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MODULE 2 Lesson 8 - Who can lead PD? Issues, explored

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MODULE 2 Lesson 8 - Who can lead PD? Issues, explored

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“We always start late and over-run.”

·      Encourage presenters to discuss with each other / practise content to ensure it is on time and concise.
·      Establish a culture which encourages being on-time, remind gently that teachers abide by timelyness.

“There's too much to get through in the time available.

·      Encourage teachers to keep points concise

“Once the Director has finished their admin bit, we don't have enough time left because s/he always goes on too long.”

·      Remove director admin from PD and keep separate (possibly weekly meeting on Monday)

“The ideas-sharing activities are always really messy and time-consuming, and there's often nothing to show for it.”

·      Encourage stronger group work and a ‘statement’ from a group just with a single idea, avoiding mess / overflow

“One and a half hours on (e.g.) pronunciation and practical classroom ideas for pronunciation teaching is too much. I run out of stuff to say.”

·      Modify PD session to encourage more group collaboration, rather than just one person talking.

Different possibilities and advantages / disadvantages of who can lead teacher development seminars:

I think there are advantges to having someone in management lead PD’s initially as it sets a good example of what’s expected of teachers when they inevitably give sessions themselves. However if a manager continues to lead sessions in a top-down manner (or without enough group collaboration) this can strongly affect how PD sessions will feel – they may come across as a compulsory, non-stimulating session where teachers aren’t sharing as much as they could.

The best solution is to allow a rotation of new and old teachers as well as some management to ensure everyone gets a chance to present on a topic they feel confident in, and ultimately encourage sharing ideas / collaborating among the team. EIC’s team isn’t a big one and this collaboration can assist rookie teachers in adapting materials / classroom ethics.

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Module 7 – Technology

1. Consider the INSETT provision in your context. To what extent has technology featured as part of your INSETT programme over the past six months?

2. How well-equipped do you feel personally to incorporate technology into your school's INSETT provision?

1.     Primarily INSETT at EIC has used readings available online (procured usually through Google Scholar) as a starting point for teachers to gather / be handed materials based on a specific topic. Following this, teachers typically give a PD session which involves use of PPT / projectors. Finally, anonymous feedback has been adapted from paper to a Wufoo form online.

2.     Personally I feel confident about being able to streamline and improve PD sessions and feedback! I think it might be useful to give feedback in ‘groups’ rather than single teachers, as it might consolidate ideas a little clearer and help management get a clearer idea of what’s being taken away from PD sessions.

Comments on different tech tools:

1.   Google Docs – We have an equivalent, Tongbupan, which is a little messy and hard to use, but does the job in sharing files in a cloud-based manner. Could be streamlined.

2.   Wikis – an interesting concept but needs a lot of time to be refined and built so it could be used for teachers. Also there is not much value in having teachers able to edit pages as far as I can think?

3.   Social Media – WeChat is a powerful tool and could be utilized further (groups for each band? Higher / lower bands?) but overcomplicating things is a risk. Having a teacher’s group for general announcements seems to work well for now.

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An example of CPD I have participated in has been meetings with teachers who are teaching the same level as I (Last term, AE5, three teachers). Regular meetings helped us monitor the content we were covering and how we were tackling the major assignment of the term (WAT), which led to some useful discussions and issues which were addressed. It was useful for teachers to feel all on the same page, but also to see different perspectives on how to approach certain content / chapters in the book, with those who have more experience being able to give detailed explanations / do’s and don’ts.

Regular meetings with teachers helps us feel more connected and secure in what we are doing. It also helps us share ideas and ultimately make the job easier / efficient / more pleasurable!

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MODULE 2 Lesson 4 - Comments on Interviews

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MODULE 2 Lesson 4 - Comments on Interviews

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Catriona:

Her Spain experience was more ‘top-down’ – management led, teachers not encouraged to run sessions – this leads to a disconnect between teachers and the (seemingly superior) management – and they were compulsory!

Her current job allows for teachers to head up PD’s themselves and contribute. Staff can learn from each other much easier and there is no ‘intimidation’. Therefore, much more bottom up.

Kristina:

Teacher led – but she feels that could use more ‘outsiders’ (be it a DOS or other). It would be nice to be ‘broader’ such as theories or ‘why we do certain things’. Feels coursebook-driven.

General comment:

I think it’s interesting that Catriona does mention it’s important to have a balance of both top-down / bottom-up training for staff development. I can see why – without some control or guidance, teachers can be hesitant to participate in development – or they might not know what they can offer!

As for Kristina, I also think about broad topics, but in my opinion it's very easy to go too broad and lose focus / what teachers are actually interested in. I think it's beneficial to try and keep PD's streamlined and focused so that teachers don't feel like they've wasted time!

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1. Read the chapter called 'Mintzberg's descriptions' in the attachment. While you are reading, consider the questions below. Where possible, relate your thoughts on what Mintzberg says to your own experience of working in organisations (not necessarily educational organisations – be as wide-ranging as you like here.)

a) Can you see examples of the different “basic parts” of organisations, as defined by Mintzberg, in the organisations you are thinking of? Are there any parts which are absent? If so, why do you think this is?

b) Which configuration would you most like to work in? What are your reasons for this choice?

c) Which configuration do you work in? (You may find that your answer covers more than one type.)

d) How useful and how real do you find these models?

1.

I can see how my current company reflects this model, quite clearly actually. When I think back to other organisations I have been a part of, some are so small there is no ‘middle line’ – just a direct channel between staff and the director.

