Conversation at A Time
One
Conversation
at a Time
Teacher evaluation
conferences become
more effective when
we shift the focus from
inspection to reflection.
Shelly Arneson
S
peak in such a way that others
love to listen to you. Listen
in such a way that others
love to speak to you. As this
anonymous quotation implies,
both speaking and listening are essential to
effective communication. Its unfortunate,
then, that meaningful two-way exchanges
are largely absent from teacher observation
and evaluation conferences. Here are some
suggestions for how school leaders can make
conversations about improving professional
practice more collaborative, shifting the
focus from inspection to reflection.
SUSIE FITZHUGH
ASCD / w w w . ascd . o r g 33
Stefanie felix
Overcoming Fear
of the Unknown
Principals who want to
Making Better Use of Time Inspection talk with teachers need
One of the best strategies for reducing Principal: So, how did you feel the to overcome their fear of not having
the time necessary for reflection lesson went? all the answers. Their attitude should
conferences is narrowing the topic. Teacher: I guess their behavior was be, were going to learn and grow
Instead of trying to talk about every- pretty good, except for Joseph falling together. In one study (Arneson,
thing, focus on a couple of key prac- asleep. Hes had problems with that. 2012), I wanted to find out which
tices. Then you can spend less time Have you talked with his mom at all? factor was more important in deter-
addressing the question, How did Principal: I havent, really, but that sure mining whether teachers trusted their
you feel the lesson went? (which, by was an issue. Other than that, how did school leadercharacter or compe-
the way, was how I began conferences you feel the lesson went? tence. A common feeling among the
for many years as a principal). This Teacher: I liked the lesson plan. Mrs. more than 500 teachers participating
question feels safe to school leaders Schwab is going to use it for her class, in the study was, I dont mind if you
and to teachersbut it can take up an Ithink. dont know all the answers. Just be
inordinate amount of time. Principal: Well, thats good. What else? honest with me about that. I need to
Instead, focus on the data you col- Reflection know I can trust you.
lected in the observation. Pick one or When you admit you dont have
two key areas in the teachers practice Principal: Lets take a look at the data all the answers, the dialogue often
from the observation, particularly the
that will have the most effect on transitions. becomes more reciprocal. As a school
student learning, and start there. This leader, you have some information that
might sound like, In what ways did Teacher: The evidence you collected, you can share with the teacher about
especially the time stamps that showed
your questioning techniques in this how many minutes it took my students best practices youve seen in many
lesson invite students to participate in to do certain things, really helped different classrooms. But you need
the discussion? This shift does not me see that my transition times are to remember that the teacher knows
require more time, but rather a better too long, which decreases the level of his or her students and classroom
use of time. engagement. better than anyone and likely has
Heres how an inspection-based Principal: I noticed that, too. How could some valuable thoughts about how
conversation and a reflection-based you shorten the transition times to to improve learning for the stu-
conversation might differ. increase engagement? dents. The conference thenbecomes
ASCD / w w w . ascd . o r g 35