Dear We Are Teachers,
I’m in my first year of teaching 8th grade math. So far, these are the days I’ve had either a walk-through or classroom observations: Halloween (which fell on a Friday), the Friday before we let out for Thanksgiving, and one of the half days we had before school let out before winter break when my students were already done with my final exam. Each time, I’ve gotten feedback that my students were rowdy and my lesson wasn’t rigorous enough. Is my admin trolling me on purpose? Or should I gently point out to them that I keep being observed on the literal worst days of the school calendar?
—Observation Blues
Dear O.B.,
Congrats on completing your first year! As a former 8th grade teacher, I know you’re doing challenging but important work.
This question is a tough one. It’s always hard when we want feedback, but it feels like the performance we’re getting feedback on was, in some ways, out of our control. I checked in with a friend who is a principal. They noted the importance of differentiating between a “walk-through” and an “observation.” Walk-throughs are often genuinely dependent on when the principal has a free moment. It’s possible the principal just happened to be around and available.
Classroom observations—particularly if they affect formal evaluations—have understandably higher stakes. It’s worth working with your principal to ensure you’re getting feedback that is actually helpful and based on an accurate reflection of your practice. My friend recommended coming to the principal with solutions: You’ve implemented the principal’s feedback, and you’d like to provide some dates for when they can observe a lesson that exemplifies the shifts you’ve made. You’re not saying they’re unwelcome in your room, but you’d like to ensure they also see lessons that incorporate the feedback received. You could also explicitly mention the days you were observed were challenging. Ask for ideas on what they did when the outside world shifts the way students engage with content. Since this is your first year, the feedback should be in the spirit of generosity and helping you grow.
Also, it might be good to get support from fellow teachers. What do they do on days like Halloween or after final exams? Every school culture is different, so if what was happening in your classroom was vastly different than other classrooms, that may also shift your principal’s perception. You can also seek a veteran teacher willing to give you some trusted, informal feedback. This tactic is not only a way to learn your school culture, but also builds meaningful relationships and shows you’re invested in your growth.
At the end of the day, classroom observations are meant to be helpful. They are also one person’s perception of one snapshot in time. Do your best to get the most meaningful feedback possible and focus on what’s useful for you and your students.
Good luck! I believe in you!
Dear We Are Teachers,
I have a student who is making racist remarks. The tricky part is his grandmother is part of my administration team. How do I handle this delicate situation?
—Uncomfortable Conversations
Dear U.C.,
I hear how difficult this might feel. You may feel like there are a lot of issues to juggle: managing a difficult conversation with a student and their family and also navigating the additional challenge of having the student’s family member on your administrative team. It is an understandably uncomfortable situation.
All that said, I want to push our thinking here a bit: This might be an uncomfortable situation, but it is not necessarily a tricky one. You know these comments are wrong. You know that when students make racist remarks in our classrooms, it hurts all students—regardless of race—especially those who come from historically marginalized backgrounds. Plus, you know that it’s our job as educators to create a space that is safe, respectful, and supportive of all our students, regardless of their backgrounds. This support includes the student making these remarks. This can serve as an essential learning opportunity to, at minimum, understand what is not acceptable classroom behavior. Hopefully, though, they eventually learn why this behavior is just wrong.
I believe you care about your students, which is why you asked this question.
So, I encourage you to handle this as you would handle any other student making racist remarks. Interrupt the action, question the student, educate the issue, and move on from there. Since this is repeated behavior, that follow-up should likely include sharing the situation with your administration and the student’s parents. If it’s helpful, Learning for Justice has some good resources (here and here) and a more in-depth guide here.
I know it’s hard, but we both know it’s the right thing to do. Good luck. I believe in you, and I hope this is a learning experience for everyone.
Dear We Are Teachers,
I’m struggling to manage group projects in my class. Every time I assign a group project to my high school students, I get complaints that someone is not pulling their weight. I don’t want to deal with student drama. I also don’t want to grade over 100 individual projects either. How can I make sure everyone gets a fair grade?
—Grumbly Groupwork
Dear G.G.,
A tale as old as time! I remember grumbling about finishing group work as a student. I’ve dealt with this issue as recently as last month. One critical but sometimes challenging lesson for our students is how to collaborate well and manage working in a group.
There are plenty of resources about group work out there that I really love, including this roundup of tips from the We Are Teachers site. Here are a few that I use in my classes:
1. Set norms early. In the course I co-teach, we share group work grading policy at the beginning of the year. We restate those policies at the beginning of every project. This consistent messaging helps minimize complaining later, as students already have a clear understanding of how grading works for group projects. Since we’re already in spring, I would clearly define a group work grading policy, put it in writing, and share it with students before they start the project so they can make informed decisions.
2. Let students have choice. I believe that, at the high school level, if you’re going to grade things as a group, it’s important to let students have some element of choice in who they work with. You can add some caveats (e.g., you can’t work with someone you did the last project with, etc.), but part of learning to collaborate well means learning who you work well with. Have students reflect on their group work styles before they choose groups so they can make informed decisions.
If you do want to create the groups, consider adding additional supports (e.g., teacher-assigned group roles) or grade separately since one of the skills you are assessing is flexibility to collaborate with people they may not choose to work with. That’s an important lesson as well; I just recommend explicitly teaching that skill as part of the project.
3. Scaffold collaborative learning skills. Have students create a project plan where they define tasks, create roles, and figure out benchmark deadlines BEFORE they begin working. Then, they can submit a clear list of who is managing what task beforehand. If, at the end of the project, there are issues, there’s a clear record of what the original plan was.
4. Assess group collaboration. Grading collaboration helps students see we value that skill. Make sure students have a clear sense of how they are being assessed.
5. Implement student reflection. At the end of the project, allow students to reflect not only on how their group members did but also on how they did. By having them individually reflect before the grade comes out, they can stop and take a non-defensive moment to consider how everyone contributed. They can also look at how everyone could improve their collaborative capabilities in the future.
When you put in the time at the front end, group work can be a beautiful way to teach important life skills as well as content knowledge. And, yes, grading 20 projects is easier than grading 100 individual assignments. I’m sending lots of good vibes, and I believe in you!
Do you have a burning question? Email us at askweareteachers@weareteachers.com.
Dear We Are Teachers,
I’m seven weeks pregnant with my first child and feel absolutely miserable. I can barely get up from my desk most of the day, have to pee every 30 minutes, and have thrown up into my classroom trash can more times than I can count. I know some of these symptoms will get better, but I also know that others will take their place! How am I supposed to get through the next 33 weeks?
—Teaching While Pregnant
