A Non-Directive Approach to Clinical Application

 

  Mark Mraz

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

 

What is Non-Directive Clinical Application?

Chart 1: Schema of Non-Directive Clinical Application

 

 

 

 

 

          Non-directive clinical application is a type of supervision in which the university supervisor refrains from interpretation, explanation, or prescription during the clinical cycle.  Instead, the supervisor and cooperating teacher encourage the teacher candidate to develop their own pedagogy through suggestion and positive application from observational feedback.

            Far too often teacher candidates are molded by directive clinical application which leads them to mirror their cooperating teachers and university supervisors.  They search in vain for some cookbook on teaching.  The non-directive clinical application allows the pre-service teacher to find their own voice to the real world of teaching.  By finding their voice, they are able to develop their own teaching style.  In both legal and psychological professional education non-directive clinical application is used.  Role assumption is the key in both models (Katz, 2008).  The method becomes a total immersion, as much as possible, into the day to day routines of the teacher. 

            However, cooperating teachers and university supervisors should aid this “role assumption” by having the student teacher make every effort to replicate the routines of the teacher; i.e. taking roll, conferencing with parents, working on budget items, hall duty, cafeteria duty, bus duty, and Act 80 days.  The mundane daily rituals of the classroom teacher are vital steps in the process role assumption.  It is important that teacher candidates assume the teaching role as soon as possible.  Keep in mine, Kurt Vonnegut one said: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be (Vonnegut, 1966).”  If they thing they are teachers they will eventually act like teachers and be teachers.  The critical phase of the role assumption is a vital part of the non-directive process. 

What is the difference between directive and non-directive clinical application?

            The differences between directive and non-directive clinical application can be seen in the following comparison chart.

Chart 2: Comparison between directive and non-directive clinical application

Directive Clinical Application	Non-Directive Application
prescriptive	suggestive
negative	positive
stagnate	evolving
imitative	creative
takes less time	takes more time
assumes that teaching is intellectual	assumes that teaching is social
cookbook approach	reflective approach
approximates real teaching	simulates real teaching

 

 

Assumptions Involved in Non-Directive Clinical Application

            The non-directive approach is based on a number of assumptions.  If one doesn’t accept these premises the approach may have negative results.  Many of these assumptions relate to basic beliefs about behavior found in philosophy and psychology.

Assumption 1:  “They are always doing the best they can!”

            This assumption relates to the ideas of Abraham Maslow and Socrates who suggested that in order to be able to teach and grow professionally one must have a positive outlook toward the whole process.  Therefore, a positive self-image can be fostered by looking at what the student teacher is doing right before we look at what they are doing wrong (Dunn, 2005).  This also will mean to some degree, that we let them solve or overcome their own problems.  Keep in mind that at some point if there are persistent problems, university supervisors must become more directive.  However, if we need to be more directive that doesn’t imply that we scrap the other assumptions.

Assumption 2:  “Have faith in the program!”

            By having an abiding faith in the program, we can give the student teacher time to understand, reflect and solve his/her own problems.  By doing this, they will grow professionally and get real teaching experience in role assumption.

Assumption 3:  “The university supervisor and cooperating teacher should lead the student teacher to find their own voice (i.e. teaching style).”

            This aspect of the process is somewhat like psychoanalysis in which the supervisor and cooperating teacher assume the role of therapist and the teacher candidate assumes the role of patient (Dunn, 2005).  Just as the therapist works out the problem with the patient, the supervisor/cooperating teacher works out the teaching process with the student teacher in an inductive way by leading the teacher candidate to reach their full potential.

Assumption 4:  “Self-esteem and positive regard are important!”

            Help the student teacher to develop a positive regard toward the students they teach and themselves while understanding their own strengths and limitations.

Assumption 5: “Restate the meaning of the teacher candidates’ words during the conferencing session, so they can reflect on them.”

            By restating and reformatting the meaning of the teacher candidates’ words, they have time to reflect, comprehend, and grow professionally.

Assumption 6:  “A cycle of clinical application with extensive pre and post conferencing is essential.”

            The key to the whole process is the clinical cycle that involves detailed pre and post conferencing.  In pre-conferencing, the university supervisor should concentrate on the lesson in terms of objectives and lesson design.  During the observation stage of the lesson, the stress should be on unobtrusive and obtrusive cues.  Unobtrusive cues involve such things as: classroom environment; teacher attitude; and materials.  Obtrusive observation involves such things as the execution of the lesson design and student teacher interaction with students.  The post-conference phase involves a discussion sequence that begins with the positive aspects of the lesson and ends with the university supervisor guiding the teacher candidate to improve by restating the meaning of the teacher candidates’ words, so they can reflect and see how they can improve in a Socratic dialogue.