Ideally I see Adhocracy as something that is preferred, where most staff have autonomy, however this only works well if everybody is clear what is required of them / the common goal – something which is lacking in my current work. Often it seems middle managers are not clear what they are required to accomplish and this has resulted in some members leaving.

It’s useful for reflecting and starting to realize more visually the chains of command and how they operate.

Takeaway comment: Trying to consider what type of organization I really work at – what’s the culture? I like to think task-focused, but often there isn’t enough communication between people to allow for the adaptability it should have. Still, I definitely see aspects reflected from my company here – especially things like when management steers the boat, morale can drop sharply. Interesting to see reflected here.

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Issues that affect timetabling:

·       Student intake

·       Teacher availability

·       Hours of class vs hours of extra activities

·       Experience of teachers (qualified enough to teach higher levels)

Discussion Forum Task pt 2

1. Would you change or adapt your original posting in the light of the factors you have just worked with in this lesson?

2. Does your organisation display different aspects of the factors you have just worked with?

3. Does your organisation display any factors which are not mentioned in this stage of the lesson?

4. In your opinion, which factor is the over-riding one when it comes to timetabling in your organisation?

1.   Adaptation would take place, to consider the layout / maintenance of classes on our campus. The campus is small and has some issues with air conditioning, room sizes and modifications that need to be made from time to time.

2.   Yes, it is clear to see how our timetabler takes into consideration the factors to ensure the school isn’t operating at a loss / is efficient. Some examples are classroom availability, student numbers, and the status of teachers that our current staff take seriously.

3.   No

4.   Student numbers. Unfortunately, this can also lead to classes not closing early enough and too many students being forced into a course that has too many students already!

Discussion Forum Task

To complete this task:

1. Consider how far the timetable is used for developmental purposes in your organisation.

2. Can you identify any active strategies managers take to illustrate if this is the case?

3. Do you think your teaching staff are aware of the developmental function of the timetable?

1.   Timetabling is quite clearly seen in the staff (timetabler’s) office. In terms of developmental purposes, this method helps them / management clearly identify areas that are currently developing well (popular courses, levels, overall student numbers) which in turn helps them think ahead.

2.   Use of visual planning (+ meetings with concerned staff to consult together), consultation with marketing / outside sales staff in regard to student numbers.

3.   It seems most teachers are just concerned with how many students they have next term / what level they teach, rather than the developmental functions of timetabling.

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1. Where does your organization put most of its energy - on satisfying its internal clients or its external clients?

2. Can you identify any areas where internal client satisfaction could be improved?

3. Can you identify any areas where external client satisfaction can be improved?

4. What does your organization do well in terms of internal client satisfaction?

In my eyes it’s clear that my company invests most of its energy in satisfying external clients – huge efforts are funnelled into marketing digitally and getting students into the programme. Internal issues certainly exist, primarily from a lack of communication and misunderstandings cross-culturally between local Chinese staff and foreign staff.

Internal satisfaction could be lifted with the implementation of clearer processes / transitions between terms. As it stands, it feels like certain staff are delegated to roles, but they aren’t 100% solid or reliable, and often issues get overlooked or addressed in one term, then not the next. Stronger communication is necessary.

Externally it’s hard to say – EIC markets aggressively online to satisfy clients (both prospective and current students), but further work could be done to involve foreign staff (primarily local staff handle all external matters).

Training is provided and programmes paid for which can be seen as an incentive for teachers to develop professionally.

1. Do you think the ancillary services your organization provides are adequate/ insufficient/ need enhancing?

2. If so, what support and training might you need to provide for your staff to maintain a high level of quality service provision in both your core business and ancillary service provision?

3. Do you think provision of ancillary services affects your internal and external clients' view of your organization?

Ancillary services could be improved with better communication / guidelines to what would be beneficial for certain teachers, rather than blanket applying all services to all teachers (we have a mix of fresh and veterans).

Support is already provided for CELTA / DELTA + conferences, but it could be argued that more daily classroom support could be provided through extra material provisioning or research conducted among classes on campus.

Consider if your initial view of who your customers are has changed during your work on this lesson

Whether you would like to address any issues specific to internal customers. If so, what would they be? How would you begin this process?

Hadn’t considered the view of ‘internal’ customers and how this plays a role (quite significantly) in daily work. I can see issues arising in my current position, where some things get said (promised) but never done, typically internally with HR / provisioning. This does cause morale issues among teachers, who seem to feel powerless when issues arise.

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1. Which of these two definitions on the previous page comes closest to your own understanding of what Performance Management is?

2. Why do you think this?

3. Do you have any elements of Performance Management systems in operation in your schools?

4. If so, which elements? How effective are they, do you think?

5. What other elements, if any, of Performance Management would you like to see in operation in your school?

The CIPD definition resonates with me most.  This could be due to a heavier focus on ‘shared understanding’, which I think really does remain a key point in this area.

The most obvious example of a PM system to me would be our observations / prompt feedback sessions which in turn contribute to bonuses, performance reviews, etc. Shared understanding is generated through teachers knowing what the observer is assessing and shared understanding confirmed through feedback sessions.

It mostly works but could be ironed out more. More availability / understanding of all aspects that are assessed could be of benefit to the teachers, as well as a (possibly) digitalized method of advising when observations are expected to take place / are due for teachers.

