Positive Observationsand Feedback

Carla MeyerUniversity of Delaware

Today’s Agenda

• Icebreaker Activity• Observation Powerpoint• Brainstorming activity• Discussion• Video Clip• Feedback Powerpoint• Video Clip• Back in the School

What roles do observations play in your school?

The Role of Observations

• Create a channel of open communication between literacy coach and the teacher

• Assist the teacher to examine and improve practice

• Track ideas and practices taken from professional development into the classroom

• Enable effective school improvement(Walpole & McKenna, 2004)

Challenges of Observations and Feedback

• Brainstorm• “Think” of all the challenges you face

during observations and feedback• “Pair” with a partner to share your

challenges• “Share” your challenges with the group

Positive Climate-The Key to Professional Growth

• Never link professional development with evaluation

• Never make documentation of observations public

• Establish trust and identify goals in a pre-observation meeting.

• Openly share observation and feedback procedures and timeline.

(Walpole and McKenna, 2004).

Video Clip• Scenario--You have established a positive

climate with Sarah, a teacher in your school. She will be conducting a lesson in phonemic awareness. During the pre-observation meeting, together you established that she wanted to focus on her explicit instruction. Watch the following video clip and use the observation data to create feedback for Sarah.

Constructive Feedback

• Post-observation conferences should be done in a timely fashion

• Comments include sincere, positive feedback

• Do not test the teacher • Remember to offer to help the teacher(Walpole & McKenna, 2004).

Video Clip

• Let’s try again. Watch another clip of Sarah teaching. Use the observation data to provide feedback of Sarah. How would frame your feedback to Sarah differently?

Goal Setting

• “Think” of one concept from our session you plan to take back to your school

• “Pair” to share your thoughts with a partner

• “Share” with the whole group