Record of Observation or Review of Teaching Practice   

Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: Daily studio operations (e.g., student interactions, responding to queries, site visits, bookings) and workshop festival. 

Size of student group: Various. I am expecting the space to be very busy 

Observer: Victor Guillen 

Observee: Ana Teles 

Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action. 

Part One

 
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review: 

What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum? 

The professional practice studios at Peckham Levels are student-led platforms, open to the public and located in a creative hub surrounded by other creative businesses, where students take the lead in shaping the space’s dynamic. This week, we are hosting a workshop festival in collaboration with the Academic Support team. The studios will remain open for students to use as usual, so some may come in to work or to speak with me. 

How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity? 

This is my first time working with these students. 

What are the intended or expected learning outcomes? 

These workshops are led by students, alumni and staff, and aim to support students in developing their skills, sharing knowledge, and building a network and community of practice. 

What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)? 

There are two workshops from 4-5pm (Football and Foucault, Rhymes and Rousseau and Tending Together), and another at 5pm (A Manifesto to Slow Down – Collaborative Collage Making). More information: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/workshop-festival-2025-at-peckham-levels-4059143?_gl=1*1nrt9dx*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzkzNjYyNTI5LjE3Mzk0MTc5MDA.*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*MTczOTQxNzg5OS4xLjEuMTczOTQxNzk4My4wLjAuMA.. 

Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern? 

There are no specific areas of concern. My role will be to support students in making the most of their workshops. We will be open as usual, so the challenge will be balancing support for both workshop participants and others using the space. 

How will students be informed of the observation/review? 

I will let them know orally on the day. 

What would you particularly like feedback on? 

How will feedback be exchanged? 

Part Two 

Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions: 

Hi Ana 

Thank you for inviting me to join your sessions at Peckham Levels on the day that you had the workshop festival in addition to your usual studio support duties (e.g. supporting students, responding to queries, dealing with site visits and managing bookings). As expected, student presence in these open spaces is hard to predict and it turned out I could only observe you interacting with a couple of students (for a joint application) as you were not required to support any other students during the festival or the studio where I was there. However, there was quite a lot to note down and I hope you find my feedback useful to help with your reflection. You didn’t specify on any specific areas for feedback, so I’ve commented on general aspects of the interactions with students.  

Effective Student Engagement and Support 

You successfully established a welcoming and supportive environment, ensuring students felt comfortable seeking guidance. You began by asking what they were there for, acknowledging that different activities were taking place in the space. This helped set the context and ensured the support provided was relevant to their needs. You personalized the conversation by finding out about their course and college and linking your guidance to aspects of their programme (e.g. referencing tutors and a group visit to the space the following week). This created a sense of familiarity, continuity and a sense of belonging to the UAL community, helping students see how the space could fit into their academic experience. 

Your active listening skills were evident throughout the interaction. You expanded on students’ questions and responses, ensuring the discussion remained student-led, prompting and probing as needed. You used both verbal and non-verbal cues (e.g. uh-huh, right, OK, nodding, hand gestures, to maintain the focus and flow of conversation. These techniques encouraged turn-taking between the two students (e.g. your eye contact and head movement signalled an opportunity to speak).  

Clear Communication and Practical Guidance 

Your explanations were informative, making sure students received detailed guidance in terms of how the space operates, key deadlines, and the booking process, prompting further student-led questioning. This demonstrated an adaptive and responsive approach, sharing information that seemed most relevant to students’ needs rather scripted versions of the information. 

You also provided practical tips on funding applications (e.g. demonstrating a clear plan, including tentative artists’ names even if not confirmed yet, and starting promotion early). Additionally, you helped students think about the spatial and logistical aspects of their exhibition. You encouraged them to explore different installation possibilities (e.g., drilling, Velcro, magnets), leading one student to physically check out one of the rooms.  

Encouraging Critical Thinking and Strategic Planning 

Beyond practical concerns, you prompted students to consider conceptual and experiential aspects of their exhibition (e.g. Would you serve food and drinks during the reception? What would you exhibit? Who is your audience, and why would they come?) and the possible implications of their decisions (e.g. catering services are more expensive but frees up their time to engage with the audience/artists). You also encouraged students to consider disciplinary differences in audience expectations (e.g., fine arts vs. design), helping them refine their approach to exhibition planning This approach helped students critically consider different aspects of their plans, including the visitor experience. 

At the end of the discussion, you effectively signposted relevant information, reinforcing student autonomy and ensuring they knew where to find further support. One thing you may want to consider is how to ensure the considerable amount of valuable verbal information you provide is being registered. Although students were making notes, I’m not sure they would have managed to capture everything, so it may be a good idea to build in regular pauses and opportunities for them to check understanding (e.g. asking students to recap key points or their next steps). Providing a brief handout summarizing key information may also help, so they don’t have to note down certain details (e.g. opening and closing times); you could then point to the handout for some information and focus on other information to better manage cognitive load. While students seemed happy standing in the corridor during the discussion, I wondered if moving the conversation into a designated consultation area or quieter space could enhance student comfort and attentiveness (also easier to make notes) at least initially before showing them round the space. 

Part Three 

Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged: 

One key takeaway is the importance of ensuring that students retain the information shared during our discussions. I acknowledge that, given the volume of verbal guidance I provided, some details may not always be captured. To address this, I will experiment with: 

• Building in structured pauses to allow students time to summarise key points or clarify uncertainties. 

• Encouraging verbal recaps by asking students to articulate their next steps before concluding the conversation. 

We have an Info Pack that contains all the necessary details, but it may be too dense for students to absorb fully. In-person consultations like this might be more effective for conveying key points. Next time, it could be helpful to send them the Info Pack in advance for reference. 

Victor’s suggestion about the location of conversations is important and something that I had not thought before—probably because I am so used to speak with students in that way. While informal discussions in the corridor can feel organic and accessible, I recognise that a quieter area to speak with students could improve focus and engagement. I will consider initiating these conversations in Studio 2 (where my desk is) before transitioning to a more interactive tour of the studios. 

Lastly, I found the feedback on encouraging students to think beyond practicalities—considering audience engagement, disciplinary expectations, and curatorial decisions—particularly reassuring. This is the kind of support I aim to provide, but I wasn’t sure how effectively it was coming across. I will continue to refine this by integrating more reflective questioning into my interactions. 

Overall, this observation has helped me reflect on how I balance responsiveness with structured support and provided an external perspective on my interactions with students.