Justifying Choices and Actions

The focus of these activities is on noticing the actions teachers take when teaching and understanding the reasoning behind them. These actions can often go unnoticed by trainees who perceive them as ā€œroutineā€ without appreciating the decisions made in undertaking them.

The activities should span two weeks and it is suggested that activity 1Ā is completed in the week 4 of the placement and activities 2 and 3 are completed in week 5.

Activity 1: Focused Observations

Trainees are to video record and observe their Class Mentor teaching a lesson. During the observation, trainees should identify some of the actions their CMs take and note these in the table like this:

Teacher ActionMy perceived reasoning behind the action.Actual reasoning behind the action.
   
   

These actions could be, for example:

  • The different questions the teacher asks and of which children.
  • How questioning is exploited (and the childrenā€™s responses).
  • The models that are chosen and when they are reiterated with certain groups of children.
  • Those actions which were not planned for.
  • The ways in which the children are asked to respond to questions or complete tasks, e.g. written or spoken etc.
  • The use of mini-plenaries (when and why these are used).
  • How children are kept on task.
  • The choice of physical resources that are used for specific groups or individuals.
  • How and where additional adults are deployed.
  • How the teacher communicates specifically to different children and groups of children. (Notice how different children are communicated with in different ways.)

In the second column, trainees note the reasons why they think their CM decided to take that action.

Afterwards, both trainee and CM should review the lesson recording and, in discussion, establish the actual reasons why the CM took the actions which should then be noted in the third column.

Any differences between trainee perceptions and the CM’s reasoning should be unpicked so the trainee has a comprehensive understanding of the CM’s actions.

The trainee should then consider why they see things differently and what impact will this have on their practice. The answers to these two questions should be considered in the trainee’s written reflection and at the Weekly Review with their CM.

It is hoped that outcomes of this reflection and discussion will feed into activity 2 as focal points in teaching the lesson.

Activity 2: Teaching a lesson supported by CM

The trainee teaches a lesson with their CM acting as a ā€œparrot on the shoulderā€ to guide and support the trainee’s decision-making. As much as possible, the CM should draw the trainee’s attention to aspects of their practice that are the focal points identified in Activity 1.

Activity 3: Teaching a lesson unsupported

Activity 1 should be repeated with the trainee adopting the role of the teacher and the CM being the observer and completing the observation table. Similar discussions should take place and the reasons for any differences between perceptions explored and included in the written reflection.