Further support of teachers and possible rewards for lesson material / creation could be useful – it seems our current teachers are ‘fine’ but strictly work with the book, and don’t often think outside of that. I am a firm believer that personalizing / bringing some material outside the book is refreshing for both the teacher and the class, although I recognize why teachers are hesitant to

1. Identify at least one member of staff whom you line manage whom you feel could improve their performance in one specific area of their work.

2. Consider the range of possible reactions this staff member may demonstrate were you to raise this issue with them. What might you expect and what evidence would you be able to provide to support the point you are trying to make?

3. Consider what strategies you could adopt to deal with the anticipated reactions from the staff member in question. You might like to refer back to the earlier lesson on 'Dealing with Difficult People' here.

4. Once you have reflected on this, are there any organisational steps or approaches you think your organisation could take to address this issue with staff groups? If so, what would these be?

One teacher has recently shown he is quite top-down in his approach and is spoon-feeding his students far too much.

It is often difficult to raise this directly (and clarify why this is an issue) as this teacher has come directly from the university we work in partner with. He has shown that he often doesn’t understand the ‘process-based’ approach, which is vital for top level courses in the program.

In prior discussions I have noted his defensiveness and passive-aggressiveness, but also his seemingly slight belief that the success rate of students is primarily just down to the student themselves, rather than anything from the teacher (thus possibly trying to avoid any accountability).

One strategy is to get him out of the high level course. This approach works slightly better for lower grade students, as strong support is crucial in earlier stages of English study. This has been implemented and I will be ensuring he does not come back to this program. Luckily it seems he does not enjoy teaching said high level, so this is a win-win.

I have suggested and hopefully got him starting to consider why the process is important for students – some meetings we had it seemed he realized how his method had deferred and possibly compromised some aspects of his students – although this is hard to say for certain.

At this stage to my knowledge there is no formal warning system in place – I have seen dismissals for disorderly conduct but no warnings given for teaching protocol – this may be something to consider for teachers who are not willing to compromise and therefore impact students performance negatively (which was seen from recent results).

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MODULE 2 Lesson 2 - A teacher 'standing still'

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MODULE 2 Lesson 2 - A teacher 'standing still'

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2. Think of a teacher in your current work-place who you feel is “standing still” (going backwards).

3. Identify why you think this teacher is not developing and how, as a manager, you would / might deal with this situation.

A current teacher we have on staff that I can see as ‘going backwards’ is one that has previously had issues / conflicts with other staff in the level he was teaching. He chooses to do what is required of him, but often tries to defend his questionable choices in his approach to teaching. It was clear at one stage that his process of teaching the curriculum was far too spoon fed, ie students weren’t able to think for themselves. Through meetings, it was clear he was stubborn to change this, and this attitude has not change.

As a manager I think it’s important to help him understand the issue (especially as it’s a long term issue for these students, if they can’t autonomously study that’s a big issue), but to do so in a careful way. I have seen how stubborn and defensive teachers can get, so I recognize that approaching issues like these in a sensitive way, but also a way in which hopefully they can discover personal issues without me having to spell them out clearly, would be best. Ideally this would lead to the teacher considering how they need to change, but if this did not work out, a more direct approach / meeting would go ahead.

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1. What actually happened?

Two teachers teaching the same level to me (I was not level leader at the time) had disagreements on how to approach content in the course, resulting in many emails being sent to and from both in an aggressive manner, minimal conflict in person (when both are present).

I was involved in a meeting with the two, and essentially had to pick sides with who I would agree with most in how to tackle the content we had to do for the week.

2. How prepared were you for the conversation?

I felt relatively prepared as it was a meeting and had anticipated through the emails that this would come up.

3. Did the other party have a valid point to make?

Both parties had valid reasons why to do the week in ‘their’ way, be it the university’s style or a traditional teaching approach.

4. Did you manage to get your side across to the other party?

I was able to find a middle ground between both and validate / allow both to continue in their own slightly different ways (ultimately we don’t all have to be the same, which was one of the teacher’s arguments which was relatively peacefully remedied)

5. How did you feel at the end of the conversation?

Felt like it could have gone much worse, and the problem was resolved, but certainly not pleasant to deal with these people / issues (but it doesn’t happen too often thankfully).

6. Looking back, is there anything you would do differently next time if a similar situation arose?

No, I felt the situation was resolved relatively successfully.

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Is there anything about your own approach to Time Management which you have discovered as a result of your work in this lesson?

As I am coming to the end of my third day of the time-observing task, I have come to realize that since last year, a number of good habits have been picked up. Some examples are the absence of social media while at work, the segregation of communication platforms (Whatsapp for personal messages, WeChat for work in addition to work and private emails), then the significantly reduced frequency of checking private communication platforms above when at work. The use of time is reasonably effective considering the many tasks I am expected to perform. However, this observation could be misleading as well, as it was done when the main campus I am proxy-managing has entered winter holiday. Furthermore, this temporary placement in a city where I do not usually reside in yields ample time of not having to socialize with colleagues nor friends (I am assigned to be a pioneer of establishing a branch in Beijing. Consequently, I have no staff and must be self-reliant). Hence, the reflection is not representative, as the workload (of only teaching 8 uninterrupted hours plus sporadic collaboration with the main campus) is only moderate. It sounds like you wouldn't have time to go on social media when teaching for 8 hours uninterrupted!

Is there any one technique or approach you are going to try out over the coming weeks? If so, which one is it?

