Why do we still have so many MISFIRES with classroom observation? (Part 06)

We’re just better at it than most…with the exception of “politicians”, perhaps! Think about it – when we are in the classroom, what options ("modalities", even) do we have to help us TEACH? Basically, I have found FOUR (tell me, if you know of more - and, no..."mime" does not count)…

…but, as a profession, what do we (still) do most of?

Let's stick with this notion of "reflection" for a minute!

It is a key element of almost all effective classroom observation programmes.

As I said a…gift from the heavens! The challenge is when we have someone who perhaps does not where to start or is not as “savvy” in the reflection stakes. This is where we need to think about how we get them from where they are now…to where they could be. As we noted in Part 4, having a fit-for-purpose observation cycle is a great start for many observers and institutions – however, when we come to post-conferences or feedback sessions, we need to think about a “feedback cycle”. This use of feedback cycles is not “new” – medical professionals have been doing this for years in their clinical practice with “doctors-in-training”. Indeed, they have come up with some pretty specific guidelines for how they should be doing the business of feedback in medicine:

But the basic idea is there – if you want someone to reflect, do less TELLing yourself! If we go back to what we were saying earlier about ASKing, I think we educators can probably come up with a better “feedback cycle” than Meredith Grey and her mates!

Oh, look – here’s a little something I prepared earlier!