Ni Hao

Kohikohia ngā kākano, whakaritea te pārekereke, kia puāwai ngā hua Gather the seeds, prepare the seedbed carefully, and you will be gifted with abundance of food

What will observation of our practice look like? Appraisal – Next steps What is good evidence? What will observation of our practice look like?

Baseline understanding check… How well do you understand? What is ‘good’ evidence and how to evaluate this? What an observation of your practice looks like?

Aims for today… To develop a shared understanding of …. What is ‘good’ evidence and how to evaluate this. The processes around the C.M. observing our practice.

What is ‘good’ evidence? You have: set your goals/inquiries planned for how you will meet these outlined what might make for evidence to prove you meet the Tātaiako/PTC’s/What makes for good RTLB work. & You have sent this planning to to the CM.

So now you need to begin to consider and select evidence…. This is where you are like a curator in a museum, thoughtfully selecting pieces that tell a story. The story being, how you are improving akonga learning and your own practice. So how do we know what pieces to select?

Matatū Aotearoa, The Education Council NZ has put together some tools to help us determine this. Included in these are: Identifying Significance Sources and Perspectives Necessary and Sufficient Flow chart for evaluating our evidence Along with the Backward Mapping tool we are already familiar with.

Identifying Significance Think about your everyday work that is linked to your goals and enquiry. You have already considered what might be evidence. From these consider ones that have really made you think/work hard/consider what you are doing, how you are doing it and why. While these may not be your ‘best’ first up work they are often your ‘sweetest peas’ as they have impacted your practice and/or your akonga’s practice. Identifying Significance

Sources and Perspectives. Consider your evidence in terms of sources, perspectives and time. Ask yourself are there any gaps? What are they? How might you address these? Sources and Perspectives. Sources – who has provided this evidence? Are there multiple sources? Perspectives – whose perspectives are represented in this evidence? Are there a number of different people Practice over time – Does this evidence demonstrate your practice over a period of time, not just 1 offs?

Necessary and Sufficient Consider your evidence in terms of what is necessary and what is sufficient. Ask yourself does this tell the story of the difference being made? Is there too much evidence, not enough? Necessary and Sufficient Outcomes: This is the Key. If well selected this evidence will show the difference you are making to your akonga/your RTLB practice? Teaching: What you actually do with the akonga but not enough in itself either as is does not prove the difference you are making to akonga/your RTLB practice. Planning: The essence of what we do but not enough in itself as it does not prove it actually happened.

Ask yourself which Tātaiako/PTC’s/What makes for good RTLB work, this evidence demonstrates? Backward Mapping

Evaluating our evidence - Having a go with some buddies at using the tools. Complete this task Take the evidence provided and read through this. Check which PTC/Tātaiako/What is good? you believe the evidence demonstrates. (Backward Mapping tool) Talk about the evidence to see whether you are reasonably convinced that it is the “sweetest peas.’ (Identifying Significance tool, if not reflect, discuss and list what could be added, be explicit) Identify the sources, perspectives and time represented by the evidence (Sources and Perspectives tool, reflect, discuss and list any gaps/surpluses and what would be needed, be explicit). Identify what is necessary (and not necessary), sufficient (and not sufficient).(Necessary and Sufficient tool, reflect, discuss what would be needed to fill the gaps or if some things are irrelevant, be explicit about why you think as you do). Consider and list how this evidence might be organised, what reflections you could add to it and how to annotate this to tell the story  

The Observation/s

Matatū Aotearoa The Education Council NZ advise that at least 2 observations of practice should occur each year. What will these ‘look like’ for us?

Step 1 The RTLB chooses the focus of the observation according to their appraisal goals and/or enquiry and confirms this with the school/staff involved The RTLB negotiates with the CM a time for a pre-observation conversation: needs to be at least 1-2 days ahead of the observation could be in person, by phone, by skype Thursdays are a good day for the CM and a booking schedule will come out asap. First observations to be completed by term 3

Step 2 The RTLB prepares for the pre-observation conversation by considering and confirming: the focus of the observation (what goal/inquiry area) what in particular they would like the CM to observe for what role each person in the observation will take what PTC’s/Tātaiako they consider might be seen what the written feedback on the observation template might look like. MEANWHILE…

… The CM looks through the database file/s associated with the observation completes a checklist for all ‘paperwork’ with written comments re this if necessary (file check). NB.This forms the beginning part of the written feedback template.

Step 3 The pre-observation conversation takes part between CM and RTLB confirming: the observation and its details (as already outlined) the template for use during the observation the time needed for the visit, including travel and feedback for the observation The CM writes up the co-constructed part of the template and sends it to the RTLB & The RTLB confirms with the school/staff the time for observation and a place to meet afterward for immediate feedback.

Step 4 The observation takes place with each person completing their assigned role.

Step 5 The feedback meeting takes place immediately, covering both the observation and file check. The RTLB is welcome to keep written notes and/or a recording of the discussion with these remaining their own property. Forward planning for the next observation is flagged by the CM and included in their notes. NB The 2nd observation may be completed by the CM or the PL. The notes made by the CM during the file check, observation and discussion are copied at the time so that both parties have their own copy of these.

Let’s model a conversation for you…

Final understanding check… How well do you understand now? What is ‘good’ evidence? What an observation of your practice looks like?