Briza Bohne, Service-Learning Coordinator at Ljubljana International School, joins Paul on reflections about classroom observations, summer programming, confidence, and how to lead with love and uplift.
How does one invite a person – in this case a teacher – to say YES on their own accord? When what lies ahead looks challenging, it’s the relationships, support, and resources that make the biggest difference.
Briza writes that paragraph to me, Paul, after we agree to work on a blog together. We want to write together because the two of us were in the same classroom the other morning, for a class observation. We’re both trainers for elementary teachers in Rwanda who are working on their English, Briza as a teacher, Paul as the program coordinator. But there is actually very little for Paul to do, very little coordination is necessary with these experienced teachers. So Paul is blogging instead, from the back of the classroom. He started doing this type of observation a year ago. Just a stream of consciousness reflection while watching a teacher do their thing, while watching students learn. Positive reflections only: the focus is on being uplifting, supportive, and collaborative.
After the class, Briza is appreciative of what Paul wrote – and of the process, because it is in pretty sharp contrast to the style of many teacher observations we’ve all experienced. So here we are, writing together. In Briza’s words:
There are two camps that I’ve experienced when being observed in the classroom. The most fulfilling, peaceful, motivating and helpful camp lets relationships lead. The other camp is less about co-creation and more of a checklist of what isn’t being done. We’ll be focusing on the former!
Let’s jump to Rwanda. We’re running a program for 100 elementary teachers. The goals are to build confidence in speaking English and further practice in hearing and understanding English. The teachers teach largely in English, the country’s educational system is basically in English. Several teachers need the practice urgently.
“Dukunda Amakosa” in Kinyarwanda means “We Love Mistakes.” It is the heartbeat and motto of the program. The leaders communicate their support and love to us as their staff with this notion in mind. Nobody’s perfect, there are going to be mistakes. Just let tomorrow’s mistakes be better ones than today’s mistakes. There’s so much laughter among the staff. We feel we’ve known each other for years even though orientation lasted just two days.
Thus we continue to “workshop” the question: in a two week program, what’s the best way to invite teachers to speak as much English as they possibly can? Love. Invitations. Demonstrating and modeling. Building an atmosphere of psychological safety. Of celebrating values: Safety, Participation, Innovation, Collaboration, and finally, English Effort. Of demonstrating that we are human and we the trainers make mistakes, too. That those mistakes can lead us to more ideas, to better mistakes, to strengthening relationships.
Now let’s jump to a classroom during the morning session. I’ve asked Paul to come in because I’ve decided to take a step out on a limb and try something that feels a little scary. Paul has been observing others, writing short blogs that he shares with the teachers after class. If the teachers are okay with it, he publishes them later on the website of The International Educator.
Paul is there at a desk, in the back of my classroom, tapping away at his computer, taking it all in. There are other lessons that went smoother that I wish he could have seen. But, I remind myself that each morning session is an opportunity to support teachers and to show love. That much I can do!
Later that day I opened the blog Paul has written about my morning session. His writing is a gift I have unwrapped and now hold tenderly in my hands. I feel so seen and so loved. I know I’m right where I am meant to be. Here in Rwanda, with people I have come to love.
Action is key. Pour on love. Practice loving yourself and others through mistakes. Express support in tangible ways that will make a positive difference to the recipients. Celebrate the good you see. Enjoy in awe. And watch how your spark and your love multiplies.
Imagine if what Paul had written had been more traditional feedback. A couple of things come to mind:
- Briza would never have invited him to come to her class in the first place, because that is not the type of feedback she was looking for, and
- the impact of the observation notes would be radically different. Instead of a feeling of uplift, a high from knowing that one’s teaching is reaching students, that one is creating an environment of learning and collaboration, the effect would be clinical, colder, more pedagogical. That approach can be useful, but it is certainly not the only way to go about an observation. A boost, a lift up, a deeper connection, a sense of success and fulfillment, those are pretty powerful results, too.
At any rate, classroom observation as it is usually done is of questionable help. After reading Briza’s reflection – everything in italics above – there isn’t much doubt that the observation had a positive impact. If there are technical things for Briza to address, well, she can do that later, from a position of strength, from a position of love, as Briza puts it.
“Watch how your spark and your love multiplies.” This is not the language that Paul typically uses in teacher training, but maybe he should. “Watch how your spark and your love multiplies.”