learning through observation



Building better teaching and learning




brand new teaching and learning session footage (2016/17)
accompanied by
a learning package for teachers, observers, and managers to support improved learner experiences

in association with Hadlow College





It's Here!



We have finally finished and we are ready to roll!



what are we offering?





Welcome to our 'Learning through Observation' package centred on our brand new Teaching and Learning footage. Throughout my education career, I've witnessed the efforts we all make. Somehow though, those efforts are disjointed, creating an 'us and them' feeling between teachers and managers and a culture of fear in which enthusiasm is lost and innovation fails to thrive. My quest, and yours I'm sure, is instead, to make those efforts count. That is what this package is for. It's to help us use observation to meaningfully improve learning. It's to help us all ​learn ​from observation. It's to help teachers, managers, and observers work together to make improvement happen.


There are just a couple of points I want to draw attention to. This package is not meant to mimic the way most observations are carried out today. It also won't introduce you to the many ways observation can be carried out. That's just too big a job to fit here. What it will do, if you use it fully, is open minds, challenge thinking and develop skills. It's a package primarily for observers, but there is great use here for teachers too and for managers who want to develop their self-assessment and improvement skills.



the package breakdown





This package contains:

  • Footage from learning sessions at Hadlow College including:
    • 10 lightly edited learning sessions of between 30-50 minutes each (all with a different added message)
    • 3 'rounds' of learning walks with 8-15 (minute) segments of between 4-6 sessions
    • Some learner conversations in sessions
    • Some teacher conversations following sessions
    • Transcripts from further in session teacher and learner conversations
  • A whole learning package with separate routes for trainers, teachers (including tutors and assessors) and observers (coaches and managers too) including:
    • A 5 part exercise for teachers
    • 14 different exercises for observers / managers
    • Observation and conversation records completed by experienced inspectors / expert teaching and learning coaches
    • Prompts for discussion, based on messages from the different lessons to accelerate and deepen learning.

We have created a separate website in order to allow you to complete the training. There is no need to download any software and the training can be accessed 24/7 to allow your colleagues to manage their own learning at a pace that suits them.



a huge thank you to hadlow college



This package of filmed lessons and training programme for observers and teachers is all about learning. Clearly, it's about learners learning, and us teachers and observers learning from that. Now, we like to take all opportunities to help people learn, and so, it's fitting that we used a team of media students as our film crew. What an experience that was! Watching them visibly improve, develop confidence, independence and creativity was a real joy to behold.





I'm so grateful to the wonderful learners who allowed us into their world, and the brave teachers who put themselves out there. They have all taken a risk, and I do hope you can appreciate and value them for that.


Following this, during my 15 year old daughter's work experience with us, we found that she had the skills to do the editing for us. As the summer had arrived, she gained a summer job, and navigated her way through the challenges, learning everyday and demonstrating real problem solving skills and resilience.


On top of all this. We've learnt. A lot. And we've gained so much joy from watching young people develop and thrive.


Deborah





want to find out a little more?





This is not just a suite of filmed sessions. It is a whole learning package to help all educators (that's teachers, observers, coaches, and managers) to improve their skills in order to make our learners' experiences better.



What's it all about?




It's important to note that this is real life footage from everyday sessions. We've made it all as real as possible in order to mimic what evaluation of learners' experiences is really like. This means you don't get all the information, because in real life, you don't either.



where did the package come from?





There are always questions we want to ask learners and teachers and there are always more sessions to see, more learners to talk to, more learner work to analyse and more discussions to be had with teachers. The idea about this package is you work towards deciding what you do and don't yet ​know.



must buy



A learning package for teachers, observers and managers to support improved learner experiences





learning through observation: building better teaching and learning
All of this for just £350





What makes this package such great value?


It's difficult to articulate just what you get with this package because it is so different to most lesson observation footage or observation training. But we shall try...


As well as:

  • 10 lightly edited sessions
  • 3 'rounds' of learning walks (comprising 4-6 session clips of 5-18 minutes each)
  • Learner conversations
  • Teacher conversations

You get a full learning package for teachers. Teachers can view some great learning and reflect on it using our exercises and discussion prompts.


The big package though, and what really makes the difference is the package for observers. It goes way beyond any standard moderation and training and helps to really challenge observers and consider new ways of working.


There are 14 training exercises for observers and these can be used over and over with different sessions or sets of learning walks.


These exercises helps with observation, questioning learners, analysis of departmental findings, coaching skills, and developing a positive improvement culture.


There is so much here we have to share with you. If you want to help your observers, managers, coaches and teachers develop, this package is the one.


If your internal team are providing developmental session for teachers, the sessions and activities in the pack can be picked up and used as they are. The hard work is done!

*per college (maximum 1,000 users)





it's here!



We have finally finished and we are ready to roll!


Deborah McVey Ltd


23 Wood Farm Close, Little Stanney, Chester, CH2 4PZ Email: deborah@deborahmcveyltd.co.ukTel: 07718 332429