Post-conference Reflection ...effective communication is key.

While completing the post-conference, the video helped me to see that I continue to reveal characteristics of the Artistic/Humanistic clinical supervisor.  During my observation experience with the teacher, I determined that she is best characterized as a knowing teacher. Our collaborative discussion was good throughout the observation cycle.  However, as I reflect, I know I would have been even  more effective if I  had been more descriptive in pulling out the facts pertaining to her lesson delivery.  She did not follow through on the objective of teaching the reading strategies through explicit instruction within a mini-lesson. It did not happen.  In her reflection she feels she stayed on course towards a learning outcome. The video reveals segments of our discussion where I should have been more direct and descriptive with the teacher.  Direct and descriptive language is best for communicating with a knowing teacher.  I enjoyed the clinical observance experience and look forward to working with her on future lesson studies PD.  This will help her with lesson development and alignment that follows through to a formative assessment.  It will also allow her to practice teaching through explicit instruction.  In addition to lesson studies, we plan to work on projects that are action research related and focused on family involvement. She did not score well in that area and I will work with her in those areas.  I am the guardian provider personality type and the caring personality does surface while working with teachers  to help develop them into more effective teachers.

My guardian provider temperament type is reflected in my supervisory style.  Overall, I think the personality results and communication styles are more accurate than none.  It helped me to better communicate with the teacher I observed by knowing her learning style.  Interestingly, she fit the image of a knowing teacher, while I am a caring teacher. It is important to know that both of these types have their own unique characteristics for communicating and learning.  This information should remain a part of one's thinking if the goal is to be an effective supervisor...all types are unique. It was good to see the subcategories for orchestrators and caregivers, my clinical languages, described in more detail including stern as one characteristic. Not that I do not want to be seen as a caring teacher. Pajak describes orchestrators in the way that they can be as tough and demanding as the organizing teachers.   I will work to incorporate languages that may be less dominant as I work with teachers and their many different teaching and communicating styles. My dialect is thinking and intuiting. This information has great value to me now.  After all, effective communication really is the key to successful clinical observations.

Reflection 1--Room Arrangements

During the room arrangement walk-throughs at our middle school, many of the classrooms displayed a variation of the Gliffy examples of classroom seating.  There were also several that reflected the diagrams of Evertson and Poole (2007) in the seating arrangement case study unit.  Interestingly, I noticed quite a mix of room arrangements; the most common arrangement was that of groups in clusters. I visited several classrooms in all content areas, but focused more on the language arts rooms. The language arts classes account for the majority group cluster seating arrangements. Small group reading instruction was similarly mandated at the middle school level about seven years ago in our school system.  Most teachers began to place students in groups of four to six based on their reading lexile score. Those groups become a part of a cluster to make up three reading groups. Flexible groups are developed based on students’ skill mastery of learning outcomes.  I suppose this accounts for seating to match the lesson purpose described by Drs. Evertson and Poole. Evidence of small group instruction is one of our focus walk “look fors.” Small group room arrangement was also the choice arrangement in math and science classes, regardless of the lesson being taught.

In my classroom, a temporary unit located just outside the main building, I have short rows that are perpendicular to the front and back of the room.  My desk is located in the back with barstools on front side of my desk to provide students a mini reading/writing lab and a conferencing area.  It was interesting to see my classroom design named in the diagram as a writing lab. Our team goal statement for this school year is, “Growing Analytic Readers and Writers for 21^st Century Colleges and Careers.” The goal statement is influenced by the onset of the common core curriculum standards and the thrust for more writing across the curriculum.

Evertson and Poole (2007) state that rows or pairs are best for seatwork, test and independent work. Most teachers, in designing their classroom, rarely use the standard single row mission style seating. However, there were a few classrooms with rows and pairs. One such classroom had established routines for transforming the seating arrangement quickly into groups. The teacher appeared to move throughout the class with ease providing differential instruction,whole group directed. The teacher in this room had multiple (generally stated) objectives posted all over the classroom. Our focus -walk observation tool “look for” calls for a clearly defined objective aligned with a formative assessment. She was given a score of 1, for partial implementation. A score of 2 is given for full implementation. Clearly defined objectives with measurable learning outcomes benefit students, helping them to self-monitor as the teacher guides instruction. The teacher did not get the full score in that area (objective). However, established rituals and routines with the room arrangement were conducive to student learning. The students appeared to learn the lesson concepts on poetry and language style. 

As I reflect, I know that objective writing for this teacher has been in question.  Posting multiple generally stated objectives has been the same issue for the last three years.  She is a veteran teacher of 46 years. The observation team (math chair, reading specialist and myself) scored the teacher accordingly (for objective) based on our observation tool. This teacher does not intend to change the objective format.  Does it mean her teaching style is faulty or does not meet the standard?

Pajak’s work in his book, Honoring Diverse Teaching Styles, is a wonderful resource that helps me to identify psychological functions as an observer’s self-reflection tool. I know that room arrangement matters and can enhance instructional delivery.  I must say that I never really incorporated it as a major factor during observations, but would point out room arrangement if I thought it interfered with the lesson effectiveness. After looking into room arrangement as a factor for observations, I realize it will benefit me to develop auxiliary functions and not rely solely on my dominant functions during observations. Pajak (2003) describes how the four psychological functions (thinking, sensing, feeling, intuiting) interact and their influence on classroom observation. After all, the ultimate goal is student achievement and building teacher capacity. I will continue to explore qualitative observations to provide a broad and complex recording of classroom life (Glickman, 2010). Exploratory work in this area will prove effective while honoring various teaching styles as I work to develop my capacities in supervision.   

Reflection

Throughout the course of the ISTE program, I expect to gain a wealth of knowledge on how to better serve the students, teachers and fellow leaders working within the administrative capacity.  To date, throughout the course orientation, I feel I have garnered from the instructors and the educators within the cohort. The varied experiences that each member bring to the table has proven very useful. I hope to gain a wealth of knowledge that supports the theory and practice that generates effective schools.

Some steps that I will take to ensure success is an an ongoing exploration of the ELC online educational platform.

I will certainly continue to use the To Do list and the other features available for self-monitoring.  Working together with colleagues within the program is central to practice tools for success. Closely reading the required material and collaborationg with colleagues on how to best utilize the information is a major step that I will take for success. Further, working collectively to transform schools to meet common core standards is essential to success.

I still need support on organizing a systemic flow to accessing the various ELC class features.  Currently, I access multiple links before locating exactly what I am looking for. I have been using a notetaking system for writing points from the website to help channel and focus my train of thought to complete the many facets of the orientation activities.  The challenge with creating a flow for me right now, is due in part, to a late start.  I realize that the course work will present even greater demands.  Developing a systemic flow to complete all work thoroughly is where I still  need support.