Teachers often have to do their work under very difficult circumstances. They seldom have all the resources that they need, they have to cope with large classes and they have numerous administrative responsibilities on top of their teaching duty. Meetings and extra curricular activities consume even more time. There is no time to develop professionally. Luckily, if there is an experienced teacher leading instructional rounds, teachers can learn a lot from each other.
Learning from other teachers by observing them in action cost nothing and it is easy to implement an observation system. A more experienced teacher acts as leader and attends the classes of a well regarded colleague in the company of a small group of less experienced teachers. The purpose of the observation session is to learn from the other teacher. Those observing do not take part in any classroom activities.
Before every observation session, the group leader convenes a meeting where objectives for the forthcoming session is set. The idea is to learn and the objectives therefore focus on the strong points of the teacher that will be under observation. A teacher may be well know, for example, to get his students to enthusiastically participate in class. The observers will then try to learn how he does that.
There is no question of evaluation during observation sessions. That would defy the entire idea of the system altogether. Observers do no score, they do not criticize and they do not evaluate. They learn, that is all. They observe and try to improve themselves in the process. That is the only purpose. To this end, observers never provide feedback to the teacher that they observed.
Right after every observation session the leader of the observers will convene another short meeting. This is when the observers share their experienced, the ideas that they have garnered and their plans for improving their own teaching techniques. In this way the observers learn not only from the teacher that they observed, but also from each other. The meeting is confidential and no report is ever compiled.
Observations sessions have become immensely popular and observers now even visit colleagues at other schools. Universities and colleges have also started to implement similar systems. Participants say that they learn a lot from their colleagues, they get a chance to interact with other teachers and they are more motivated in their own classrooms. The teachers being observed also benefit because they are motivated by the fact that they are acknowledged as accomplished professionals.
The system does have its critics. They are of the opinion that these observation sessions are far too short and that they achieve nothing concrete. In their opinion teachers should rather attend formal development programs because observation sessions are too informal. They also say that teachers under observation try to impress their colleagues and they therefore do not teach the way that they normally do.
The fact remains that the educational system is under pressure. Morale is low and teachers are under pressure. Everything that could possibly help to improve things should be welcomed. Observation sessions seem to benefit everyone concerned, including the students. It should therefore be supported.
Learning from other teachers by observing them in action cost nothing and it is easy to implement an observation system. A more experienced teacher acts as leader and attends the classes of a well regarded colleague in the company of a small group of less experienced teachers. The purpose of the observation session is to learn from the other teacher. Those observing do not take part in any classroom activities.
Before every observation session, the group leader convenes a meeting where objectives for the forthcoming session is set. The idea is to learn and the objectives therefore focus on the strong points of the teacher that will be under observation. A teacher may be well know, for example, to get his students to enthusiastically participate in class. The observers will then try to learn how he does that.
There is no question of evaluation during observation sessions. That would defy the entire idea of the system altogether. Observers do no score, they do not criticize and they do not evaluate. They learn, that is all. They observe and try to improve themselves in the process. That is the only purpose. To this end, observers never provide feedback to the teacher that they observed.
Right after every observation session the leader of the observers will convene another short meeting. This is when the observers share their experienced, the ideas that they have garnered and their plans for improving their own teaching techniques. In this way the observers learn not only from the teacher that they observed, but also from each other. The meeting is confidential and no report is ever compiled.
Observations sessions have become immensely popular and observers now even visit colleagues at other schools. Universities and colleges have also started to implement similar systems. Participants say that they learn a lot from their colleagues, they get a chance to interact with other teachers and they are more motivated in their own classrooms. The teachers being observed also benefit because they are motivated by the fact that they are acknowledged as accomplished professionals.
The system does have its critics. They are of the opinion that these observation sessions are far too short and that they achieve nothing concrete. In their opinion teachers should rather attend formal development programs because observation sessions are too informal. They also say that teachers under observation try to impress their colleagues and they therefore do not teach the way that they normally do.
The fact remains that the educational system is under pressure. Morale is low and teachers are under pressure. Everything that could possibly help to improve things should be welcomed. Observation sessions seem to benefit everyone concerned, including the students. It should therefore be supported.
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