4.2 Observing classroom practice
A key feature of mentoring is the role of the mentor during observation of practice. As outlined in unit 1 Link opens in a new window(What is mentoring) there are two approaches to mentoring:
- Judgement which assesses solely the teacher's performance in the classroom
- Development which shifts the focus of observation to how teacher decisions and actions impact on the learners.
Developmental mentoring can open horizons and raise a trainee’s self-awareness.
Telling people what we think of their performance doesn't help them thrive and excel, and telling people how we think they should improve, actually hinders learning
Feedback fallacy (Buckingham and Goodall, 2019)
Observation of practice with feedback are key aspects of ITE mentoring so getting this right is key.
Here you are introduced to 2 approaches.
Instructional Feedback
This can be given in a feedback book as an example. It allows the trainee to access the information after the lesson to inform the ongoing conversation between the trainee and mentor.
This allows for reflection-on-action.
Live Feedback
Defined as direct feedback in class when there is a break in action.
This allows for reflection-in-action and on the spot learning.
Think about what needs to be in place to use a ‘live feedback’ approach with your trainee, including how trust, clear expectations, and the lesson environment may influence its effectiveness?