1. Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons 113991-CP-1-2004-1-MT-GRUNDTVIG-G11 Teaching Practice Observation Module 11

2. General objectives of the Module: To support teachers` practice and ongoing professional development through supervised peer observation and self observation. To support teachers` practice and ongoing professional development through supervised peer observation and self observation. To encourage teachers` adoption of a reflective, enquiring stance to their practice as a means of on- going professional development. To encourage teachers` adoption of a reflective, enquiring stance to their practice as a means of on- going professional development. To develop teachers` ability to identify and recognise structural and dynamic components of educational situations. To develop teachers` ability to identify and recognise structural and dynamic components of educational situations. To equip teachers with the instruments and techniques necessary to implement observational strategies that enable them to reflect on their practice, and monitor the teaching/learning process in a systematic, collaborative way. To equip teachers with the instruments and techniques necessary to implement observational strategies that enable them to reflect on their practice, and monitor the teaching/learning process in a systematic, collaborative way.

3. Module Content: three main blocks/topics: 1. Reflective practice for on-going professional development 1. Reflective practice for on-going professional development 1.1. Concepts of teacher professional learning, on-going development 1.1. Concepts of teacher professional learning, on-going development 1.2. Reflective teaching 1.2. Reflective teaching 1.3. Peer observation and Self observation as means of reflective teaching and on-going professional development 1.3. Peer observation and Self observation as means of reflective teaching and on-going professional development 2. Elements of teaching practice observation 2. Elements of teaching practice observation 2.1. Focussing the observation 2.1. Focussing the observation 2.2. The process of observation: approaches and techniques 2.2. The process of observation: approaches and techniques 3. Teaching practice observation 3. Teaching practice observation 3.1. Peer observation 3.1. Peer observation 3.2. Self observation 3.2. Self observation

4. Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons 113991-CP-1-2004-1-MT-GRUNDTVIG-G11 Teaching Practice Observation Session 1: Reflective practice for on- going professional development Module 12

5. Learning objectives: To discuss the concepts of teacher professional learning, on-going development and reflective teaching as structuring elements of teaching as a profession To discuss the concepts of teacher professional learning, on-going development and reflective teaching as structuring elements of teaching as a profession To discuss peer and self observation as main forms of individual and collaborative support to reflective practice and on-going professional development To discuss peer and self observation as main forms of individual and collaborative support to reflective practice and on-going professional development

6. TASK- Identifying Professional Needs In pairs: (i) reflect on their past experience of involvement in teacher education programmes and past teaching experience; (ii) reflect on problematic issues raised during the present course related to teaching in prison (iii) make notes and prepare a brief report to the group (iii) make notes and prepare a brief report to the group

7. Guiding questions through the task: What do you consider to be your main strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? What do you consider to be your main strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? How have you tried to overcome such difficulties? How have you tried to overcome such difficulties? What are the main difficulties that you think you will face as a prison teacher? What are the main difficulties that you think you will face as a prison teacher?

8. professional learning, on-going development and reflective teaching What is prison teacher on-going professional learning and development? What is prison teacher on-going professional learning and development? How does prison teacher on-going learning and professional development support inmate students? How does prison teacher on-going learning and professional development support inmate students? How does prison teacher on-going learning professional development support prison education improvement? How does prison teacher on-going learning professional development support prison education improvement? Why is on-going learning and professional development important to prison teachers? Why is on-going learning and professional development important to prison teachers?

9. PEER OBSERVATION “You might be a brilliant teacher but you can’t spot everything in your own classroom. The delight that someone else comes along and picks out something that you didn’t even know was going on, or the simple comment from a colleague that “I’d never thought of teaching it like that, what a brilliant idea”. “You might be a brilliant teacher but you can’t spot everything in your own classroom. The delight that someone else comes along and picks out something that you didn’t even know was going on, or the simple comment from a colleague that “I’d never thought of teaching it like that, what a brilliant idea”. Ruth Alinek, training and development adviser for Hertfordshire “Teachers have different strengths, and it’s useful to see colleagues in action so that you can perhaps adopt techniques yourself. It’s all about sharing good practice. I’ve been teaching for 14 years, but you can become insular.” “Teachers have different strengths, and it’s useful to see colleagues in action so that you can perhaps adopt techniques yourself. It’s all about sharing good practice. I’ve been teaching for 14 years, but you can become insular.” Francisco da Costa, Blake Valley Technical College, Staffordshire (General Teaching Council for England, Peer Observation, TPLF02, September 2006)

10. Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons 113991-CP-1-2004-1-MT-GRUNDTVIG-G11 Teaching Practice Observation Session 2: Elements of teaching practice observation Module 12

11. Learning objectives: To develop awareness of the process of conducting teaching practice observation To develop awareness of the process of conducting teaching practice observation To discuss the main elements of teaching practice observation: dimensions and techniques To discuss the main elements of teaching practice observation: dimensions and techniques

12. TASK – CASE STUDY INDIVIDUALLY: read the case/watch the video taped lesson in a prison context in order to identify key situations INDIVIDUALLY: read the case/watch the video taped lesson in a prison context in order to identify key situations IN PAIRS: compare notes in order to: IN PAIRS: compare notes in order to: (a) write objective descriptions of the situations observed (a) write objective descriptions of the situations observed (b) identify main themes emerging from their descriptions (b) identify main themes emerging from their descriptions (c) discuss and interpret the results of the analysis (c) discuss and interpret the results of the analysis (d) prepare a report to the group (d) prepare a report to the group

13. Guiding questions through the task: What are the issues here? What are the issues here? What went wrong here? What went wrong here? What strategies did the teacher use to overcome the problems? What strategies did the teacher use to overcome the problems? What struggles does the teacher face in balancing his/her expectations and the inmate students` expectations? What struggles does the teacher face in balancing his/her expectations and the inmate students` expectations? What else could the teacher have done to face the problems? What else could the teacher have done to face the problems?

14. DISCUSSION: What assumptions do the teachers in the cases make about inmates as learners? What assumptions do the teachers in the cases make about inmates as learners? What conceptions of teaching and learning inform the teachers` practice (methodology, classroom management, communication, interaction with inmate students, etc.)? What conceptions of teaching and learning inform the teachers` practice (methodology, classroom management, communication, interaction with inmate students, etc.)? What kinds of support could be appropriate for the teachers? What kinds of support could be appropriate for the teachers? What would you advise the teacher to do at this point? What would you advise the teacher to do at this point? What might the teacher have done earlier to prevent the situation/problem? What might the teacher have done earlier to prevent the situation/problem? What changes might prevent this problem from happening again? What changes might prevent this problem from happening again?

15. naturalistic observation/interpretative inquiry Observation Observation Description Description Analysis Analysis Interpretation Interpretation

16. THE PROCESS OF OBSERVATION a) Purposes of Observation (i) descriptive purposes (ii) formative purposes (iii)evaluative purposes

17. (b) The Focus of Observation The classroom setting: the physical and social environment of the classroom. The classroom setting: the physical and social environment of the classroom. How would you describe the physical environment of the classroom? How would you describe the physical environment of the classroom? How is the classroom organized to promote learning and productive communication? How is the classroom organized to promote learning and productive communication? What is the multicultural background of the classroom? What is the multicultural background of the classroom? Are cultural differences taken into account, accepted and respected? Are cultural differences taken into account, accepted and respected? Teaching: approach/methodology, interaction patterns, curriculum management. Teaching: approach/methodology, interaction patterns, curriculum management. How appropriate is the teaching methodology/approach (directed learning, cooperative learning, etc) to the inmate students` learning styles? How appropriate is the teaching methodology/approach (directed learning, cooperative learning, etc) to the inmate students` learning styles? How effective are the strategies and tasks implemented to the learning objectives? How effective are the strategies and tasks implemented to the learning objectives? How appropriate are the materials used to the inmate students` age, background, skills? How appropriate are the materials used to the inmate students` age, background, skills? Are the inmate students given effective feedback by the teacher? Are the inmate students given effective feedback by the teacher? How effective are the assessment procedures adopted? How effective are the assessment procedures adopted? What type of interaction is promoted? And how effectively? What type of interaction is promoted? And how effectively? Are inmate students encouraged to express themselves and accept others? Are inmate students encouraged to express themselves and accept others? Are the topics covered in the lessons explored in view of the multicultural diversity of the class, the inmate students` interests and expectations? Are the topics covered in the lessons explored in view of the multicultural diversity of the class, the inmate students` interests and expectations?