Mapping yearly objectives. My management style tends to be more on the reactive side than proactive. This is partly due to the nature of day-to-day operations I have to manage. Furthermore, as I mentioned on one of the posts, I position myself as a manager and less so of a leader. A leader may need to come up with visions and objectives, while on my defense, a manager tends to deal with the daily operations and making sure that it does not veer off the track. Nevertheless, having a bigger objective will be essential not only to map out potential achievements, but also to mitigate anticipated issues, especially recurring ones. This will also facilitate sense of achievement and progress as compared to reactive style. This yearly calendar needs to be in sync with monthly/weekly plans, and further complemented by set daily tasks. Any element without the others is a weak implementation of management technique.

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- Which of these two definitions on the previous page comes closest to your own understanding of what Performance Management is?

The first definition contains elements which closely resemble those which are in effect at the company I work for.

"Performance management is the process for assessing the overall performance of a teacher or head teacher, in the context of the individual’s job description and the provisions of the STPCD [School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document], and making plans for the individual’s future development in the context of the school’s improvement plan. Professional standards provide the backdrop to discussions about performance and future development. The standards define the professional attributes, knowledge, understanding and skills for teachers at each career stage"

- Why do you think this?

It is a bit difficult to pinpoint why. I base my decision on the notion where performance management seems to be a concept that defines why we have KPI and how it can relate to the organization's goals and plan. It offers a nuance that it is about assessment that the company does toward its staff which serves as a tool to decide whether optimum development has taken place or not. The yardstick is company's development and goals, although it also mentions that of the individuals.

On the other hand, the other definition factors in other wider contexts, e.g. human resource policies, culture, style and communications systems. As a young enterprise, company culture has not yet taken shape yet, and communication systems and style are only recently established.

- Do you have any elements of Performance Management systems in operation in your schools?

Yes.

- If so, which elements?

Professional attributes, knowledge, understanding and skills for teachers, assessed by Key Performance Indicators, student survey, assessment from center director and assessment from academic coordinator.

- How effective are they, do you think?

The system has been completely overhauled per January 2018. It should be a positive change though so there has been no direct feedback on how effective it is. However, as far as I can predict, as we have socialized and absorbed staff input as well, it is expected to be quite effective, although I expect to also have potential adjustments.

- What other elements, if any, of Performance Management would you like to see in operation in your school?

Incorporation of human resource policies, culture, style and communications systems into an integrated performance management. Involving staff actively in grounding the annual performance expectation can also be considered, instead of being based on top-down one-size-for-all approach.

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My understanding of Performance Management is influenced by my educational background in psychology. Performance Management in educational sector is greatly influenced by the fact that we deal with human in almost all aspects of the industry. This means that human performance, in contrast to mechanical performance, is an amalgamation of a number of factors, both internal and external, of which interactions may not easily yield predictable result. Following the literature review, where performance is simplified as a function of ability x motivation, I see this as failing to take into account the inherent complexity of human affairs. Perhaps the equation may be adjusted as shown below:

performance = ability x motivation x opportunity x time divided by     other societal roles or identity

A good manager will then need to see the complexities of a performance, especially the poor ones, and have strong identification skills of troubleshooting. Perhaps also in a more positive light, a good manager should also have the ability to see the potentials of the staff and work toward leveraging them, meaning not only to focus on those who have poor performances

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At our school, despite the company offering an array of products (International Foundation Year for direct entrance to British universities, K-12 schools, Navitas for Canadian and American universities and colleges), the unit is clear cut and we only provide Academic English for Australian universities' direct pathway. Speaking of timing of classes, the course is divided into five levels, for which 10 weeks are required. One level is taught by the one teacher throughout, therefore there is a sense of stability for both the school and the teachers. Consequently, annual calendar is uncomplicated to set, factoring in the fact that most teachers have only two weeks of paid holiday each year. The inflexible schedule, including when to take leave, is basically non-negotiable, therefore teachers are not expected to take their annual leave outside the time slotted.

Another important factor to include is obviously teachers' experience. The higher levels are reserved for those seasoned and most knowledgeable. In addition, since the course is academic English, the teachers for the higher levels are expected to have been in tertiary education as well. The lower levels are less demanding, therefore the new teachers are allocated there first. There is also a general agreement that the teachers need to teach the lower levels first before teaching the higher ones.

Other factors may include, unpaid holiday, parallel classes when the class is too big, biannual student intakes in Australia, expanding the pool for the qualified high-level teachers.

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Based on the last formal observation that took place, several training needs have been identified. First, our local teachers teaching low-level students may benefit from having rigorous teacher training like that offered by CELTA/Trinity TESOL. They have been found lacking the theoretical underpinnings of standard ESL practice, and may benefit from external moderation, teaching practice and guided observation. This need can be best addressed by sending the teachers to external training instead of by setting up INSETT.

For the foreign teachers who are all CELTA-certified, the need involves around collaboration and sharing practices which do not require training from external bodies. However, some teachers may want to step up to higher teaching qualification such as DELTA, which will also be beneficial for the school when giving both in-house training sessions and those to other schools. The latter is especially aligned with our strategic plan for 2019 onward.

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Several PD scenarios and excuses and how to solve them.

“We always start late and over-run.”

Get presenters and participants mutually agree on the specific time and place for TD sessions and exert the expectation of punctuality as much as we expect it from our students.

“There's too much to get through in the time available.”

Much like lesson planning, TD sessions’ objectives must be achievable within given time slots, hence, objectives must be realistic to be achieved. If the material requires more time, split the sessions into several parts.

“Once the Director has finished their admin bit, we don't have enough time left because s/he always goes on too long.”

