Supporting Teachers to Be Self-regulatory
Te Tautoko i ngā Kaiako kia
“How can I help teachers to really notice and respond to the impact of their teaching?”
The focus of this case is supporting teachers to be self-regulatory learners – that is, to observe the impact of their practice on their students’ learning and to adjust their teaching accordingly. In particular, it explores:
- the use of observed practice and feedback as an activity for professional learning;
- the process and impact of learning conversations;
- the application of theory to practice to improve outcomes for students.
Case participants
Melanie Winthrop
Melanie Winthrop is a facilitator for the Literacy Professional Development Project.
Glenda Stewart
Glenda Stewart is a teacher at Rata Street School in Lower Hutt.
Background
Melanie works with a group of facilitators focused on whole-school improvement in the teaching of literacy. They recognise that for a school this is an ongoing process, that it takes time for facilitators and teachers to really understand the process and the theories underpinning it, and that it’s critical that there are strong links between the various sites of learning in the school.
Classroom observation and feedback is a vital part of the group’s approach. They had worked hard on their process for feedback – for example, by ensuring feedback was based on evidence and that there was a clear agenda beforehand. But it still wasn’t making the difference it needed to, because there were still particular groups of students who were not reaching achievement expectations for their age.
On this occasion, Melanie was working with Glenda, a teacher at an urban primary school that had been involved in the Literacy Professional Development Project for some time. They had planned that Melanie would observe a lesson on writing and, later in the day, they would have a follow-up conversation. An important part of this process is the discussion prior to the observation, in which the facilitator and teacher:
- identify the students’ learning needs and how the lesson will address those needs;
- discuss the key principles underpinning the teaching;
- discuss how they will be able to tell that students are learning what they need to learn;
- identify the teacher’s goals for their own practice and learning;
- clarify the teacher’s and facilitator’s expectations of the observation.
This discussion was really helpful in clarifying Glenda’s and Melanie’s expectations for the observation. However, the challenge for Melanie now was what she would do differently in the follow-up conversation so that it would have more impact than her previous feedback sessions.
Commentators
Helen Timperley
Professor Helen Timperley works at The University of Auckland. She was the lead author of Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis. Her recent research has focused on the ways in which facilitator practice can enable teachers to be self-regulatory.
John Loughran
Professor John Loughran is based at Monash University in Melbourne. He has a particular interest in the importance of reflective practice within teachers’ and teacher educators’ learning.
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