A collegial conversation – talking about instruction helps teachers find new ways to engage Students
by Holly Holland
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Overview
This is an extremely readable case study. It presents a discussion between teachers from different backgrounds regarding their planning and implementing of assessment strategies. It would pair well with the article by McTighe and O’Connor, which also looks at effective strategies for assessment. They could be used together for professional learning sessions with staff across learning areas and levels.
A Collegial Conversation is useful for its suggestion of five steps to guide professional conversations. The steps, which are similar to those recommended by Joan Dalton and David Anderson of PLOT (Professional Learning Online Tool), are suitable for a range of situations, particularly as a way to get people thinking about making changes to their current practice. The process begins with the teacher giving a reasonably detailed description of a unit of work, what students did, and how they were assessed. Then colleagues ask clarifying questions, which the teacher responds to in step three. In step four the colleagues offer feedback and suggestions. Step five is the teacher’s opportunity to respond and conclude the session. It is a well-established structure, similar to that used for feedback in writing groups.
Because it describes the process in detail, the article brings the process alive and shows how effective shared, reflective, professional conversations can be. It may be important to consider the make-up of groupings for this activity, as a certain amount of trust and openness is required.
Reflective questions
These reflective questions might guide you in your reading of this article:
- This model identifies five steps for gaining feedback from colleagues. Reflect on how this process might work in your school. How would you develop a collegial way of working, establish trust, and organise the process so that people feel safe and willing to contribute to a high level? Are there prerequisites that would need to be in place first in terms of school culture?
- Consider how the five-step process could be adapted for different purposes? For example, would your senior management team be able to use it to review policies and strategies that are in practice school-wide?
Further reading
Mulford, B., & Silins, H. F. (2003). Leadership for organisational learning and improved student outcomes – what do we know? Cambridge Journal of Education, 33(2), 175–195.
McTighe, J., & O’Connor, K. (2006). Seven practices for effective learning. Educational Leadership, 63(3), 10–17.
References
Holland, H. (2006). A collegial conversation – talking about instruction helps teachers find new ways to engage students. Schlechty Center for Leadership in School Reform.
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