Also much like lesson planning, project time allotment for the stages and have a participant act as a time keeper.

“The ideas-sharing activities are always really messy and time-consuming, and there's often nothing to show for it.”

Similar to the advice above, the sessions require adequate planning, with clear stages, time allotment, and a session where participants reflect on what they have learned and how they can apply this in their classrooms.

“One and a half hours on (e.g.) pronunciation and practical classroom ideas for pronunciation teaching is too much. I run out of stuff to say.”

Instead of lecturing the participants, the format can be changed to workshop, mock lesson or something else which requires active thinking and collaboration.

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In reviewing my three-day time log, I can see that my daily work stays consistent. My schedule doesn’t deviate at all apart from meetings and some slight differences in how I approach my morning class.

There is a slight dead time in waiting for meetings but it isn’t a burden, these meetings aren’t happening frequently so it’s okay to take some time out of the gym to attend to matters.

In reviewing my schedule, I think it’s clear to me that I am the most productive in the morning, especially 7:30-8:30, preparing lessons for the day and considering what needs to be done. I find I’m most clear at this stage and feeling fueled, ready to go. Apart from this, post-gym is another good half an hour daily to prepare for the afternoon, useful after feeling post-gym energy (endorphins).

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- Which of these definitions, in your opinion, most closely reflects your current job function?

When considering my current job as an academic English teacher, the definition of management that would best fit my position is likely:

“Management today, is about facilitation, enabling others to act, being a catalyst and coach.”

In asking myself what management regularly takes place in the classroom, it is clear that facilitation is the biggest aspect that occurs. It is my job to ensure day-to-day study takes place and is smooth – wherein enabling students to act (be this interact with course materials, each other, or even myself), is crucial to the student’s success within the English course.

In enabling others to act, my management ability has a direct impact on the success of lessons. Am I pairing students with suitable partners? Am I ensuring students of all levels understand the content? Is the goal of the lesson being achieved or worked towards? In actively managing and conducting lessons, I am constantly facilitating action between myself and students, students to students, and students to material.

I also chose this as I see myself as both a coach and a catalyst. I can add concepts or ideas to discussions students may not consider, and easily stimulate the classroom to continue work towards the goal (while avoiding being too teacher-centered of course!). As a mentor, I give feedback and monitor student’s progression, and take notice when students might fall behind or be substantially improving.

- What are the differences, if any, between your current job function and the definitions?

The clearest difference between my current position and some of the definitions defined is that I do not have complete ‘power’ to make decision in relation to the curriculum we teach. While it is certainly true that the curriculum we teach benefits from having some flexibility in its weekly approach, it does have some clear limitations in this sense, in that we have final exams, a clear ‘end game’ (study overseas), and this should not be changed for good reason.

- What aspects of management which are part of your current job function are not covered by these definitions [if any]. Why do you think this is?

It could be argued that management in an education context does also require a knowledge or anticipation of incidents that might occur within the classroom and knowing how to deal with these problems, should they arise. Examples could include possible student interactions, behavior, or critical incidents. A manager or teacher should consider how these may impact negatively in the space, planning leads to prevention, promoting success.

Leadership Styles

2. Think of a manager / leader you have worked with previously. Which of the styles detailed describes them best?

Also answered:

3. What examples can you give of these styles in their day to day work?

4.       What was the effect of this on those who worked for them?

Thinking back to my time in sales (call center, small startup with 9-10 employees, myself as operations manager, then the director, also my business partner), I observed closely the managerial skills of my business partner and director of the company, let’s call him Chad.

Chad would be what I consider transformational, to the point where his energy and enthusiasm had a detrimental effect on the employees. Prior to exploring the negative though, let’s analyze what was effective from his managerial style.

Initially, as a small start-up, Chad’s energy and commitment had an undeniable positive effect on all those working (initially 3-4 including myself). He would spend the most time in the office as others were working part-time, therefore he would always be around to greet others, ensure everyone is OK, and sales get seen through.

However, as time continued, the team grew, and Chad saw the need for more consistent monitoring for ‘quality’ in the sales that were being made (telemarketing, so quality can be easily very questionable if a caller wants to get ‘results’). Therefore, Chad started to focus a lot of his time on live-listening calls, coaching, and ensuring callers would follow his guidelines. At times he would get so invested in training and seeing success in callers that workers would not be able to handle the pressure, and subsequently leave. It is important to note here that most workers are part-time university students, trying to balance law degrees and plenty of other stress, so to be consistently monitored and mentored all night after classes can be a very difficult thing to endure.

It was clear he wanted the company, and the workers themselves, to achieve greatly. He often would be vocal in how he envisioned the company proceeding, workers becoming managers, expansion etc. None of this came to fruition as the sales dried up, workers became unreliable, and clients left. The demise of the company could be blamed on many different factors, but I am convinced this managerial approach, a hybrid between transformational and micro-managing, did not benefit the small team. It became overbearing and ultimately contributed to the demise of the company.

5.       Which style do you think would be most appropriate for you as a manager, considering staff body?

If I look at myself honestly, I can see evidence of a charismatic approach to leadership. I resonate with success through focusing on who I am talking to and find myself communicating carefully but clearly through verbal and body language.

Of course, this depends heavily on who is the target. The staff we currently have is one that is multicultural – it is invaluable to clearly understand the background of staff and what is respectful, and ultimately what is not. Examples of this include language (knowledge of Chinese helps when communicating with 50% Chinese staff), religion and even small things such as physical contact.

