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How do you pick yourself up after a bad observation?

5 replies

GraceGrape · 23/01/2015 21:31

Been teaching 11 years (Primary). I don't get observed often but normally have good/excellent feedback. This was the case in two observations I had within the last few months (from two different observers).

My school has just converted to an academy with a new head. Well, today I had an observation from her and received the worst feedback of my career. It came quite out of the blue to me. She's giving me a plan of action, which of course I'll pay attention to, but I just feel so demoralised.

Has anyone else come back from a bad observation and been successful? I'm just worried my card is now marked....

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LuvMyBoyz · 23/01/2015 22:11

I asked for another observation as soon as possible and did much better so the bad one (graded 3... Despite Ofsted not grading anymore) is now seen as a blip. I really feel for you.

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GraceGrape · 23/01/2015 22:16

Thank you! I'm going to be observed again in a couple of weeks and will be pulling out all the stops, so have my fingers crossed. Unfortunately I am in the unpopular role of expensive part-time teacher so feel I might be being targeted.

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PicInAttic · 23/01/2015 22:19

Do you suspect an agenda or was her feedback genuinely related to what she observed ie did you just have a one-off lesson that didn't go well?
Either way, would do as LuvMyBoyz suggests and ask to be observed again soon but would be careful to 'play the game' if you taught as well as you normally do but still received negative feedback.

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PicInAttic · 23/01/2015 22:27

Oops - sorry, typed too slowly to be useful!
In that case, paper trail as much as possible! Make email your best friend. Write to request a meeting to discuss the feedback and how you can improve. Take any records of recent good observations. Ask for her advice. Put as much of it into practice as quickly as possible. Email again thanking her for her suggestions (bullet point them), explaining how you've incorporated them and their impact on individuals and groups. Make sure your books are as good as they possibly can be and have whatever data you can to hand. Triangulation of books, data and observations is very much the way in non-academy schools now so am assuming similar.
Make it very difficult (in as professional a way as possible) for her to 'downgrade' you for the unprofessional reason of how much you cost.
Good luck.

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GraceGrape · 23/01/2015 22:44

Thanks so much for the advice. There were some valid points, but I real don't feel it was as bad as she made out. Unfortunately she is an "executive head" and doesn't like us staff to contact her directly, but I'll try to document as much as possible. Data for my class is pretty good, so hopefully that will go in my favour.