Elements of the Educational Mentor Model - What receiving clear, consistent and effective mentoring means

Completing a Lesson Observation 

Teaching observations are one of the tools in the cycle that facilitate professional learning for trainee teachers. Observations and the subsequent focused discussions allow trainees to;

• • Make the links between university and school based learning and application in the classroom.

  • Provide opportunities for them to discuss and analyse components of effective lessons and sequences of lessons.

  • Support trainees to identify concepts, knowledge, skills and principles of a subject.

  • Discuss and analyse with the trainee how to identify subject misconceptions and how to prevent them.

  • Explain and discuss the rationale for curriculum choices and how the schools curriculum informs lesson planning.

Before the lesson observation

Discuss the aspect of practice the trainee has been practising including the experts they they have observed and activities they have completed to research and rehearse the skill.  Ask the trainee to talk through their planning specifically the learning intentions, teaching sequences and activities.  All lesson observations are completed via the e-profile using the subject specific prompts

Using the video clip below complete a maths lesson prompt sheet. For their target, this trainee had been practising implementing organisational routines. 

Examples of subject specific lesson observation feedback  from partnership schools.

Pedagogic Focused Discussion (Feedback)

Feedback should occur immediately or as soon as possible after the lesson. Mentors should refer to the ITE curriculum to support discussion.

This post-lesson discussion should aim to;

• • • Reflect on what the trainee has learnt and can do

    • Provide an opportunity for trainees to reflect on their progress against previous targets

    • Provide an opportunity for the mentor to confirm or correct areas identified by the trainee for development

    • Provide a forum to jointly reflect and evaluate the quality of teaching and how it has impacted on pupil learning and    progress

    • Develop the trainee’s knowledge and understanding further through focused questioning

    • Agree subject specific and or pedagogical targets and a sequence of steps or activities to complete them. E.g planning an opportunity to observe or talk to an expert.

    • Ensure the trainee can articulate their understanding of the next steps and their timeline for completion.

    • Organise and agree opportunities for the trainee to practise the particular aspect of teaching or subject knowledge.

Trainee targets should be sequenced incrementally starting with basic skills and progressing to more sophisticated ones. They should be clear measurable and agreed by all parties and where possible and should inform the choice of future goals. 

Watch the video below illustrating a Pedagogic Focused Discussion. Reflecting on the aims above is this a successful dialogue? 

Setting Subject Specific Targets 

Drawing on the work of Grossman (2018) use the poor examples (WABOLL)  provided below to consider a target or sequence of targets for a trainee. 

Discuss your ideas with a partner on how you would make the feedback more subject specific and support trainee progress.