review by a tutor

OB2 Peer Observation Report

Session to be observed: Imposter Syndrome

Size of student group: 6

Type of activity: Online workshop 23-03-22

Observer: Tim Stephens Observee: Jackie Roberts

Observations, suggestions and questions

“Hello there, just waiting to see who is going to arrive…give it a few minutes…

[Time management and room/group management.]

[You wait patiently, without saying anything. This is interesting for the space it creates]

“We’ll give it til 5 past…after lunch, end of term…[good, clear communication..]

[You are already setting up a positive and respectful group culture, as more people arrive.]

[You repeat the message to those newly arrived. Excellent trust created. You have both the confidence not to chat and the confidence not to deviate from the basic information…so everyone feels, or will feel included.]

[Then, you act on your promise for the 5 past. Explain about latecomers.]

“I can just let them in…. for the latecomers.

St: comment in chat about student attendee

“Yes, that’s the person I’ve just admitted, thanks for that..

“So this is a workshop on IS.

“Perhaps something within the definition resonates with you. A psychotherapeutic workshop…

“Place to share…thoughts and experiences…

“Don’t have to….

“Welcome that…

“In chat and just chip in..

“Welcome to person from lobby…

“Workshop being recorded….[explained]

“Let’s get started. I’m JR…introduce…

“I really like giving this workshop….[explain, use and arts and creative industry…IS hinderances…etc]

8 mins. Intro and ettiquette slide.

[Good repetition of the key messages for group culture. Also shape of the session, the break and so on…

“We will finish no later than 4…[good boundary setting-this is the container, you psychologically and sensitively employ: how positive and transferable therapy skills are with educational ones! Wonderfully demonstrated]

[Explain more about yourself]

“I’ve introduced myself, I’d like you to introduce yourself…camera, I would invite you to…to say hello..

St: I’m D. in Photography at CSM…

“So, Alice….[you pick someone, to save the volunteering routine…however, this is also interesting..the dynamic of having been picked; was it alphabetical, was it just on yr screen view, was it a hunch..based on interaction earlier..about late student – either way she turns out to be ‘a contributing/sharing’ student-type]

St: Explains their feelings [– very honest and heartfelt, almost tearful, but certainly emotive, using strong disclosure…’palace of lies’…very interesting phrase…]

Thank you. All the things you just said are definitely part of this…thank you for sharing that Alice…[Very good ‘contact’ in your manner of communication.]

St: explain about confidence..

Thank you for sharing…

“Yvonne…[again, I presume this is a kind of turn taking for you to pick, but I’m curious how; opp. We sometimes have for sharing what we are doing and why and what role that plays as meta-communication and in power dynamics]

St: Sorry won’t turn camera on at the moment…explains relating to description…so I can recognise when I fall into negative thinking patterns…[She follows Alice’s decision in a way, this is group culture forming]

“Thank you for sharing, introducing yourself and hopefully find things you can use in practice…[Very even and fair and engaged response to all students equally..great!]

“Alice, hi, [go to message in chat… Alice again initiates to draw attention to message?]

“Welcome Timi, reads out the message intro. from this student…unfortunately on phone so not using camera..

“Great that you’re here…even tho you are on yr way home…

“Fantastic…just see Alice is typing, wait a second then get started…feel free to start typing…

St: Alice explains not typing.

“Thank you for letting me know. OK. [Absolutely Jackie, excellent attention to communication, simply on another level, above and beyond normal teaching expectations and excellent teaching as a result]

17m 2^nd Slide Outline [Explains Uni context]

3^rd slide…Definition

“Like someone explained in the intro. [Discrete, yet collaborative to group]

“Against evidence….if you don’t believe it yourself, you’re not going to believe it from others…

4^th Slide. Reading out dictionary def.

Pause between slides.

5^th Common amongst students.

“Can be this thought you are alone…

[You use the terms, ‘fraud’, ‘incompetent’, ‘destined to fail’…very powerful affective reinforcement]

[You explain its effect in career transitions.]

