A framework for exploring theories underpinning practice

An ISTE describes how the use of a framework for surfacing and analysing theories of practice has become a mechanism for growing both teacher and ISTE knowledge-of-practice.

I’m working with other facilitators in our institution on improving the effectiveness of the conversations we have with teachers after observing aspects of their practice. To do this, we tape the conversations and analyse them against a framework.

At first, we used a conversation framework that was valuable for agreeing on the observation focus and on how we used evidence to inform our discussion. However, as we reflected collectively on transcripts of the conversations, we became aware that our advice was only found to be useful if it matched the existing practice theories held by the teacher. If it didn’t, it was often discounted or taken on board in ways that were not easily transferred into practice.

We realised that we were using a new task for an old action. Observers would describe practice and move straight into giving advice without discussing the theories of practice that informed what had been observed. Nor were observers articulating or exploring, with those they’d observed, the theories that informed their feedback and advice for improvement.

It became obvious that we needed another framework to help explore the theories of practice that sit behind our decision making. So we developed the following framework to make us more aware of our assumptions and actions.

Theories of practice framework

1. My judgments about what was observed: “What is my evaluation of the situation?”
2. My assumptions about what lies behind practice: “Why do I think they did what they did?”
3. My judgments about better practice: “What do I think is best practice in this context?”
4. My intervention theory: “How should I feed back? How should I raise the ‘issue’?”

The first conversation I analysed using this framework was between myself and a teacher on her practice in reading instruction. I was able to see that we had not explored in much depth her assumptions about what’s important in early reading instruction before moving on to what she might do differently. I had not been particularly clear on my assumptions about early reading instruction, either. Instead, I had suggested improvements to what she was doing. The conversation may have had more impact if I had engaged the teacher with her assumptions and beliefs more deeply.

I find the framework questions a really effective tool for analysing my practice transcripts and reflecting on how effectively I am helping others to make sense of their practice. They are particularly helpful for surfacing beliefs and theories that might get in the way of changes to practice.

Reflecting on practice in this way is helping me to be clearer about the practice conversation I am about to have and to shape a more co-constructed conversation, one that is less manipulative. I now know that I need to ask the person I’ve observed the same sorts of questions so that they have an opportunity to explore their theories.

An example of this was when I was supporting a literacy leader in her leadership role. We’d identified that she has different beliefs about writing from some other teachers in her school. We were discussing an upcoming conversation she was to have with one of these teachers. I used the following questions to guide our discussion of the practice she’d observed:

• What were your judgments about what you saw?
• Why do you think the teacher did what she did?
• What do you think she should do?
• How will you raise this?

This made it easy for me to help her to examine her beliefs and to surface what she needed to explore further with the teachers and how she might do it.

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