How do you create a safe and comfortable space for your JHs to share openly?

If you, as Ms Wong’s RO, observed areas for development in her teaching through student feedback and lesson observations, how would you structure your conversation to help her identify these growth areas and develop an action plan?

Video 2 showcases a conversation between Ms Annie and her JH, Ms Wong, a Teacher (less than 5 years in service) who reflects on her role as a subject teacher. 

Given the shift towards CDG and the implementation of the revised EPMS form, discuss in groups/pairs: What went well in this conversation?

If you are Mr Cheng’s RO and see that he has the potential to become a Teacher Leader, how would you transit into a career development conversation and guide him to develop the competencies needed to advance his career?

Video 3 showcases a conversation between Ms Xiang Pin and her JH, Mr Cheng, an experienced teacher who reflects about his contribution as a member of the school’s Aesthetics committee. 

Given the shift towards CDG and the implementation of revised EPMS form, What went well in this conversation?

1) Setup the meeting in a non-threatening and conducive environment.

2) Check in on well-being first to have the personal touch before talking about work matters proper

Fiona and Pei Yi

By Sharon and Emily

By Huijun, Sam & Yantie

1) Allow JH to select meeting venue and time that they are comfortable at.

2) Seating side by side is less threatening and seen as you being by their side. Body posture/language is also important to show receptiveness.

3)Conversations should start with check-ins about well-being without being work related.

4) The relationship should have been established as a non-judgemental one, rathert it should be seen as a development session.

-Mardiana, Vick and Huiting

1. Start with warm and personal check-in. Acknowledge their efforts or improvements.

2. Be an attentive and active listener. Avoid interrupting when JH is sharing.

3. Reflect and paraphrase to show we truly understand.

4. Avoid rushing to offer solutions unless being asked.

• paraphrase and affirmation for JH

• ask questions got JH to reflect, elicit the pride and affirm the work done

• focus on impact made in the project/programme.

• got JH to reflect on the competency she demonstrated, and wants to grow in?

• affirm JH for having growth mindset, coach JH to talk about what's on her plate and the bandwidth she can handle.

• got JH to self-evaluate her CDG

• check in on wellbeing, her projected bandwidth to ensure she is able to sustain her efforts and contributions

• Elicit questions to get JH to share what she can contribute. JH has an ownership of what she is suggesting instead of being offered solutions by RO

• Throughout, RO is affirming the JH or coaching her to elaborate her thoughts to extend her learning.

Finally, the session ended with RO asking JH the support she may need, RO refer her to certain people or read up on literature for her to find out more

Fiona and Pei Yi

1. Check in with JH and affirm for the good job done

2. Elicitation is based on what JH has written. E.g. what is the impact (. This is to enable JH to elaborate and RO to seek clarification if needed

3. Elicit which area of growth JH would like to prioritise based on JH's bandwidth for the following year

• Annie asked how things have been and affirmed the good things Alice has done.

• Annie asked Alice to reflect on her own learning. She guided her through reflective questioning to uncover her own growth areas.

• Annie linked her on the support that is available for her

• Annie thanked Alice for the conversations.

(b) How would you structure the conversation?

• Use strengths as an entry point

• Facilitate reflective questioning

• Guide her towards CDG competencies - link observations to EPMS competencies

• Turn reflections into concrete steps

• Ask what are the support needed

1) Check in with JH and affirm the good work that she has done. The affirmation made the JH feels more positive and build the relationship with her RO.

2) Instead of giving solutions, she constantly let JH share more about her thoughts, her strengths and areas to improve.

3) RO helps JH discover the learning of the year.

4) The language that she used was positive eg. 'What is your priority for next year?" instead of "What is your area of growth/ improvement?"

How to structure conversation to identify area of growth?

1) Positive mentoring language - like point 4 above

2) RO listed the contribution of JH, and allow JH to elaborate more. At the same time, JH discovered her own strength and AFG.

3) Even with suggestions, RO will always check in with JH 'what do you think?' instead of giving conclusive suggestion.

4) Tapping on strengths to work on area of growth. (How to deepen strength)

Sharon and Emily

By Huijun, Sam & Yantie

• The RO asked open questions that allowed her to elaborate.

• The RO allowed the JH to reflect and elicited key information from her rather than providing solutions.

• Her body language reflects that she is keen on the conversation and builds on her JHs responses.

  
  

• Question 2: Help Ms Wong

• Refer to feedback from lesson observation and points of student feedback.

• Ask her for her opinion on whether this is a relevant AFI and how would she go about refining this in her T and L.

• Ask her what support would she like and co-create an action plan.

  Mardiana, Vick and Huiting

By Huijun, Sam & Yantie

1) Check in with JH and affirm the good work that she has done. The affirmation made the JH feels more positive and build the relationship with her RO.

2) Instead of giving solutions, she constantly let JH share more about her thoughts, her strengths and areas to improve.

3) RO helps JH discover the learning of the year.

4) The language that she used was positive eg. 'What is your priority for next year?" instead of "What is your area of growth/ improvement?"

How to structure conversation to identify area of growth?

1) Positive mentoring language - like point 4 above

2) RO listed the contribution of JH, and allow JH to elaborate more. At the same time, JH discovered her own strength and AFG.

3) Even with suggestions, RO will always check in with JH 'what do you think?' instead of giving conclusive suggestion.

4) Tapping on strengths to work on area of growth. (How to deepen strength)

Sharon and Emily

1. check-in with JH. elicit source of data points to indicate the outcomes of the successful project

2. what competencies JH leverage to make the event a successful one (from the conversation, JH shared the process). RO articulate the specific competencies based on what the JH have shared

Transiting into a career development conversation

1. Ask JH to share challenges and how would JH do differently in the following year if given the opportunity to lead again

2. elicit how the JH has go about working with others (eg tapping of members strength). Ro highlight the specific competencies areas

3. Share platforms JH can share

4. Ask for suggestions (eg white space and mind space)

• RO recognised his contributions and got him to reflect on his processes.

• RO affirmed his influence in leading the younger colleagues.

3b) How would you transit into a career development conversation and guide him?

• Acknowledge his past and present work.

• Link growth areas to CDG competencies - mentoring

• Explore aspiration and career pathways

• List and link the opportunities available

1) Checking in with JH and giving affirmation

2) RO consistently links what JH has said and done to the competencies and gives affirmation.

Transition into career development conversation

1) Can check with them their bandwidth and priorities.

2) Can check with JH their aspiration and what are some roles they wish to take on the following year.

3) Can suggest to JH some suitable roles for consideration, based on their strengths.

4) Allow JH to clarify the role that they are interested in.

Sharon and Emily

• Started with check-in

• Affirmed what the JH has done well for the event

• Linked what he has done to the competencies

• Positive body language

2) How to support Mr Cheng:

• Ask JH to share his challenges and how he overcome them

• Discuss his strengths and aspirations and explore possibilities of the different career pathways

Hui Ting, Mardiana, Vick, Fangfang

2) We can sound out our JHs if they have any aspirations and if there are areas of learning that they keen to develop in. In the same vein, we can affirm their strengths and competencies and highlight some evident instances of how the JHs demonstrate these attributes.

Draw him to realise that as a TL, there are some key competencies (Student centric, /curriculum content/pedagogy and instruction) that he needs to be proficient in. Offer possible support in the other roles/pathways in the areas of culture building as that he can develop in a more holistic manner. Focus on role-based impact and approach-based development.

Fiona/Peiyi/Wee Yin