To consider what I think would be most appropriate, a hybrid is necessary. I see transformational leaders already within management, but the ‘🤬 in the details’ is often absent. I can see myself as a trustworthy leader who understands his staff and what they want but understand (and constantly find myself checking) to avoid obtuse narcissism or being too indirect. This comes from previous experience where not communicating clearly enough or having overconfidence leads to a lack of trust among the team (relating back to the call center, and my initial days as a team leader, running 20+ callers a night).

Morale is something I find constantly on my mind, and I think staff in their current position need a dependable leader that makes them feel valued and looks after them. There are certainly changes that can be made, and the other transformational leaders at times go ahead and do this, but ultimately, I think there needs to be a leader that is slightly more ‘grounded’. That is not to say that transformational is bad, quite the opposite (I see this as much more effective than transactional), but I do see staff at times question the relevance of their work or extra activities, in which a manager that they get along well with should be able to help them see significance, or register their feedback clearly and take action where possible.

Journal Entry

As a previous manager, but not in an educational aspect, it is valuable to spend time reflecting on management as a bigger picture.

I see myself as fairly honest and can definitely identify negative aspects of my approach to managing that I will need to consider moving forward. Primarily, this is charismatic leadership, and the magic of saying something that leads to meaning ‘nothing at all’. I am aware of the damage this causes and find myself repeating past conversations and thinking about how to better phrase things. I’d say that is the big ‘a-ha’ here.

I wouldn’t say my views have ‘shifted’ from what they were, I still believe my approach to management is one that is beneficial in the company’s circumstances, but I am feeling more self-aware of the negatives and what to be careful of when acting in this way.

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Positive aspects of asking this person to contribute to INSETT in my workplace:

Other teachers:

-      Low cost

-      May deliver relevant materials/topics only insiders need

-      Knows the audience, hence no rapport needed

-      Prompts the speakers to learn and be knowledgeable before giving sessions

-      Creates a sharing culture

External speakers [e.g. from local schools, universities]:

-      May have expertise no insiders have

-      Expands staff PLNs

-      A nice break to see someone who is not the regular face

-      Indicates school’s commitment for TD

Admin staff in your school:

-      Creates a better working intra-departmental relationship and understanding

-      May deliver relevant materials/topics only insiders need

-      Low cost

Representatives of the Ministry of Education/ Education Board:

-      May know latest policy and regulations

-      A nice break to see someone who is not the regular face

-      Expands staff PLNs

The School Director/Senior Manager:

-      Low cost

-      May deliver relevant materials/topics only insiders need

-      Knows the audience, hence no rapport needed

-      May have expertise which most teachers don’t

-      Establishes/fosters a sharing culture

-      Shows senior manager as the an example of walk-the-talk

Negative aspects of asking this person to contribute to INSETT in my workplace:

Other teachers:

-      May not have the expertise at the level expected by the audience

-      Preparation and delivery can be time consuming

External speakers [e.g. from local schools, universities]:

-      Can be costly

-      May deliver relevant materials/topics insiders not unanimously needed

-      May need to establish rapport

Admin staff in your school:

-      May be seen as less compelling

Representatives of the Ministry of Education/ Education Board:

-      May not be directly relevant to teachers’ needs

The School Director/Senior Manager:

-      May not have the expertise at the level expected by the audience

-      Preparation and delivery can be time consuming

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How far are your students viewed as customers / clients, and do you think viewing students as customers / clients is a good thing or a bad thing?

In our company, the students are viewed differently by different stakeholders. In teachers' perspective, students are students. They are expected to be bound by the student charter, thus exhibit obedience toward rules. Likewise, administrators also have the school mentality despite the fact that we are training center. The school sells intensive academic English course, running from 08.00 till 21.00, and the students live in adjacent dorms. This current model in Beijing is not replicated, where students are only expected to have uninterrupted 4 hours of study everyday, and no housing is provided. Nevertheless, the same view persists as there is one teacher assisted by virtual admin who are based in Guangzhou.

This view, however, contrasts with the so-called consultants who are basically sales people. They are the ones who signed the students, and without them, the school will probably run without students. They see students as end users. As a result, they would sometimes overpromise or give an expectation not always feasible to be met. One conflict happened just a few months ago where a student and his parents were utterly enraged at us for failing the grades. I happen to be his teacher, and just as the case with contested grades, I followed the rule by the book by sending his writing exam to University of Technology Sydney for a moderation. The moderation result was similar to mine, with which his failure was confirmed. The parents could not accept this result and flew to see our center director, then locked her in her office for three hours. Wow, that's tough. Apparently, his consultant kept on promising to supersede teacher's decision, fueling hopes on the parents of being awarded the expected pass despite a firm no from UTS. It was outrageous to find someone who is actually on the same boat to be against us and portrays the company in a different light. The teachers felt that they have the authority in class and grades, and that consultants who never even set afoot in our campus, less so in our classrooms, cannot issue a decision that supersedes teachers'. However, the opposite may be true to the consultants, exactly because of the differing viewpoints we have on the same subject.

Personally, I do not think one has to supersede the other. Teachers are aware of the vital importance consultants' role has. However, just like doctors serving in hospital, teachers also have non-negotiable code of conduct that they need to follow. Quality lessons and conducive teaching and learning are a teacher's authority, yet we also know that we have to also be sensitive to students' needs, acknowledge their emotions, and cater to address both in a caring environment, simply because they are our end users and their parents clients. However, there must be a clear boundary where one prevails in a particular context, e.g. grades.