“There can be really successful people in academia, business etc…

6^th Slide

“A form of intellectual self doubt. You explain its not an “official” syndrome…

[You explain dynamics of feeling and consequence…

“Although its not directly….[Read slide]

Stop for chat.

St: Dunning Crouger effect..? explains, in chat.

[You bring her in. She is very articulate about the explanation.

“Yes, that can often be the case…

[You explain the difference between competence and confidence…and dynamics of how people excel…going above and beyond..can be plus sides…to achieve and develop more…

“And what was the thing you said at the end, Alice [Very transparent and authentic]

St: Alice comes in…[She has a very insightful and deeply reflective knowledge and understanding of the dynamic]

You explain further…and it generates more thoughts almost as a conversation between you…

[Lovely dynamic of the emerging conversation…between the two of you..however, is it becoming exclusive..albeit subtly – some students need to feel special, how do we deal with this?]

“Does anyone else resonate with these thoughts or want to say something..[Maybe think about type and form of questions and questioning – how to engage student’s with questions…that are more than open…investigative, exploratory, propositional, does anyone feel X’, or questioning of other aspects..speculative, what would happen if…’ ]

[you pause…read out Danny in chat, thank you Danny for sharing that….write your thoughts in the chat and I’ll keeo coming back to it.

You go back to slide.

“So, in terms of thinking what to do…

7^th slide Noticing. “The first thing is really noticing…awareness

[You explain the ways it can be internalized messaging in childhood…, how it can be repeated…

“Core beliefs: not good enough, not deserving, and so on…You explain and elaborate on the slides.

[This method of explaining and elaborating on the slides is your ‘chosen’ method for this part of the session…e.g. you add ‘self-sabotaging’..not on the slide…this is very interesting teaching technique as an approach…why does it appeal to you do you think?]

“So I don’t know if anyone resonates with any of that…if anyone has that feeling…you give the options of core beliefs…[Reflection on ways of questioning, cont’d]

[Pause]

“Alice..

St: Alice comes in…explains her dynamics of play and work…”I don’t know if that makes sense…

“Yes, thank you for sharing…you’re doing something you love…explain and respond…you also explain about counselling and goodness of your heart…[Again, your personal experience is you being human, available and transparent…]

Danny…wrote in the chat…”thank you for sharing that…

[You elaborate on the student’s comment…”the real work is noticing that, adding a compassionate voice…it takes time…read out TIMI’s chat..and comment…and another…Yvonne…Pattern of reading out comments from the chat and you responding; has now formalised into a communication culture….you go on to explain about reparenting…challenging the critical voice..]

”thank you for all of you for sharing with this…its so lovely you’re being supportive of each other, hugs and hearts…because everyone is deserving…

“If you can establish your core beliefs if it pops up in your mind it can be challenged…respond to lacking of love…everyone is deserving of love.. [Very deep point; of the first part of the session]

ST: [you read] Search for love in the wrong places..…decide not to follow that up…[wise decision to stay on topic? Emotional boundary again..holding a safe space?

Continue with slides…

Slide 8, the “they”…you and they…

You elaborate…their portfolio is great…[you are adding in language that you feel people will relate to…well done!]

Explain about sitting up tall, lower the pedestal…you’re equal to…explain the facts of the situation…”I got in..like everyone else…therefore logically….my work is just as good…

“So much of this happens unconsciously..not even aware of this…

You explain how to lower your gaze, and do a sensory body scan…throat, upper chest, belly…you use words like nauseous, knotted, trembling…no right or wrong…good or bad…you start to enact the self talk for this process…[This is then kind of self-interrupted…in you wanting to response – with presence- to the chat]

42m Go to chat…Alice on our own work…and the qualities about people’s work..judging one’s own or other’s work..

