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These comments are discerning as they acknowledge the impossibility of objec-
tive observation. No one expects the observer to be able to ‘see’ and ‘observe’
everything in complex, dynamic and busy classrooms. The observers’ perspectives,
interests and positions in the room will all impact on what they ‘see’ and what their
attention is drawn to. Yet the process calls for the suspension of judgement and
necessarily asks the observer to try to take a step back from, or suspend, their own
preconceptions and biases.
Despite the practical difficulties of suspending judgement, several participants
reported that when they provide descriptive observations, there are times when the
preservice teacher seeks judgements:
... if you’re talking in terms of that descriptive observation, [after] ten minutes, they will
often say something like, oh, so did you think it was good? And ask a question that... invites
a judgement. (Bree, Clinical Specialist)
By using this moment to draw the discussion back to the evidence that has been
gathered, conversation remains open. Bree also recognised the importance of pre-
service teachers themselves being adept in the descriptive observation approach.
She later reported significant success in enabling the preservice teachers to use the
approach when observing each other.
The Descriptive Approach Embedded in the Teaching Tracker
Tool Fosters an Inquiring and Collaborative Stance When
Reviewing the Lesson
Focus group participants noted that focusing on evidence shifted the object of dis-
cussion from preconceived notions of what constitutes good teaching and directed
attention towards the kinds of learning taking place in the lessons:
It made the feedback focus on only what was observed rather than on preconceived notions
of how a class should be run. (Rachel, Mentor Teacher)
Participants reported that evidence that was collected was a useful platform to
begin discussion. The variety of options within the T3 enabled observers to choose
the means of recording observations that best suited the lesson:
Great to have a visual on proximity and flow [diagram]. Good to start the conversation.
(Zach, Mentor Teacher)
Andre affirms the importance of the descriptive observation process in develop-
ing an open dialogue with the preservice teacher:
I think it’s really important to what I do with my relationship with the student teacher – by
focusing very much on what I saw, as opposed to what I think about it, it gives me the
instrument then to be able to talk about why the activities may not have been appropriate at
that stage in the lesson, or why more time should be spent or more preparation time for the
student on a particular thing could have been spent to improve the outcome in relationship,
to what it is that the teacher wanted to achieve. So I’m able to take myself out of that discus-
sion. (Andre, Teaching Fellow)J. Kriewaldt et al.