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Upon watching the interview of what makes effective teachers, several points are noted:

- establishing right environment is imperative. This consists of comfortable environment and rapport. Definitely!

- teacher needs to understand the needs and wants of the students

- teacher needs to make students comfortable and challenge them at the same time

- observation is to find evidence of stretching/challenging students agreed

- elicitation and concept checking are hallmarks of accomplished teachers

- criteria for teaching are innately good, but need to be used with caution

- another approach without criteria for teaching is to obtain learning from teachers themselves and how to use it to become better and more effective teachers

- criteria for teaching can also be context sensitive, e.g. in China score outcome is paramount

What I find surprising and novel is not having set criteria for teaching and use "unobserved observation" method. This method sounds to bear its own merit and although it has been utilized in a way by the creation of weekly lesson reflection, but the follow up (which is probably the most important part) is lacking. This is something I can immediately address, especially that each center has its own academic coordinator (as of last week).

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Mechanisms for evaluating effectiveness of CPD provisions:

-          Teacher attendance

-          Post-session anonymous survey

-          Follow-up talks/activities

-          Observation feedback

-          Student feedback (from after-term surveys and complaints, if any)

-          Low turnover rate

-          Teachers’ work satisfaction

-          Teachers’ willingness to engage in different CPD schemes

-          Appraisal

Evaluation of current PD sessions:

-          Teacher attendance

-          Post-session anonymous survey

-          Follow-up talks/activities

-          Observation feedback

-          Student feedback (from after-term surveys and complaints, if any)

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Following the brief description of organizational structures, I came to ask myself which model will best fits the company I'm currently working for. Although I have also studied this when I took organizational psychology class back then, I still feel that there is a considerable challenge of adapting the textbook models into what will work in real life, especially factoring in cultures, personalities of the staff, etc. Also, as the company is literally growing exponentially, with three new branches in different cities in China opened this year, the task is further scrutinized under time pressure. Furthermore, I also come to a question of when/at what point will I know if one model of organizational structure no longer serves its purposes and brings the innate advantages without having the "chaos" occur first? I'm not averse to chaos, but it will be better to have the ability to predict and not just crash first and be reactive later.

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The role of observation has always been as means to see if the teachers are meeting the standard. Although peer observation is in theory endorsed, having parallel schedules and not having spare teacher (the AC and DoS are both full-time teachers) means that this is not utterly feasible at the moment. Observation may be carried out by our University of Technology Sydney's representative, with the frequency of at least once a year. However, recently we upgraded our KPI which includes one additional observation carried out by DoS or AC quarterly. Additionally, management may observe specific teachers if student complaints are received to diagnose the problem and potential solution.

What’s one big ‘take away’ or ‘a-ha’ that you’ve had this week?

I came up with an idea questioning the legitimacy of the observer. For sure position-wise it should be DoS or academic coordinator. However, after reading about specialized department of QAD, I wonder whether position or experience itself justifies the value of observation. In my case, my educational background is firstly not relevant to teaching and learning. Secondly, I am not a native speaker whose grammar is often inaccurate, heading team of predominantly native speakers. Another shortcoming, I only have less than three years of working as a teacher (this perhaps explains my rather panic move of taking PGCE in teaching English for academic purposes, this course, and perhaps DELTA at the end of the year). Rather than inducing anxiety to the observees, I feel under pressure as observer, trying to find useful feedback. However, an insight from this course is to rotate the observers, so as to represent a wider array of perspectives and expertise.

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Have your ideas about effective teaching and the criteria to measure it in an observation in your organization changed in any way?

Yes, at once I thought that teaching can be standardized, because it is what is implied by our current standardized curriculum. I was aware that, just as mentioned by Conrad, there is a huge range of teachers' quality, therefore I thought there is a cutoff point where one can be categorized as good or bad. I thought knowing standard ESL techniques like CCQ and elicitation as mentioned by Lorraine would suffice in categorizing teachers. Although I still keep this belief, what has changed is how we measure it and also another broadened way of looking at it Sounds positive. For example, at first I thought ticking the checklist like what Maureen mentioned is the obvious and easy way to classify teachers. However, there is more than that apparently. Just as observation innately entails Hawthorne's effect, causing observee to display unnaturally favorable behaviors due to being monitored, ticking checklist too should be treated with caution.

Effective teaching is more than just the content knowledge and knowing how to teach it, it calls for a great deal of consideration. The funny thing is, long ago I used to think that teachers at international school are overpaid. However after taking course of IB certificate, I realized that it's highly challenging, with every little thing is carefully planned, staged and justified, so much that the remuneration seems ridiculous. Seeing how things are done by other teachers which may not fit the checklist, such as creativity and promotion of learner's autonomy through digital technology, does not mean they are not good teachers. There should be extra room left blank for other things which may still contribute to being effective teachers, and perhaps extra room for discussion with them as well.

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From the two lists on the previous screen, which are the opinions held in your workplace? Reflect on these and note them in your journal.

- That I'll be paid to attend.

This is especially true the first time PD sessions were installed. The teachers were free to pick any topic and they took turns in giving a session twice a week. As a result of poor control of what topics will be covered by each of the teachers, they were incoherent and sometimes not useful as well. The topics were mostly chosen without strong justification, nor did they have relevance to the teachers' need. The only real carrot was that the teachers could leave early and that they were paid to attend. It was mentioned clearly on both the feedback form and informal talk.

- That I'll receive input from someone else, and I can listen.