[Here, the method, the communicative dialogue form, with the chat results in a mismatch of delivery and topic, where the pace of each channel differs – chat is slightly slower hence ‘retrospective’ whereas recording is ‘synchronous’ and up to date- hence this creates a distraction from, or parallel narrative, or overlapping points, which the tutor will then have to re-weave and find connection]

[You again elaborate on Alice’s input and go on to give a “fantastically wonderful!” TS – on record! analogy between the messy process of feeling and experience of discomfort and the messy sketchbook. Was this pre-prepared? Seemed like a beautifully appropriate one if so and if not, either way, but also very appropriately given, or timely, in the moment, narrative response to student concerns]

You continue with reading and responding to chat messages, from Timi and others…

“Be kind and compassionate to yourself..

“You are being very supportive with eachother in sharing all this….[and you explain how them supporting each other is part of being less alone…

45m Link to the Video.

Two points:

[Is this roughly where you expected to be, time-wise? If so, GREAT time management]

[As an honorary student for the observation, I’m still left, engaged, curious and open to the body-sensing task..as it felt slightly incomplete, and wondering, could it be returned to..? Let’s discuss, or reflect, how can body-sensing be boundaried as a discrete and different type of teaching technique, rather than be subsumed into the teaching narrative, and elaborating on slides and comments: the main approach you have chosen…]

50 min. You come back.

“Any thoughts on the video…” [Role, of open questions in teaching, when and where best to use…?]

You read out comments….

“Absolutely 100%..[affirmative feedback, nice]

“As a human species we have a negative bias…we always on the look out….you explain the reading through feedback and looking for negative…etc.

“That’s really important to think about…

[Maybe a ‘teaching moment’ here to have explained that this ‘negative bias’ is a theory from..recent evolutionary biology, or positive psychology or recent social science, who were the theorists that posit this and with what evidence… otherwise we sometimes reduce academic/educational perspective..? ]

“Be mindful of that…

Reading out: There’s a part where…(Dani shares)

“Thanks you for sharing that Dani, that’s really common…to be quite neutral, not comment…here’s my work it’s not great..allow people to say what they are going to say….

“To say thank you and take it…over time that will feel more natural…

“Alice, [you are reading out her comments..]

“Powerful video..[I really wish I could see it now! maybe send me a link?! TS]

“It’s almost 3 o clock let’s have a 10 minute break to get a drink or go to the loo or just switch off..and let me know when you’re back…

“5 past. [Precise and reassuring, well done. You have a great sense of the importance of time that many educators miss]

[Very competent. Again, personal, kind and genuine, detailed closure. Specific and boundaried. You maintain a great balance and stability of presence, attention to communication, detail, appreciation, openness and authenticity and explanatory and a really competent teaching method.]

57 mins. Left session

Reflection on the observer’s comments and ideas to follow up:

I was really pleased with the observer’s comments. It was nice to hear such encouraging feedback and comments on creating a lovely dynamic, the use of silence, and good boundary setting.

I agree that an emerging dynamic was happening from quite early on with one student who shared quite openly from the outset and also took the role of the ‘helper’ in the group and also ‘supporter of others’. I was mindful at the time that it may require ‘containing’ to avoid over-sharing, which can leave the person feeling too vulnerable later on, and it can also potentially become hard for others in the group to hear.

I’m pleased that the observer picked up on the fact that I didn’t give space to the comment about ‘looking for love in the wrong places’ as I felt this was going off topic and could potentially become too personal.

I wasn’t sure if reading all of the comments from the chat was such a good idea although I was mindful that it was the only way some of the ‘quieter’ members of the group were communicating and as there was one dominant member of the group taking up a lot of space I felt this was important. This is something I might not necessarily do in future workshops.

A very useful point from the observer to have perhaps explained the theory of ‘negative bias’ and the evidence for this. This is something I am going to add to the workshop, so thank you!

‘You maintain a great balance and stability of presence, attention to communication, detail, appreciation, openness and authenticity and explanatory and a really competent teaching method’ – thank you! I am really happy with these comments, they are encouraging and kind and also constructive and helpful for me to think about my teaching style.

Unit 1: Theories, Policies & Practices JR

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