SUMMARY #27

DEASTIKA BAYUNING SUDJASMARA

140247
8

SELF DEVELOPMENT AND EXPLORATION

FACTORS AFFECT TEACHER SELF-DEVELOPMENT

Development
Development
Development
Development
Development

EFL/ESL teaching
Development is enhanced by searching out opportunities to develop
Self-development of teaching beliefs and practices requires the cooperation

takes time
requires ongoing commitment
is enhanced through problem solving
is enhanced through exploration for explorations sake
is enhanced by paying attention to and receiving the basics of

of others
WHAT ARE WAYS TO EXPLORE TEACHING?

Read journals and books about teaching and learning

Read teacher narratives
Attend professional conferences
Establish a mentoring relationship
Put together a teaching portfolio
Learn another language
Do action research
Do self observation
Observe other teachers
Talk with other teachers
Keep a teacher journal

HOW CAN TEACHERS EXPLORE TEACHING THROUGH SELF-OBSERVATION?

Collecting samples of teaching

Analyzing the samples of teaching
Interpreting and reflecting
Deciding on changes in teaching behavior

WHAT TEACHERS HAVE DONE: EXAMPLES OF THE OBSERVATION

PROCESS
To explore the way they give instruction, teachers can videotape their teaching
and made short transcripts focusing on how they give instructions and on what
the students do afterward. If the teachers want to explore their praise behaviors
with pre-teen children, after audio taping the class,

they can listen to the tape

SUMMARY #27
DEASTIKA BAYUNING SUDJASMARA

140247
8

and tally the number of times they praise students; they also note samples of
language they use to praise the students.
HOW CAN TEACHERS EXPLORE THEIR OWN TEACHING THROUGH THE
OBSERVATION OF ITHER TEACHERS?
When we observe other teachers to gain knowledge of self, we have chance to
construct and reconstruct our own knowledge. While observing other teachers, it
is possible to collect samples of teaching in a variety of ways. We can take fast
notes, draw sketches, tally behaviors, and note short transcript-like samples of
interaction. As with collecting samples in our own classes, it is possible to audio
or video tape other teachers classes and photograph interaction. These tapes
can be used later to analyze classroom behaviors.
Observing others to explore ones own teaching: some examples
The example involves collaboration between two teachers. The first teacher
shows consistent interest in error treatment and wants to gain more awareness of
how she treats students error. As such, the second teacher audio tapes her
partner class and transcribes short segments that centers on how she treats
students language errors. The two teachers then meet to talk.
HOW CAN TEACHERS EXPLORE TEACHING THROUGH TALK?
The way conversations about teaching normally take place begins with the
observer giving an opening evaluative remark. This is followed by a three-step
evaluative sequence. In the first step of the sequence a positive or negative
evaluation is made. These comments lead to a second step, justification, and
then to the third step, prescriptions about what should be done in the class to
improve teaching. The last prescriptive step is more obvious when a negative
evaluation is made because there is a perceived problem to be solved.
HOW CAN TEACHERS EXPLORE THROUGH A TEACHER JOURNAL?
Here is a list of what some teachers include in their journals:

Quickly written description of classroom interaction collected in their own and

other teachers classrooms, as well as analyses and interpretations of these
descriptions

SUMMARY #27
DEASTIKA BAYUNING SUDJASMARA

140247
8

Tally sheets, transcripts, sketches, and coding as a part of their description

and analysis
Photos and descriptions of what goes on in each photo
Summaries and reflections on discussions with other teachers
List of alternative ways to teach aspects of a lesson
Stream-of-consciousness writing
Reflections on language-learning experiences
Thoughts on beliefs about teaching and learning
Questions about teaching and learning
Answers to their own questions
Summaries and critiques of journal articles and books
Lesson plans and teaching ideas