30 May 2025

As part of the teachers' professional learning they have videoed their practice and observed with peers, and together have made sense of what they believe the strengths were in terms of teaching micro-goals in Writing and the next areas for focus - the EBIs. Even Better Ifs. 

In preparation for this learning we did some work about listening and feedback. Feedback is a much required skill in our profession and I believe effective feedback is a rarely found commodity. 

Anyway, to get the teachers on a similar page before they shared the details of their practice with each other we investigated a number of steps that could support the process.

The first was to separate the data from interpretation as the facts, and how we interpret the facts, can often come at us in a big blur. We end up not really knowing the difference.

Next it's important that we get really curious. We need to be aware of the context, the relationships, the experiences, as this will lead to an improved conversation.

The next piece I really like. If the interpretation is different between the observer and the 'practitioner' we needed to be totally aware that maybe we could be wrong. We need to seek differing perspectives.

So then we move further into the listening to how the other person sees and understands the situation. We aren't listening to win, or fix - listening to learn is the thing.

Finally teachers practiced working together on finding a solution, a next steps with thought and care.

This is all part of Teachers' Professional Growth Cycles. There isn't a text book - it's true inquiry in action on a daily basis to be a good teacher. So we will keep working on giving each other feedback in a way that stretches and moves practice and in a way that befits a learning community. Growing together and continuing to ask - "How could I be wrong?". It's a good one.

Have a wonderful extended weekend.