There is a change of attitude in teachers once the old PD style was overhauled. The teachers were prompted some topics relevant to our curriculum (EAP), and the sources were partially provided (from my own study of Leicester University's PGCE TEAP program). The topics were offered, yet teachers still have the flexibility to determine the focus. In this way, the PD sessions were mostly related to what we teach, and also coherent as bigger topic can entail several sessions. The oral and written feedback generated became more favourable, although few teachers objected the idea of making the sessions overly academic by using scholarly articles. However, the current format is mostly retained, although it is reemphasized on deducting the practical implication of own classroom practice as opposed to having presentations of scholarly paper. Finally, the enthusiasm was seen improving with the current format, as they were some teachers who propose to contribute to PD sessions as opposed to being semi-appointed. The school also provides teacher's library with some scholarly collection and resources collated from the teachers' suggestion as well as by the expressed needs (e.g. teaching writing).

I think this remark

'that it may be a black mark against me if I don't attend'

is instrinsically negative. It was a negative motivation, in which attendance was merely a way to avoid punishment. This may show that the teachers are uninspired to become better educators, and that they have gone complacent. As shown in the previous lesson, a teacher standing still is a teacher going backward.

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Think of one example of continuous professional development that you have undergone (other than observation) and benefited from.

One example of my CPD is enrichment online courses I took offered by Cambridge Assessment, i.e. Active Learning, Assessment for Learning, and most recently Metacognition. Although they are not specific for teaching English, however I found that they are fundamental to my teaching too. They include theoretical background and debunked myths of what these concepts are not, and guided practice with strong culture of feedback from tutor and classmates. Self- evaluation and setting short and long-term goals are also features of these courses. They benefit me in conducting my lessons more effectively and in engaging manner. My teaching has also evolved from mainly sticking to the textbooks prescribed by the curriculum developer to the direction of fulfilling students’ needs and characteristics.  I have been able to infuse learner autonomy in my students and use different strategies to engage them in classroom activities. Some students have also mentioned how they prefer my class over other parallel classes since they feel other teachers may lack the flexibility to adjust to different students’ needs. I am collecting some evidences so that I could present the ideas to my colleagues on one of the professional development sessions, along with a workshop on its SWOT analysis.

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Reflection on Types of Provision

I am particularly interested in some of the INSETT approaches I have never imagined before. This reminds me of one idea of mine that may still slightly relate to giving talks at conferences. Instead of at conferences, teachers are invited to fill in regular webinars/presentations which aim to soft-market our class (Academic English) to potential students. It requires the teachers to be not only really aware and eloquent of the contents of the curriculum, but also their own expertise on methodology and theoretical underpinnings of why certain things in academic English are different from general English. Knowing that the audience may also be clients as well as end-users whose native language is not English, the language must also be graded and persuasive enough, while making it compelling and persuasive enough. I think this could be a variation of INSETT in a way that teachers may need to be knowledgeable enough before taking role in the webinar/presentation.

Types of Provision Considered for Trying Out

Few months ago I came up with the idea of establishing a group consisting of teaching staff interested in conducting joint action research with our partner university in Australia. There was no additional monetary incentive for the teachers to join, however few teachers who have educational/academic background in TESOL signed up for the possibility of annual all-paid travel to a conference of their choice to present their findings. Furthermore, the presenters can also come back with notes of some interesting talks they attend to fill few slots of our regular PD sessions. The plan is admittedly stalled at the moment, as we are experiencing an unprecedented 100% increase of student enrollments for summer terms, yet we aim to pick up where we left off in October.

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Mechanisms for evaluating effectiveness of CPD provisions:

-          Teacher attendance

-          Post-session anonymous survey

-          Follow-up talks/activities

-          Observation feedback

-          Student feedback (from after-term surveys and complaints, if any)

-          Low turnover rate

-          Teachers’ work satisfaction

-          Teachers’ willingness to engage in different CPD schemes

-          Appraisal

Evaluation of current PD sessions:

-          Teacher attendance

-          Post-session anonymous survey

-          Follow-up talks/activities

-          Observation feedback

-          Student feedback (from after-term surveys and complaints, if any)

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Something I discovered / learnt this week is that, embarrassingly, I did not specifically set any cohesive thread of the currently ongoing PD sessions held. Therefore, I was surprised to read that one of the ways to evaluate the current provision is to actually check the aims and how far these have been met. Setting the aims of outcomes of PD sessions should be parallel to the lesson objectives of a lesson, however, when I set the schedule and topics of PD sessions, I seem to be oblivious of what I try to achieve by them. When PD sessions started, I was a fresh academic manager who was inducted to fill the vacuum position. The first phase was total chaos, where I simply let teachers picked whatever topic they wanted to cover, without any clear direction nor cohesion among the sessions. The second phase saw a change in which topics were made set for the whole term, materials provided, although teachers had the freedom to decide what the focus would be.  The topics and materials were taken from my own study of PGCE Teaching English for Academic Purposes program. The rationale was to get the teachers who mainly worked as general English teachers prior to working for the school familiar with the differences of EAP and what they mean in the classes. However, admittedly the overall objectives of this series of PD sessions were not formulated at all (except by several presenters who made their own sessions' objectives clear), hence the management has no way of checking how effective the sessions have been.

An approach I will now consider trying out that I have not done before includes the use of KWL chart and a list containing three ways the teachers think the training and development will help them in their work before they attend training. I think this is a good way to invoke self-awareness of what they are going to receive, and predict/get mental preparation of what they will learn.