Why can't I access the next module?
Why can't I access the next module?
Some programmes on Steplab are designed to release modules on a set schedule (eg. weekly). This is to help you focus on the current topic and avoid getting distracted by future content.
What does it mean when a circle turns blue?
What does it mean when a circle turns blue?
We use the colour blue (techically cyan) to indicate when a part of a course has been completed, so you can see how you are getting on at a glance.
What's the difference between a coaching observation and a drop-in?
What's the difference between a coaching observation and a drop-in?
A coaching observation is the most important thing that a coach can do for a teacher. It's where the teacher's weekly development focus is selected, and it guides the teacher to take the next steps to improve. A drop-in is like a top-up to this. You can use it to give them extra feedback on their current development focus, some helpful tops in another area, or some positive feedback! Finally, teachers can use drop-ins to see each other in action whenever they want.
Why do I have to do so many rounds of practice?
Why do I have to do so many rounds of practice?
Learning to teach involves the learning of thousands of often very challenging new skills. When we learn a skill for the first time, practice helps us make this skill automatic, so that we get it right even when we have other things on our mind. It's like learning to ride a bike - or tie your shoelaces - you didn't stop practising when you got it right for the first time. If we want to make brilliant teachers, we need to help them get it right, and then lock that skill down through repeated practice.
How long should I watch a teacher for when I do a coaching observation?
How long should I watch a teacher for when I do a coaching observation?
We recommend that you watch a teacher for at least 15 minutes so that you can make a good decision about what you want them to work on next. That's definitely not a hard a fast rule: sometimes the next step will jump out at you as soon as you arrive, and sometimes you might want to be there for longer than 15 minutes.
What is the purpose of 'Study' for a coach?
What is the purpose of 'Study' for a coach?
The purpose of study is that coaches head into their observation with a clear idea of what teachers are currently working on. As part of study, coaches get a very condensed version of their teacher's learning for that week. This means that they'll be extra efficient at choosing the action step for that week.
I'm not receiving emails
I'm not receiving emails
This can happen for a number of reasons:
Your account has emails turned off
Your email address is wrong on Steplab
Your email inbox is full
Your spam filter is not allowing emails from us. This is a common problem because of the tight security that schools have on their IT systems.
To resolve this issue:
Check your email settings here
Check your email address is correct on Steplab.
Talk to your IT department to make sure you are able to receive emails from @steplab.co
If this doesn't work, get in touch with us.
If your question isn't covered here, then feel free to get in touch with us.