Observing Before Acting

Recognize this?
We educators are a bit like labradors: eager to help. Often too eager, if you ask me.

I’ve been there. Back in my math teacher days, I’d notice a student struggling. Within seconds, I was at their desk explaining. The student loved it. Others saw it and asked me to help them too.

The more I did it, the more they loved me. I was the hero.
Until… I wasn’t.

Within days, I was exhausted. I started meeting students after school, proud they were so motivated. But soon I realized: I couldn’t keep it up. I was creating dependence instead of independence.

This memory came back to me last week during a workshop when a Dutch teacher asked:

“Rob, what should I actually look for when I’m observing students?”

Here’s what I’ve learned since those early days. At allLearners, we call it Just in Time Support.

Step 1: Position yourself
I start by keeping physical distance. Far enough away that I need to take a few steps before I can jump in. Each step is a chance to ask: Is an intervention really needed?

Step 2: Identify the zone

When I observe, I check: is this learner in the comfort, stretch, or panic zone?

• Comfort zone → Repetition happens here. Useful for memorization or automating skills. No action needed… unless they’re avoiding challenge (like choosing the same “kittens” project again). Then an intervention is helpful.

• Stretch zone → This is where deep learning lives (Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development). Students are struggling, yes — but productively. Here, I hold back. They have agency to solve problems and reach out when needed.

• Panic zone → Easy to spot. Withdrawal, disengagement, fight-or-flight, perfection paralysis, or anxiety. Intervention is needed as soon as possible.

The takeaway

Observation is not passive. It’s an active choice to trust the learner, until you see clear signs that an intervention is needed.

The Dutch teacher smiled:

"Thanks, Rob. Now I know when I need to intervene."

I laughed and replied:

“No, now you know when an intervention is needed.”

Our talk continued.
I’ll share more about the how next week, including a flowchart for Just in Time Support in action.

And please remember: what goes for students goes for all learners.
The same lens works for managers observing teachers, or leaders guiding their teams.

Until then: stay curious, stay observant, and maybe take a step back before you jump in.

Related Posts:

• Just in Time Support related Posts 

How to Intervene Without Taking Over

Last week (post on the left) I promised to share more about the HOW of intervening. You might remember the distinction I made: it’s not about “I need to intervene” but about “an intervention is needed.”

But once you’ve decided an intervention is needed, there is another question I like to ask myself: when I organize an intervention, what kind of problem am I actually trying to solve?

I use the word organize deliberately. Because first, I don’t believe I should solve every problem myself. Our role as educators is to influence the circumstances so students can develop a lifelong learning attitude. Second, I’m not always the expert they need. And third, I often don’t even know what the real problem is yet.

So before I act, I try to understand: is this an issue of autonomy, relatedness, or competence?

Let me give you an example. I once observed a student being loud, clearly distracting others. My instinct was to step in, but instead I asked another student: “Do you notice this too?” If the answer is no, then maybe I was being too eager. Learners often have more patience than I do; they’ll let someone blow off steam for a minute before it becomes a problem. But if the answer is yes, then I don’t just help the noisy student, I also help the observer. Because if that student feels safe enough to speak up, we’ve stretched their autonomy and relatedness. If they don’t, then we have work to do on our school culture.

The same works with academic struggles. If I see a student stuck with math, I don’t rush in. I ask a peer: “Do you see he’s struggling? Could you help?” This way, the first student gets support, and the peer grows in competence. Explaining a concept is one of the strongest proofs of understanding, and it deepens their own skill.

That’s the essence for me: once you intervene, make sure your effort supports more than just one learner. Multiply the impact. And yes, sometimes I get asked: “Rob, what if several students are stuck at the same time?” That’s even better. Then I can work with them as a group. Because if I focus only on individuals, I can’t offer everyone the same quality. But if I bring learners together, I can help them grow side by side — as lifelong learners.

To make this way of thinking visible, we created the Just in Time Support Flowchart. It’s not a simple checklist, but an overview of our approach — combining last week’s focus on when an intervention is needed with this week’s focus on how to intervene.

👉 Download the flowchart here

Because intervening isn’t just about solving what’s in front of you. It’s about shaping the circumstances so all learners can grow.

Until next week,
Rob

Related Posts:

• Just in Time Support related Posts