 The Clinical Cycle

            It is important to maintain a structured clinical cycle with non-directive application.  The best approach is to observe student teachers once every two weeks for eighteen weeks, if there are no problems.  This involves one introductory visit and eight rounds of clinical application.  The pre-conferencing, observation, and post-conferencing are structured as follows:

Chart 3: Conferencing (See Appendix 1: Lesson Plan Evaluation Form)

Pre-Conference	Observation	Post-Conference
Lesson Plan	Unobtrusive Observations	Positive Aspects of the Lesson
Lesson Design	Obtrusive Observations	Negative Aspects of the Lesson
Content	Execution of the Lesson Plan	Information garnished from Unobtrusive Observations
Materials	Student-Teacher Interaction	Information garnished from Obtrusive Observations
Evaluation and Application		Suggestions for  Improvement
Accommodations
Extras

 

Summary

            In conclusion, the following points about non-directive clinical application should be considered when employing this method of supervision.

1. Non-directive clinical application stresses the present.

2. Non-directive clinical application does not imply dependence between student teacher and supervisor.

3. Non-directive clinical application favors a two-week clinical cycle.

4. Non-directive clinical application allows student teachers to find their own method for solving classroom problems instead of seeking a “cookbook” solution.

5. Non-directive clinical application stresses practical more than theoretical.

6. Non-directive clinical application challenges the assumption that few of us can solve our own problems.

7. Non-directive clinical application demands no super-human wisdom or unusual personality from the supervisor.

            It is paramount to consider these assumptions and the clinical cycle when utilizing this approach to supervision.  The adjectives involved in non-directive clinical application can be a good summary of the whole process.  Remember that this approach is non-directive, suggestive, positive, evolving, creative, time consuming, social, and reflective.

 

 

 Appendix 1: Lesson Plan Evaluation

 Name_______________________

SUBJECT___________ GRADE____

Topic of Lesson_______________

SEFE Department

Lesson Plan Evaluation

Scale

Poor (0):  The student did not do the task, did not complete the assignment, or did not show  comprehension of the activity.

Inadequate (1): The product or performance does not satisfy a significant number of the criteria, does not accomplish what was asked, contains errors, or is of poor quality.

Fair (2): The performance or product meets most of the criteria and does not contain gross errors or fundamental omissions.

Good (3): The performance or product completely meets the expectations described by the criteria.
Very Good (4): The performance or product completely exceeds the expectations described by the criteria

Outstanding (5): All of the criteria are met, and the performance or product exceeds the expectations for the task; additional effort or outstanding features are shown.

 

Part I: Planning

Pre-Conference

    A) Lesson Plan

___Clearly Written

___Variety of activities/methods

___Age appropriate content/methods

___Reflects content knowledge

___Well-defined objectives/purpose

___Objectives related to standards of Learned Society & PDE

___Connects with current events/ real world

___Resources other than textbook

___Innovative methods attempted

 

    B) Lesson Design

___Subject, Grade Level, Time needed

___Objectives tied to standards

      *What will you have the students do?

___Procedures

      *What you as the teacher will do?

___Content

      *A brief outline of the subject matter taught in the lesson

___Materials

      *Handouts, websites, media, computer simulations, textbooks, etc.

___Evaluation or Application

      *How will you access learning? How will the students use or apply the knowledge?

 ___Accommodations

            * What if any adjustments or accommodations did you make for diverse or        inclusive students?

 ___Extras *Copies of handouts, worksheets, PowerPoint slides etc.

     C) Teacher Preparation (unobtrusive or not obvious but relevant to the process)

___Appearance

___Room Environment

            *Lights, Temperature, Windows, Doors

___Equipment, ready to use

___Outside Materials preview, ready to use

___Copy of plan and handouts, ready for use

___Materials

            ___Plan

            ___Handouts

            ___Supplementals

            ___AV

            ___Tests

            ___Misc.

 Post-Conference

Part 2: Teaching Observation (obtrusive or observable or obvious)

A)    General Items

____ Knows/uses student names

____Appropriate language used (verbal & written)

____Clear explanations/directions

____Movement/ eye contact/ energetic

____Unexpected problems recognized/lesson adjusted

 ____Misc. Class business (If any) was done

 B)     Lesson Plan Carried Out (Obtrusive)

____Lesson opened-students ready

____Purpose stated

____Used “Lesson Design” strategies as needed

____Adjusted based on needs

____Time used well/lesson completed

____Smooth transitions between activities

____Assignments given/explained

____Closure

____Objectives met

C) Student Teacher Interaction

____Students on task

 

____Students showed respect

 

____Students interested/responsive

 

____Students exhibited proper behavior

 

____Students understood teacher/lesson

 

____Used positive reinforcement

 

____Accepted/used student responses

 

____Teacher responses were consistent/planned

 

____Problems recognized, handled quickly and effectively

 

D) Evaluation 

 

____Accepts constructive criticism

 

____Attempts to follow suggestions/make changes