PPD Growth Portfolio
Visothipong
Preparation for Coaching Session 2
Instructions
Your interview will take place in November / December (Book via BB).
1. Reality - Where are you today?
Where do you currently stand in your competences (Organizer & Supervisor)?
Honestly, things didn't go exactly as planned. I aimed to improve as an Organizer and Supervisor of Learning by watching a STEM class, but I ended up observing a friend who teaches English to primary kids instead. Surprisingly, it was really helpful. I saw how incredibly clear and strict she has to be with instructions. It made me realize that while I have experience with older students, I'm still just "Good, but not strong yet." I need to learn how to mix that high school experience with the structured clarity I saw in the primary classroom.
What actions have you taken to work towards this learning goal?
Since I couldn't find a stranger to observe, I used my own network. I sat in on my friend's classes here in Belgium. I didn't just watch passively, though; I spent time comparing what she did with how I used to teach high school back home, specifically looking for differences in how we handle the class.
How did you experience the observations? Did you encounter yourself?
It was a bit of an eye-opener. I'll admit, at first I thought, "What can primary English teach me about high school Science?" But I was wrong. Classroom management is universal. I saw my friend use these little non-verbal cues to get silence, and it worked instantly. It made me look at myself and realize that in the past, I often assumed teenagers understood me the first time. Watching the little kids made me realize the value of breaking things down step-by-step—which is actually super important for safety in a STEM lab.
Observation Spotlight: The "Mime & Model" Technique
This is the specific step-by-step routine I observed my friend using to transition from listening to working. I plan to adapt this for my STEM labs.
The Non-Verbal Signal
She didn't shout. She just raised her hand and waited. The students saw the signal, stopped talking, and raised their hands too. The room went silent in 5 seconds without a word spoken.
Visual Instruction
Instead of just saying "Open your red book," she held the red book high in the air. She pointed to the cover. She mimed opening it. She pointed to the page number on the board.
Check for Understanding
Before releasing them, she asked: "Liam, what are we taking out?" Liam answered. She asked: "Sarah, what page?" Sarah answered. This confirmed everyone knew the plan.
The "Go" Signal
Only then did she say "Go." She started a visual timer on the screen. The students had a clear deadline to be ready, which created focus instead of chaos.
2. Goal - What do you want to achieve?
What new learning goals in terms of your teaching skills are coming up?
My new goal is to figure out how to adapt those primary school management tricks for teenagers without treating them like babies. I want to give instructions that are crystal clear (like my friend does), but with a tone that works for high schoolers. I think this really hits on being a better Educator and Organizer.
If no new learning goal: which quality can you continue to work on?
I want to keep pushing myself as an Innovator. I'm thinking about taking some of the English teaching games I saw—like vocabulary roleplay—and seeing if I can twist them to explain complex science concepts. It would be a fun way to mix things up.
3. Resources + Options
What feedback, both positive and constructive, came back regularly?
I was chatting with my friend after class, and she said something that stuck with me: "If the students are confused, it's usually the teacher's fault for not being clear." That hit hard. It made me reflect on my own communication (Metacognition).
Can you link this feedback to your own established learning objectives?
Definitely. It goes right back to being a better Supervisor of Learning. If I want to run a hands-on STEM lab, my instructions need to be bulletproof so nobody breaks the equipment or gets hurt.
Are there things you will take with you into the future?
One simple thing: checking for understanding. My friend makes the students repeat the instructions back to her before they move. I'm definitely stealing that for my future labs before I let students touch the equipment.
4. Will Do - Action Plan
What concrete actions are you going to take now?
- 1By next week, I'm going to sit down with my friend and interview her about "transitions"—you know, that chaotic moment when you switch from listening to doing. I want to get at least 3 concrete tips from her.
- 2Within two weeks, I'm going to write up a comparison list called "Primary vs. Secondary Management." I want to list the strategies I saw her use, and then write a column next to it figuring out how I'd modify that for a high schooler.
- 3I'm going to find a video of a really good High School STEM teacher online and compare it to my real-life observation. I want to see the difference in voice, tone, and pacing.