Classroom Observation

&
Effective Feedback
!
!

Kerry Clarke

My Background

Team Leader of Mathematics & Science at BCC

Teacher of Mathematics for 25+ years
I have been working at BCC for the past 15 years
Before that I was teaching Mathematics in Geraldton

Why am I presenting?
I am Belmont City Colleges representative at
the PD on Classroom Observation for our
network.
!

I have attended 2 days of the PD, presenters

being Chris Porter, Cliff Gillam and Judy Petch
(key presenter from AITSL for both days)
!

There are plans for a third day in term 3.

Classroom Observation Aims

1. To improve teaching quality in WA
2. Have a cultural change in schools
resource allocation needs to change so
teachers have time to view others
3. To improve student outcomes for WA
!

Cliff Gillam

DoEs Employee Performance Policy

Policy changes . . .
Implementing of the Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers
and the
Australian Performance & Development
Framework (with a particular focus on
effective classroom observation)

Australian
Teacher
Performance
and
Development
Framework
!

Performance Management
Performance management will provide
the opportunity for each individual to
demonstrate their achievements,
examine areas of the their work where
they could improve, and get the help they
need to do it.
Employee Performance Policy p.3

Performance Management
A major priority of the Departments Strategic Plan.
Priority 3 of the Plan. . . . High quality teaching and
leadership states:
Build a culture of high expectations and
high performance
Also an important aspect of Classroom First
Strategy:
Meaningful accountability: asking the
hard questions

Classroom observation is
part of the Focus 2014
strategies for improvement in
the quality of teaching as well
as reference to the use of the
Standards.

Performance Management Plans

Should . . .
contain goals, performance indicators,
timeframes and agreed support.
outline skills and knowledge to be developed.
show the goals to be specific, measurable and
realistic.

Framework School Flexibility

Schools vary widely in their existing
approaches to teacher performance and
development.
The framework describes the elements of an
effective approach to teacher performance and
development, but acknowledges that these
elements will look different in each school.

Research shows. . . .
Most effective schools are professional learning
communities that exhibit a positive and strong
performance culture, where leadership is both
highly supportive and has high expectations.
!

A performance culture is enabled when there are

strong professional relationships and leaders
know staff well.

Video clip First day

Schools are places where

adults and students learn.

What happens as schools improve?

Increased consistency in expectations for
high-level student learning
Increased consistency in practice across
classrooms and grade levels
Increased cross-talk among teachers and
administrators about problems of teaching and
learning
Increased collaborative planning and problemsolving around instructional practice
Increased efficacy, locus of control on the
relationship between teachers practice and
student learning

Framework
Four Essential
Elements

Accountability . . .
Accountability must be a reciprocal process. For every
increment of performance I demand from you, I have
an equal responsibility to provide you with the
capacity to meet that expectation.
!

Likewise, for every investment you make in my skill

and knowledge, I have a reciprocal responsibility to
demonstrate some new increment in performance.
!

(Elmore 2000)

Standards . . . .
It is expected that all teachers will use the
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers as
a prime reference to reflect on their practice,
in setting goals, determining professional
learning needs and support, and on which to be
assessed.

To improve, teachers
need to know how well
theyre going.

Teachers will benefit from

receiving feedback on how well
they are going and access to
support that will assist in their
professional growth.

Effective teacher mentoring and

coaching that is intensive and
involves regular classroom
observation and feedback helps
teachers diagnose their students
learning needs, and develop
classroom management skills
and pedagogy specific to their
subjects.

Research . . .
Research indicates that classroom
observation and providing
constructive feedback is making a
difference in improving teacher quality.
!
http://grattan.edu.au/static/files/assets/6b005c72/808-makingtime-for-great-teaching.pdf

Schools . . .
All schools are at different stages on a
continuum for:
Performance management
Classroom observation
Classroom practice continuum
!

Schools must nurture growth when dealing with

classroom observation.
!

Schools cant be a toxic environment.

Classroom Observation
You must have a deep knowledge base
to be able to give valid feedback.
!

Observations
Peer observation: not mandatory
Line Manager observation: mandatory

A change in culture will change beliefs

!

Talk about it all the time

Wander in/out of classrooms all the time
Talk to students
!

Once these points begin to happen, people will think

differently about classroom observation

VIEW: Blackadder

 Classroom Practice

Classroom Practice Continuum

Level 1 demonstrates practices that should
be evidenced at the Graduate career stage

Level 2 & 3 demonstrates practices that
should be evidenced at the Proficient career
stage

Level 4 & 5 demonstrates practices that
should be evidenced at the Highly
Accomplished career stage

Level 5 & 6 demonstrates practices that
should be evidenced at the Lead career
stage

The level descriptions are

guidance for practice
rather than prescription.
Regardless of the process,
multiple forms of evidence
should always be used to
ensure that the evidence
required for any form of
informal or formal
evaluation or review is
adequate, authentic,
appropriate and accurate.

The Classroom Practice Continuum

is guidance for practice rather than
prescription.
The Continuum:

is not a pedagogical model

is not a deficit model
is not a list of discrete behaviours
is not designed to be taken into the classroom to
record evidence
does not replace existing observation tools
is not an instrument that can or should be the only
source of evidence

Classroom Observation
15 20 minutes is adequate & to be repeated
!

First Level Questions:

1. What is the teacher doing?
2. What is the teacher saying & to whom?
3. What is the student doing?
4. What is the student saying & to whom?
5. What evidence is there of student work?

View: Video clips from AITSL

!
!

Graduate Teacher
Proficient Teacher
Highly Accomplished Teacher
Lead Teacher

if you walk into a classroom

and sit down next to a
student, ask them what they
are doing and why, and you
dont get a clear answer, it is
highly unlikely that any
powerful learning is taking
place.
Professor Richard Elmore
Harvard University

How would you

describe the
academic tasks
that students
are asked to
engage with in
your school?

UNPACKING RIGOR

LOW

CONTENT

PROCEDURAL,
RECALL TASKS;
EXPLICIT
TEACHING OF
RECALL
STRATEGIES

HIGH

COGNITIVE DEMAND

LOW

EXPLICT TEACHING
OF PREREQUISITE
KNOWLEDGE;
RIGHT ANSWERS

HIGH
SPEED, FLUENCY IN
RECALL AND
PROCEDURAL
TASKS; EXPLICIT
TEACHING OF
COMPLEX RECALL
STRATEGIES

MULTIPLE POINTS OF
ENTRY; MULTIPLE
STRATEGIES;
INDIVIDUAL
STUDENTS WORKING
AT THE EDGE OF
ZONE OF PROXIMAL
DEVELOPMENT

VIEW: Video clip - funny teacher

Books to read . . .
Making time for great teaching
- Gratton Institute

Resources . . .
AITSL website
Self Assessing Tool
Looking at Classroom Observation
Teacher Toolkit
Illustrations of Practice
!

AITSL My Standards App

!

Measures of Effective Teaching MET

(website & youtube)