Chapter 9
The Pre-observation Conference

“Instructional leaders spend time in classrooms conducting classroom observations.”

“The clinical supervision model has evolved over the years to include three closely interrelated processes: the pre-observation conference, the classroom observation, and the post-observation conference, as illustrated in Figure 9.1.”

“This and the next two chapters examine major processes and practices included in pre-observation conferences, the classroom observation, and the post-observation conference.”

“Given their fast-paced workday and myriad extracurricular activities (e.g., club moderator, member of the school improvement team), teachers rarely have time to talk with other adults about their classroom practices.”

“The pre- and post-observation conferences of the clinical supervisory model provide teachers this valuable opportunity.”

“Furthermore, conversations during these conferences allow the teacher and the supervisor to plan the process collaboratively, which in turn promotes shared ownership of the supervision process.”

“Gall and Acheson (2010) indicate that the supervisor’s main responsibility is to serve as “another set of eyes,” holding up the “mirror of practice” in which the teacher can examine specific classroom behaviors.”

“Supervisors who collect stable data during the observation provide a clearer portrayal of the events in the classroom.”

“During the conference that precedes a formal classroom observation, the supervisor determines what kinds of data to gather.”

“The pre-observation conference opens the door to the teacher’s world in the classroom.”

“During the pre-observation conference, the teacher and supervisor establish the focus for the classroom observation.”

“In talking about concerns or areas of practice, the teacher should take the lead (though the teacher’s career stage naturally makes a difference here).”

“This conversation supports decisions about what data will provide useful information for the post-observation conference and what tools the supervisor will use to gather that data.”

“Effective pre-observation conferences have common characteristics.”

“Collaboratively planned and conducted by the teacher and the supervisor, these conferences are non-evaluative in nature and designed to establish the observation’s purpose and focus.”

“They also link the previous and current supervisory cycles.”

“Pre-observation conferences are beneficial to both the teacher and the supervisor and foster relationship building between them.”

“To identify the teacher’s interests and concerns in an appropriate manner (directive informational, collaborative, or self-directed).”

“To clarify that the primary purpose of the observation is to improve teaching and learning.”

“To reduce stress and make the teacher feel comfortable about the process.”

“To choose an observation tool and schedule the visit and post-conference.” (p. 123)

“The pre-observation conference sets the stage for all that follows.”

“Goldhammer (1969) describes three stages of the pre-observation conference: fluency, rehearsal, and contract.”

“These important components will maximize the benefits of the pre-observation conference for both a teacher and a supervisor. Figure 9.2 summarizes the description of these stages.”

“Most school systems have their own pre-observation form.”

“The teacher might want to complete this form in advance, although the supervisor and teacher should work together to determine the focus during the conference.”

“The pre-observation form presented in Figure 9.3 can help the supervisor to review the learning objectives for the lesson to be observed, better understand the classroom during the extended observation, identify the focus of the observation, and get teachers to talk about their classroom practices.”

“Think of the most hectic teaching period or segment you have had this year.”

“Imagine that your supervisor walked into your classroom during this time and stayed for 50 minutes.”

“What do you think the outcome would have been (1) with a pre-observation conference and (2) without a pre-observation conference?”

“Ask a teaching colleague if it would be possible to conduct a pre-observation conference using Figure 9.4. The pre-observation conference can be held before school, during a mutual planning period, during a lunch period, or after school.”

“After the pre-observation conference is over, reflect on the following:”

“The length of the pre-observation conference”

“The amount of talking you did versus the amount the teacher talked”

“Artifacts shared (e.g., seating chart, teaching materials, samples of student work).”

“Reconstruct the experience and identify what went well and what you would do differently the next time you conduct a pre-observation conference.”

“Perhaps the most important feature of the pre-observation conference is determining the focus for the upcoming classroom observation.”

“Why is the focus so important? This is a complex question with a multifaceted answer.”

“The focus serves to promote dialogue between the supervisor and the teacher, help the teacher identify a growth area, and help the supervisor identify what concrete data to gather and what observation tools to use.”

“Who should direct the focus portion of the pre-observation conference? The teacher? The supervisor? Both?”

“Opinions vary, and there are no universal truths. Ideally, the supervisor and the teacher mutually agree on a focus for the observation.”

“Career stages and adult learning are examined in Chapter 6, the needs of beginning teachers in Chapter 12, and the foundations of job-embedded professional learning in Chapter 4.”

“As professionals capable of thinking critically about instruction, students, curriculum content, and methods, teachers are able to make informed decisions about the development of their practices and thus direct their own learning.”

“Teachers can identify the observation focus area based on their interest in a target area, their perceived need to improve in a specific area, their desire to follow up on professional development, or their desire to try a new technique.”

