1. Observation as Professional Development for Teaching Artists
Arts Education Conference: Collaborating for Quality
Observation as Professional Development for Teaching Artists

2. Welcome to This Thank Tank!
Communities In Schools of Chicago
Who are we?
What do we do?
Who am I?

3. Goals For Today
We will examine how observation is a valid form of professional development
We will investigate what makes feedback the most beneficial, and how we can apply that to the observation process
We will consider how we can create a culture of observation within our respective organizations
We will consider ways we can start this process and create opportunities for teaching artists to get this benefit

4. Background
16-17 Arts Working Group
What we did
What we learned

5. You Have…
Let’s go over what you should have near you for our think tank today
Note catcher- Use it if it works, don’t if it doesn’t
Example Observation Form We will reference, but ultimately for your use/edits
Example Observation Agreement- We will reference, but ultimately for your use/edits
Example Observation Guide- We will reference, but ultimately for your use/edits

6. Who’s in the Room? Do you identify as a teaching artist?
Do you identify as an arts administrator?
Who has participated in observation as part of your job at your organization?
Do you do so within your organization or also outside?

7. How is Observation PD?
You’ll Work: In small groups Your Goal: To examine how observation can be a valid form of professional development Your Prompts: What does/can observing others do for you? For your organization? For Teaching Artists? What does/can observation do for the person being observed?

8. How is Observation PD? How did it go?
Any questions or shared reflections?
If we know these benefits are true, why aren’t we prioritizing this more?

9. What Makes Feedback Beneficial?
You’ll Work: Solo Your Goal: Investigate the qualities of “good” and “bad” feedback Your Prompts: Think if a time when you were given feedback (colleague, peer or someone else) What made it beneficial or not? How did you feel? Think of a time you gave feedback Did you apply your experience(s) to that?

10. What Makes Feedback Beneficial?
How did it go?
Any questions or shared reflections?
How can/does this apply to observation?

11. How Do We Create a Culture of Observation?
You’ll Work: Solo or with someone also at your organization Your Goal: Consider ways your organization is and can be creating a culture where observation is welcomed and expected as part of best practices Your Prompts: T- Chart One side: How are you already doing this/seeing this? Other side: What can be done differently to create this? Overall: Is this process different in cross-agency observation? If so, how?
Reference observation form- provide additional examples of how this could happen i.e. starting with only a few TAs or PDs, or staring internally and moving externally

12. How Do We Create a Culture of Observation?
How did it go?
Any questions or shared reflections?

13. What are the Barriers?
You’ll Work: Solo for a few minutes then pair and share Your Goal: We’ve gone over a lot of information on observation as PD, especially for teaching artists. Let’s consider what the barriers are to doing this more widely as a sector Your Prompts: What are the barriers within your organization? Within yourself? Within the sector?

14. What are the Barriers?
Let’s list some of these barriers together

15. What Now?
We’ll Work: Together Your Goal: Consider what you can do within your sphere of influence to make observation a valid and accepted form of professional development Your Prompts: What can you apply for your own experience and examination today, and from the experts in this room, to your work? What can you do tomorrow? …in 60 days? …this summer?
Reference Observation Guide and Agreement as a something to do- edit these, or look at them and see how they apply or don’t apply
Fill out Post Cards to mail in 60 days
Tell folks about the peer to peer observation sign up

16. Soooooooo… How did it go? Successes? Surprises? Exciting Ideas?
General Takeaways?

17. How’d We Do? Goals For Today
□ We will examine how observation is a valid form of professional development □ We will investigate what makes feedback the most beneficial, and how we can apply that to the observation process □ We will consider how we can create a culture of observation within our respective organizations □ We will consider ways we can start this process and create opportunities for teaching artists to get this benefit

18. Thank you! Robin Koelsch Rkoelsch@cisofchicago.org
ext. 35
@RobinKoelsch
@CISofChicago
#ArtsEdConChi