Clinical Observation: Post-Conference Analysis

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Post-Conference Analysis

I observed Ms. Sabrina Rose on December 3, 2012, and our post-conference was held on December 10, 2012.  After the observation, I asked the teacher to complete a brief survey/reflection about the lesson I observed.  My data collection tool, our school district’s adaptation of Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching, was filled with my notes and comments from the observation.  Before the post-conference, I labeled the data and rated the teacher based on the evidence I gathered.  I also completed a post-observation survey.  All three of these documents were ready to share during the post-conference.  Our post-conference was held via a private webinar/meeting using Blackboard Collaborate.  I was able to use the whiteboard space to upload the documents and a sample of student work so we could review them together.  We both used our webcams to see each other during the conference, as if we were in the same room. The post conference was recorded.

What strengths and/or improvement areas did you notice about the environment and tone of the post observation?

Because this conference occurred online, the variables are different than in a face-to-face meeting, yet I felt it was just as effective.  We could see each other’s facial expressions and hear the tone in our voices.  I saw her actions indicating whether she agreed and/or understood what I said.  We had tested and practiced using the online meeting space before the conference to ensure the technology worked smoothly.  From a technical perspective, the conference proceeded without any glitches.

During the post conference, I asked a series of questions to get a sense of Ms. Rose’s level of satisfaction with the lesson and if she thought it was an effective lesson in general.  I felt that my questions were kind and caring and that they did not threaten her nor cause her to feel defensive.  We were conversing about the lesson in a constructive manner, and the online format did not impede the progress of the conference.  Because we had the documents shared on the whiteboard, we had the added benefit of being able to view the same document, and could use the tools to point to text or underline certain comments.

What strengths and or improvement areas did you notice in the conference about strategies to improve instruction?

During our pre-conference, Ms. Rose shared her concerns and her goals for the year regarding improving instruction.  We referenced that conversation in the post-observation conference.  I began by sharing the positives that I saw during the lesson and commended her on how at ease she looked instructing the students, that she clearly loves what she is teaching, and cares for the students in her classroom. I told her that while I agree that her lesson was mostly an effective lesson and that students were learning, I felt that the lesson lacked real depth and did not challenge the students to use their higher-order thinking skills. I then proceeded to share the areas where I felt she needed improvement and provided suggestions on how to improve specific aspects of the lesson.

In the conference, which behavior did you seem to predominantly use?  Do you think this was an appropriate approach given the developmental level of the teacher? 

I wanted to clearly encourage and model a collaborative approach during the conference. Ms. Rose, a novice teacher needs to see the observation process as a combined effort to improve instruction for students, and not as a “gotcha” or more “directive” in nature.  I believe this was an appropriate approach.  Ms. Rose is open to improvement, is aware of her strengths and weaknesses, and is committed to doing the best she can for her students.  A collaborative approach will nurture this teacher’s improvement as she progresses and gains more experience.