“When the teacher assumes responsibility for directing the observation focus, the supervisor takes a more indirect approach, perhaps helping the teacher to flesh out an area of focus.”

“The supervisor perceives a particular need and guides the teacher to focus on this target.”

“Supervisors tend to take a directive approach with certain groups of teachers (such as first-year teachers or those on a plan of remediation).”

“A supervisor-directed focus can certainly be positive and fruitful; however, teachers often feel greater autonomy when they have authority to determine the observation focus.”

“Regardless of who sets the focus, it must be realistic.”

“If the focus is too broad, the supervisor and teacher will be unclear about the data to be gathered.”

“If the focus is too ambitious, the observer will need to collect too much data scattered across too many areas.”

“In Figure 9.5, for example, has Ms. Sanchez asked Ms. Elliot to focus the observation too broadly? Should Ms. Elliot try to work with Ms. Sanchez to narrow the focus? If so, what approach should she take?”

“First-year teachers might need guidance in developing the observation focus. Consider the following sequence:”

“For the first formal observation, let the first-year teacher guide the focus with minimal input from the supervisor.”

“Based on the first observation, exert more influence, if necessary, on the focus of the second formal observation.”

“Link the focus of all subsequent observations to data from prior observations and the discussions in post-observation conferences.”

“Ms. Sweeney, a 17-year veteran language arts teacher at Arlington Middle School, teaches a district-wide professional development course on cooperative learning. Teachers in her building often observe her cooperative learning lessons.”

“Mr. Brown, the new assistant principal at Arlington Middle School, has been assigned to supervise Ms. Sweeney. During the pre-observation conference, Mr. Brown asks Ms. Sweeney what she would like the focus of the observation to be. She responds, “How I monitor cooperative learning groups as they work.””

“Should Mr. Brown try to get Ms. Sweeney to choose a different focus?”

“What additional information does Mr. Brown need from Ms. Sweeney to be clear on the focus? How should Mr. Brown proceed and why?”

“The focus steers the observer through the steps of the observation in order to”

“Identify the instrument to collect useful data that will, for example, portray the teacher’s and students’ activities or words, classroom procedures, instructional methods (pedagogy), and classroom management strategies;”

“Focus intently on instructional behaviors, record events, and present the teacher with a rich portrayal of practice to discuss and analyze during the post-observation conference;”

“Assist as the teacher identifies an area to examine in detail.”

“Teaching does not occur in a vacuum; unexpected incidents may unfold during the observation.”

“The supervisor may well notice events that fall outside the focus and may choose to discuss them, but with caution. Trust is at stake.”

“Letting unanticipated incidents clutter the post-observation conference can smack of “snoopervisory” or “gotcha” tactics.”

“Did the incident completely overshadow all instruction? Will the teacher continue to encounter problems? Is the teacher even aware of the incident? Will calling attention to the event diminish the teacher-supervisor relationship?”

“During his classroom observation of Ms. Sweeney, Mr. Brown notes that two students in one of the cooperative groups are doing homework for a different class and a student in another group is reading a magazine. In a third group, three of five students do not have their books.”

“The focus agreed on in the pre-observation conference was monitoring group work, not off-task behavior of students. If you were Mr. Brown, what would you do?”

“If you asked a group of teachers why they hesitate to ask their supervisors to focus on an area of concern, the answer would more than likely be fear, specifically the belief that their supervisors are out to get them.”

“This fear, now practically a tradition in preK-12 schools, grows whenever a supervisor supplants supervision with summative evaluation that serves only to comply with state mandates.”

“In the book, Supervisors and Teachers: A Private Cold War, Blumberg (1980) concludes that clinical supervision is irrelevant in a teacher’s professional life; it has become merely an organizational ritual.”

“The only way to combat this fear is to build trust between teachers and supervisors.”

“Teachers may hesitate to admit a weakness, especially if they have experienced evaluation as supervision, have not engaged in open, fault-free discussions, or fear that their jobs are on the line.”

“However, many teachers will ask for help if they know they need it, especially if they believe their supervisors will provide useful insights and resources.”

“One way for exploring communication between supervisors and teachers is the Johari Window.”

“Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham (1955) developed the Johari Window to describe personal knowledge and interactions in terms of four panes:”

“Open pane: information that is known by the person and others; information is shared and public.”

“Hidden pane: information that is known by the person but hidden from others, as in a public persona.”

“Blind pane: information that is factual but unknown by the person, as it is a blind spot.”

“Unknown pane: information that is not known to the person or to others; the unknown pane is a person’s unconsciousness.”

“Supervisors can use the Johari Window to consider how teachers feel about being observed and to interpret what teachers say or do not say in the pre- and post-observation conferences.”

