Case 1: Supporting Teachers to Be Self-regulatory
Te Tautoko i ngā Kaiako kia

The focus of this case is supporting teachers to be self-regulatory learners – that is, to notice and act on the impact of their practice on their students’ learning. 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 in order to improve outcomes for students.

Melanie Winthrop is a facilitator for the Literacy Professional Development Project (LPDP). This case provides some insight into the theory about practice analysis that she and her colleagues have been developing. Melanie observes a writing lesson by teacher Glenda Stewart at Rata Street School, and she and Glenda meet to discuss the lesson at the end of the day.

Leading ISTE learning for this case

In this case, users are able to observe an ISTE at work with a teacher. Melanie supports Glenda to notice the impact of her classroom practice on student learning and to build her knowledge of literacy theory in ways that will enable her to improve her practice. At the same time, Melanie herself is intent on improving her practice as an ISTE, by applying the theory of practice analysis she has developed with her colleagues and finding ways to identify the impact of her conversation with Glenda.

The starting point for Melanie’s inquiry may well mirror what many ISTEs in your group have experienced. Observing classroom practice and giving feedback on it is common practice for ISTEs, but this approach often seems to make little difference to actual student achievement. This is why the theory of practice analysis shown on screen 3 (Beliefs) emphasises the importance of evaluating the impact of learning conversations. As your group works through the case, it may be helpful to keep before you the theory of practice analysis and to discuss how what happens in the case relates to the theory – for example, how each video clip from Melanie and Glenda’s conversation on screen 4 (Learning experiences) links to particular aspects of the theory.

This case could also be used to link to ideas explored in some of the other cases. For example:

• Glenda and Melanie are exploring the impact of teacher modelling on classroom learning. Modelling as a teaching strategy is also explored in Case 2 (see video Clip 3), which shows ISTE modelling for teachers;

• Screen 4 (Learning experiences) prompts you to consider to what extent you work with colleagues to examine and improve one another’s practice. It may be interesting to compare how Gillian Tasker supports her colleague Barbara in Case 6 to examine her practice and better align it with her espoused theory;

• a strong feature of both this case and Case 1 (see video Clip 12) is the way in which they explicitly link an ISTE’s inquiry with teacher practice and student learning.

How this case reflects the ISTE inquiry and knowledge-building cycle

Diagram text version

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