18. (c) The Role of the Observer  The participant observer  The non-participant observer (d) The Modes of Observation  naturalistic and experimental modes of observation  systematic and non-systematic modes of observation  longitudinal and non-longitudinal modes of observation

19. MAIN DIMENSIONS OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATION DIMENSIONSDESCRIPTORS PURPOSES (Why observe?)  Descriptive  Formative  Evaluative OBSERVER`S ROLE (Who does the observation?)  Non participant  Participant: active role/passive role FOCUS (What to observe?)  Facts-----------representations  Attributive-----narrative  Individual-----group MODE (How to observe?)  Naturalistic---------experimental  Systematic --------non-systematic  Longitudinal--------non-longitudinal

20. Learning objectives: To experience collaborative professional development through the practice of peer observation To experience collaborative professional development through the practice of peer observation To develop observational and reflective skills and abilities To develop observational and reflective skills and abilities

21. PROCEDURES FOR PEER OBSERVATION Pre-observation meeting discuss the topic/content of the lesson, the lesson plan and your expectations in order to: -Determine the focus of the observations -Determine the focus of the observations -Decide on the observation techniques to be used (e.g. naturalist observation techniques, time sampling, duration, frequency counting, etc.) -Decide on the observation techniques to be used (e.g. naturalist observation techniques, time sampling, duration, frequency counting, etc.) -Choose a recognised/published classroom observation schedule or develop their own observation schedules. -Choose a recognised/published classroom observation schedule or develop their own observation schedules.

22. The observation Conduct of the observations according to the procedures established in the pre-observation meeting (above). Conduct of the observations according to the procedures established in the pre-observation meeting (above). Post-observation meeting follow-up/ de-briefing discussion share and discuss your impressions — aspects of the lesson that you found interesting, challenging, most helpful, surprising, confusing, instructive, etc. You may wish, for example, to hear more about the rationale behind a particular strategy, ask for insights or ideas on best practices from your peer`s experience with a difficult situation, or discuss strategies for rapport-building with students. share and discuss your impressions — aspects of the lesson that you found interesting, challenging, most helpful, surprising, confusing, instructive, etc. You may wish, for example, to hear more about the rationale behind a particular strategy, ask for insights or ideas on best practices from your peer`s experience with a difficult situation, or discuss strategies for rapport-building with students.

23. Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons 113991-CP-1-2004-1-MT-GRUNDTVIG-G11 Teaching Practice Observation Session 4: Teaching Practice Observation: self observation Module 12

24. Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons 113991-CP-1-2004-1-MT-GRUNDTVIG-G11 Teaching Practice Observation Session 3: Teaching Practice Observation: peer observation Module 12

25. Learning objectives: To experience professional development through the practice of peer observation To experience professional development through the practice of peer observation To develop observational and reflective skills and abilities To develop observational and reflective skills and abilities

26. PROCEDURES FOR SELF OBSERVATION Bearing in mind the feedback received from your peers and tutor in the peer observation task: (i) think of a particular aspect of your teaching that you would like to improve. This will be the focus of your observation; (ii) plan a half-hour lesson and decide on the most appropriate technique you are going to use to record data of your own observation. This depends on the focus and interest of the observation; (iii) teach the lesson and collect the data following the established procedures; (iv) analyse the information collected and write a report of the observation

27. Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons 113991-CP-1-2004-1-MT-GRUNDTVIG-G11 Teaching Practice Observation Session 5: General discussion and assessment Module 12

28. Learning objectives: To reflect on the experience of involvement in peer and self observation To reflect on the experience of involvement in peer and self observation To discuss the implications of transferring the knowledge and skills developed in the course unit to future teaching practice To discuss the implications of transferring the knowledge and skills developed in the course unit to future teaching practice To assess the course unit To assess the course unit

29. SELF OBSERVATION Planning (pair work): bearing in mind the feedback received from your peers in the peer observation task: Planning (pair work): bearing in mind the feedback received from your peers in the peer observation task: (a) choose a particular aspect of their teaching that they would like to improve. This will be the focus of observation of their own teaching practice. (b) plan a half-hour lesson and decide on the most appropriate technique they are going to use to record data of their own observations Observation (individual work): teaching and collecting the data following the established procedures Observation (individual work): teaching and collecting the data following the established procedures Post-observation (pair work): Post-observation (pair work): (a) analyse and interpret the data (b) compare and discuss their results (c) prepare a report to the group

30. TASK–Critical reflection on experience Pair work:  compare and discuss notes on:  main gains from the course unit and relevance to teaching practice  transference to future teaching practice in the prison context, and how to overcome possible difficulties  evaluation of the course unit  prepare a report to the group

31.  General Discussion: reports by the pairs and general discussion of relevant topics  Assessment of the course unit: feedback from participants (orally and/or written)