Developing observation skills in school settings: The importance and impact of ‘work discussion groups’ for staff

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  • EJEmil Jackson
    Emil Jackson
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Abstract
Within mainstream school settings and teacher trainings little attention is given to the importance of harnessing observational skills as a central element of effective teaching and classroom management. Rather than being thought of as a potentially enabling tool, ‘observation’ is frequently associated with scrutiny, exposure and Ofsted inspections. In this paper, I will describe the ways in which work discussion groups offered on-site in schools, can introduce a different experience of observation to staff and, by extension, to the life and culture of a school. Through the use of detailed examples of these work discussion groups in action, I will illustrate the ways in which the development of observational skills can result in staff deepening their understanding about the meaning of behaviour and extending their capacity to manage the complex behaviour of their pupils. I will show how staff can be helped to observe and reflect on their own internal reactions to their pupils and begin to understand these as possible communications from and about their pupils. Finally, I will describe how this increased understanding can have a significant impact on their own learning, teaching and roles within the school.

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