When Nice Won't Suffice Discussion by Chris Capadona

Sure

2018-03-22 09:54:30 UTC

I don't know that I use the nice approach, often...

jpesus3 — 2018-03-23 05:25:07 UTC

I feel that most the time I am looking at of talking about what a colleague is doing that I am critical in my thoughts and honest in my comments. I may seem to have a "what the 🤬 are you talking about" look on my face sometimes, but that is just me trying to process all that is being said. I feel, I don't often have the behind the scenes knowledge of the teaching environment and prior student learning to truly give a teacher the best feedback about a lesson.

Thick skin

jpesus3 — 2018-03-23 05:33:43 UTC

I know that I take pride in the work that I do. So, when it is critiqued, I can get on the defensive. I need to start sharing more of my mediocre ideas so that my colleagues can give me the positive tweaks that will make them outstanding.

The Follow Up

alex_sons — 2018-03-23 08:11:21 UTC

I suppose I want to know more about this, but mainly I just think this is a strong idea overall. I like the debrief section because it would force us to reflect on how much we've pushed each other. I think this is something we can implement.

How To Change a Culture of Nice?

angela_briggs — 2018-03-26 08:52:31 UTC

As I read the article I could not help but think...this is how I feel in our meetings. Yes, I feel pushed to reflect on my practice but there is rarely follow up and we simple move on to the next "thing". Without leaders (grade level or otherwise) to challenge us how do we change our culture or go deeper, as the article asks us to do?

Building Leadership

angela_briggs — 2018-03-26 08:59:31 UTC

The article mentions trust when discussing joint work, shared goals and improving our instructional practices. How does the school see building this trust and giving our teachers the tools that are necessary to become better teacher leaders? The removal of grade level leaders and no clearly defined norms makes it very difficult to employ the kind of changes the article suggests.

when nice won't suffice

mike_mcardle — 2018-03-27 01:54:15 UTC

.Teachers need to be willing to expose their struggles and failures with colleagues
. if teachers are not critical and only go through the motions of collaborative inquiry then we may never see results

when nice won't suffice

mike_mcardle — 2018-03-27 01:59:15 UTC

Peer Support

david_tonetti — 2018-03-27 02:45:29 UTC

This article touches upon an issue that I think is a pretty common concern - how to effectively collaborate and provide constructive criticism of self and colleagues, while at the same time maintaining a spirit of support and avoiding the negative impact of blame or judgment when students under perform. In the context of our Middle School, I think we are capable of doing this because there is a well-established feeling of support, and the article gives some excellent talking points to ensure this.

Alex's Point

david_tonetti — 2018-03-27 02:47:45 UTC

I like Alex's idea, but as always, this raises the issue of time and priorities. As teachers, it seems like we are constantly wrestling with this issue. However, I do agree with this idea.

I wonder why we don't do this as a department.

susan_hewett — 2018-03-27 05:34:10 UTC

As a department, we rarely meet (not just with HS, but with MS also). We each seem to each be in our distinct bubble. Sure, we talk informally, but couldn't we do a better job meeting as a department and discussing ideas, etc.? A common planning time for the MS teachers of the same subject is just as useful as a grade level common planning time,

susan_hewett — 2018-03-27 05:38:30 UTC

We always want to defend our own ideas. I guess I need to look at the big picture, instead of staying focused in my own little math world. Being more open to critiques from others (especially when it comes to best practices) needs to be implemented. But like Dave says, it is all about finding time.

It's difficult to be completely honest in front of a fellow teacher sometimes, so I wonder if there is some way that teachers can anonymously provide feedback to other teachers. Whether we do it on purpose or not, I think most of us just want to be nice and non-confrontational. It's easy but it doesn't really help anyone. If we could share things anonymously, I think we would naturally provide more honest feedback.

michael_yohnk — 2018-03-27 05:58:44 UTC

"When nice won't suffice"

tom_clarke1 — 2018-03-28 05:04:01 UTC

I think this article reflects the growth mindset that has been the focus of our middle school PD sessions- how to enhance teaching and learning.

tom_clarke1 — 2018-03-28 05:13:48 UTC

How will this reflective practice look like at AIS?
I wonder if AIS is interested in adopting the Harvard school of Education's model of Instructional Rounds.
I have been interested in instructional rounds since an ex-colleague Glenn became an instructional coach at one of Australia's leading independent schools. He completed the instructional rounds training at Harvard school of Education and also recommended me to read Jim Knight's work on this approach: https://www.instructionalcoaching.com/resources/books/
As the instructional coach at his school, Glenn worked with individual teachers to help develop meaningful reflections on teaching practice, similar to what the article describes. Interestingly this coaching was separate from performance management and was normally only seen by the coach and the teacher. I think that this could be a powerful way for teachers to continue to develop.
I think Angie and Susan raise very good points about leadership roles and also the possible context for this to be within departments. In my last school we used the "lesson study" model, similar to what was described in the article. I agree with the article that a clear focus for the lesson observation helps everyone to move beyond the "nice" comments and into more rigorous analysis of our teaching and of course students' learning.

I believe that it is always beneficial to receive constructive criticism but it can be quite challenging to criticize an assignment in a subject we are not really familiar with

lili_dubois — 2018-03-28 05:24:09 UTC

Teaching on an Island

2018-03-28 06:53:10 UTC

The island effect can occur over time and without noticing that we go into isolation mode. Only when I get real opportunities to collaborate with my colleagues, especially in the math department, do I realize that I was on an island again.
The isolation of my practices has never been beneficial to my students or myself as an educator.

JP's mediocre ideas

2018-03-28 06:57:50 UTC

I would like more time to hear JP's mediocre ideas. He's probably overrating himself again, but whatever, he can call it mediocre.

I wonder if we were exposed frequently to a routine of having peers in our classrooms then we would become comfortable receiving feedback from those who see our room in context to a broader exposure.

2018-03-28 07:43:16 UTC

Chris S.

Suggest/encourage to my vertical and horizontal teams that we begin doing 10-minute walk ins just to begin normalizing the culture of having visitors in our classrooms.

2018-03-28 07:47:03 UTC