Found this interesting flow diagram in relation to last Sunday’s diary entry about EQ and QA (or is it QA and EQ?). Successfully fight initial impulse to badge diagram as outstanding example of Building An Audience By Stating The Bleeding Obvious and concede that perhaps Key To Success is to grasp hold of one idea and continually repeat until dead, or successful route out of teaching is achieved, whichever comes first.
Further consideration leads to irresistible desire to tinker with diagram. First thought is to humbly suggest that ‘feedback to teachers’ stage be written out entirely as it carries strong, pungent scent of traditional hierarchical structures that ought to be avoided at all costs except in the classroom with respect to children. And in the corridors. And the playground. Obviously.
Mutual professional trust and respect surely the most important element of driving up standards in Quality First Teaching after all. Feel certain that Research must prove this to be the case. Ask fellow professionals on The Twitter about this and feel mildly depressed by crushing silence that follows.
Convinced that stage of ‘Developmental Dialogue’ is most important element in process and wonder for the umpteenth time just how, exactly, this is achieved for classroom practitioners who frequently experience days where they have No Time To Pee. Decide that capacity must be explicitly built into practitioners Directed Time for such dialogue to take place then promptly worry that time will instead be filled with Opportunities For Complaining and other avoidance activities. Decide solution might be to have Identified Champions leading dialogue sessions and immediately worry that this is merely example of imposing hierarchical structure on process. Tempted to accept this compromise as another splendid example of the need to Celebrate Contradictions and mark this job as ‘complete’ on lengthy to-do list but this prompt immediate revisiting of earlier concerns about finding the Ultimate List App. Hold head in hands and ask self once again about potential retirement age.
(Secret) Diary of a Provincial Teacher 