Learning and impact
What has Melanie learned and how is it impacting on her practice and on Glenda’s ability to work in a more self-regulatory way?
Melanie feels she’s learned what the theory of practice analysis might look like in an actual conversation. She understands that the observed lesson should serve as the context for the conversation, with the focus on future teaching in both a general and a specific way. Such an approach is more likely to lead to self-regulation for teachers and to their being able to answer for themselves the three critical questions they ask of their students: “Where am I going? How am I doing? Where to next?”
This experience has also reinforced for Melanie that she can only assess her learning and the effectiveness of her changed practice by looking at the impact of that practice.
Two weeks after the observation, Melanie meets with Glenda again to see what difference their conversation has made.
Another important source of evidence is what teachers say about learning conversations and the impact of them. Glenda is in no doubt that student achievement has improved as a result of her work with Melanie over a sustained period of time.
Looking to the future, Melanie says that she will be far more focused in her learning conversations on taking things back to principled knowledge and on finding the best lever for change in different contexts.
Perpectives
What have your learned and how will it impact on your practice?
How do the comments of the case participants and the thinking of Helen Timperley, John Loughran, and others reinforce or challenge your current understanding and practice?
What opportunities are there for you to:
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join with colleagues to inquire into your practice?
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record and analyse with colleagues the conversations you hold with others after an observation?
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monitor the impact of your practice on teachers and students?
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work with teachers over a sustained period of time with a focus on self-regulatory practice?
What challenges or questions can you identify in your current practice in supporting others to be self-regulatory? How do they link with identified learning needs of teachers and students? What evidence do you have?
Which of these challenges or questions would make the most useful focus for your inquiry?
See Conducting Inquiry (pages 43–75) for guidance on inquiring into your practice.
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