Teachers often have to work under very difficult circumstances. They seldom get the chance to interact with colleagues and they often have to make do with very limited resources. Many teachers have to manage large classes and find it difficult to pay attention to the needs of every individual student. Many teachers complain that they do not get the chance to improve their skills and knowledge. Instructional rounds, however, can do much to ease the situation somewhat.
Implementing a system of teacher observations is within the abilities of any school. It simply consist of a small group of teachers that visit another teacher and observe his methods in his classroom. The observing teachers are led by someone that is well respected in the field of education. The teacher being observed is also normally a professional that is well regarded by his colleagues. Participation in such a system is always on a voluntary basis.
It is common practice for the observers to meet prior to the observation session. During this meeting they decide upon the goals of the observation session. The teacher being observed may, for example, have a reputation for getting students to participate in a lesson and they may decide that the goal of the observation session will be to learn more about this specific aspect of teaching.
It is important to understand that these observation sessions are not for the purpose of evaluation. The aim is for the observing teachers to learn from the teacher being observed. The students are informed of the forthcoming observation sessions and the reason for it. The teacher being observed is not given any feedback but he may request it.
After each observation session the observer teachers meet to discuss their experiences. This meeting is deemed to be confidential and no official report is ever submitted. The focus is on lessons learnt and not on criticizing the observed teacher in any way. The observers also share their ideas on how they will be implementing new ideas in their own classrooms. In this way innovation in the classroom can be achieved.
Well managed teacher observation sessions offer many advantages. The teachers doing the observing can learn much from their more experienced colleagues. The teacher under observation also benefits because he is recognized as a seasoned professional. These sessions also serve to improve the contact between teachers. There can be no doubt that the learners benefit because anything that improves the quality of education is to their benefit.
Critics say that these observation sessions are too short and too infrequent to have any value. They say that teachers scheduled for observation do not act as usual but that they are playing to their audience. These criticisms notwithstanding, educational experts agree that there is everything to gain for encouraging teachers to learn from each other and to share their experiences in the classroom.
Learning from experienced and well respected colleagues is as old as mankind itself. After all, that is where the apprentice system originated. Teachers willing to share their experience and teachers willing to learn from them can only help to improve the overall quality of education. That alone should be enough to keep motivating those that believe in teacher observation sessions.
Implementing a system of teacher observations is within the abilities of any school. It simply consist of a small group of teachers that visit another teacher and observe his methods in his classroom. The observing teachers are led by someone that is well respected in the field of education. The teacher being observed is also normally a professional that is well regarded by his colleagues. Participation in such a system is always on a voluntary basis.
It is common practice for the observers to meet prior to the observation session. During this meeting they decide upon the goals of the observation session. The teacher being observed may, for example, have a reputation for getting students to participate in a lesson and they may decide that the goal of the observation session will be to learn more about this specific aspect of teaching.
It is important to understand that these observation sessions are not for the purpose of evaluation. The aim is for the observing teachers to learn from the teacher being observed. The students are informed of the forthcoming observation sessions and the reason for it. The teacher being observed is not given any feedback but he may request it.
After each observation session the observer teachers meet to discuss their experiences. This meeting is deemed to be confidential and no official report is ever submitted. The focus is on lessons learnt and not on criticizing the observed teacher in any way. The observers also share their ideas on how they will be implementing new ideas in their own classrooms. In this way innovation in the classroom can be achieved.
Well managed teacher observation sessions offer many advantages. The teachers doing the observing can learn much from their more experienced colleagues. The teacher under observation also benefits because he is recognized as a seasoned professional. These sessions also serve to improve the contact between teachers. There can be no doubt that the learners benefit because anything that improves the quality of education is to their benefit.
Critics say that these observation sessions are too short and too infrequent to have any value. They say that teachers scheduled for observation do not act as usual but that they are playing to their audience. These criticisms notwithstanding, educational experts agree that there is everything to gain for encouraging teachers to learn from each other and to share their experiences in the classroom.
Learning from experienced and well respected colleagues is as old as mankind itself. After all, that is where the apprentice system originated. Teachers willing to share their experience and teachers willing to learn from them can only help to improve the overall quality of education. That alone should be enough to keep motivating those that believe in teacher observation sessions.