“While working with teachers to frame a focus for the classroom observation, for example, the supervisor may be asking them to disclose a weakness that lies behind the hidden pane.”

“Teachers who are comfortable with their Johari Window need very little prompting to identify a focus for the classroom observation.”

“Teachers with little experience, first-year teachers or those unfamiliar with the intents of supervision, might be more reluctant. The supervisor’s job is to coach teachers in this aspect of professional growth.”

“Some teachers are (or appear to be) very open when discussing their teaching, readily sharing both the triumphs and the trials of their efforts in the classroom.”

“Such teachers often are willing to have others (teachers, supervisors) visit their classrooms to observe, gather ideas, and give feedback.”

“These visits are good learning opportunities, if the teacher is, indeed, effective. However, such classroom observations could be disastrous if the teacher’s practices and self-image are not congruent.”

“Jackie Arnold is a veteran teacher who enjoys a good reputation among her peers. The principal assigns Tess Navarro to Jackie as a student teacher. ... After school one day, Jackie invites Tess to give her feedback.”

“Tess says that Jackie’s voice sounds “cranky” and that she excluded certain male students from the class discussion. When Tess shares these observations, Jackie becomes defensive, characterizing Tess as a “know-it-all” whose insights are clouded by the “idealism” of a beginning teacher.”

“Develop a plan for expanding the blind pane of Jackie’s Johari Window.”

“Teachers who operate mainly in the hidden or secret part of the window say little about what goes on in their classrooms.”

“Their reticence arises not from incompetence, but from insecurity or fear of not meeting expectations.”

“One approach is to engage the teacher in a general discussion of classroom practices and the learning objectives for a particular lesson. From this platform, the supervisor can guide the conversation with more specific questions.”

“It may take time to discover, or even uncover, what really matters.”

“We do not always see ourselves as others see us. The supervisor at the back of the room may observe an aspect of a teacher’s classroom practices that needs attention, though the teacher is unaware of it.”

“Bringing such aspects into the open can be a difficult task, especially if the teacher resists recognizing or acknowledging them.”

“On the other hand, teachers may also be blind to their own strengths (although such news is usually welcome).”

“In framing effective feedback, the supervisor should rely on objective data gathered during the observation.”

“The unknown pane is the most difficult for people to open. This area hides information that only the individual can discover.”

“Reflection, disclosure, and feedback can lead to this discovery, freeing the potential that lies behind the unknown pane.”

“This aspect of the Johari Window offers perspectives that apply particularly to the post-observation conference, which is discussed in Chapter 11.”

“Arrange to observe a teacher you know relatively little about. Conduct a pre-observation conference with Figure 9.4 as a template.”

“When you get to the section Focusing for the Observation, track the reaction you get from the teacher you are going to observe.”

“What do you notice about the interaction?”

“In what pane of the Johari Window do you suspect the teacher is operating?”

“What supervisory skills might help you work with the teacher to open the Johari Window?”

“The primary tool for the pre-observation conference is some type of pre-observation conference form (see Figure 9.4).”

“However, conducting a classroom observation requires other preparation as well. Effective supervisors arrive at the teacher’s classroom ready to work.”

“The following are some additional tools they use for an extended classroom observation.”

“During the classroom observation, the supervisor’s responsibility is to collect accurate, objective data that reflect events.”

“As Sergeant Friday used to say on Dragnet, “Nothing but the facts, ma’am.” These data underpin the teacher’s reflection and growth during the post-observation conference and beyond.”

“The pre-observation conference can be a learning opportunity for teachers; successful conferences promote dialogue about teaching, with the teacher in the lead.”

“The supervisor’s goal should be to extend the dialogue by asking questions that invite reflection and further analysis.”

“A key component of the pre-observation conference is determining a focus for the classroom observation. In a sense, the focus serves as a guide for both the teacher and the supervisor; it positions the supervisor to collect useful data for the teacher to analyze later.”

“In developing the focus of the classroom observation, teachers open one or more panes of their Johari Window.”

“How much teachers disclose about their practices during the pre-observation conference depends on their experience and the degree of trust between supervisor and teacher.”

“The pre-observation conference sets the stage for the classroom observation.”

“The following activity, Flash Focus!, was developed by Zepeda (2012) with assistance from doctoral students at the University of Georgia as a way to provide (1) ample opportunities to practice finding a focus, (2) pick a tool to use to collect data, and then (3) collect data during an observation.”

“To start the activity, go to YouTube and type in “teachers teaching” or other similar descriptors. Pick a video clip to watch.”

“Within a minute, find a focus for the classroom observation and choose a tool that appropriately collects the data for the chosen focus. For the next several minutes, collect data using the selected tool.”

“Why did you choose that focus? Explain the tool you chose and why. What did you discover about the process and skills needed to conduct informal classroom observations?”