Teaching as a career has seen many changes over the past few decades. Modern teachers are under tremendous pressure. They have to plan their lessons, teach and be involved in sport, culture and other extra curricular activities. On top of all these responsibilities they are expected to manage many administrative responsibilities too. Teachers simply do not have the time to enrol for courses in order to improve on a professional level. With instructional school rounds teachers at least get the chance to learn from respected colleagues.
The system is straight forward and very easy to implement. A small group of teachers gather to observe a lesson given by a colleague. That colleague is normally someone well regarded. The visiting teachers simply attend the class and observe. The idea is to learn from the colleague giving the lesson, not to participate in any way. These sessions are voluntary and nobody is ever forced to agree to be observed.
Observers always meet before any observation session. The goal is to decide upon the focus of the session. On most cases the teacher under observation has achieved excellent results and may be know for successfully employing certain teaching methods or techniques. This will become the focus of the observers. They see how a colleague use those techniques and they devise ways to incorporate new methods in their own classes.
There is never any element of evaluation during these sessions. It is made clear to the students as well. The observers do not give feedback but may do so if the teacher under observation ask for it. The only purpose of observation sessions is to learn and to garner new ideas with the aim of improving on a personal and professional level.
After each session, the observers meet once more. The purpose of this meeting is to share the lessons learned, the ideas generated and their thoughts on how to implement change in their own classrooms with each other. During this meeting no criticism is allowed and no report, verbal or written, is submitted. Observers are expected to keep the discussions during this meeting as confidential.
Observation sessions have quickly gain popularity in many schools, colleges and universities. It is a practical and economical way in which to give educators the chance to develop on a professional level. Teachers are overwhelmingly positive about the system and say that they learn a lot from their colleagues. Being chosen to volunteer to be observed is considered an honour. All parties therefore benefit from such sessions.
Critics of colleague observation sessions say that it is a waste of time. The sessions are far too short and teachers under observation do not act or teach as they normally do. Instead, they go to ridiculous lengths to make an impression upon their observer colleagues and in the process they make it impossible for observers to copy his techniques in their own classrooms.
One thing is certain and that is that observation sessions have no negative impact at all. Any effort to improve the quality of education should be supported wholeheartedly. It is one of the most economical ways in which to allow teachers to grow professionally. The system is easy to implement and to manage.
The system is straight forward and very easy to implement. A small group of teachers gather to observe a lesson given by a colleague. That colleague is normally someone well regarded. The visiting teachers simply attend the class and observe. The idea is to learn from the colleague giving the lesson, not to participate in any way. These sessions are voluntary and nobody is ever forced to agree to be observed.
Observers always meet before any observation session. The goal is to decide upon the focus of the session. On most cases the teacher under observation has achieved excellent results and may be know for successfully employing certain teaching methods or techniques. This will become the focus of the observers. They see how a colleague use those techniques and they devise ways to incorporate new methods in their own classes.
There is never any element of evaluation during these sessions. It is made clear to the students as well. The observers do not give feedback but may do so if the teacher under observation ask for it. The only purpose of observation sessions is to learn and to garner new ideas with the aim of improving on a personal and professional level.
After each session, the observers meet once more. The purpose of this meeting is to share the lessons learned, the ideas generated and their thoughts on how to implement change in their own classrooms with each other. During this meeting no criticism is allowed and no report, verbal or written, is submitted. Observers are expected to keep the discussions during this meeting as confidential.
Observation sessions have quickly gain popularity in many schools, colleges and universities. It is a practical and economical way in which to give educators the chance to develop on a professional level. Teachers are overwhelmingly positive about the system and say that they learn a lot from their colleagues. Being chosen to volunteer to be observed is considered an honour. All parties therefore benefit from such sessions.
Critics of colleague observation sessions say that it is a waste of time. The sessions are far too short and teachers under observation do not act or teach as they normally do. Instead, they go to ridiculous lengths to make an impression upon their observer colleagues and in the process they make it impossible for observers to copy his techniques in their own classrooms.
One thing is certain and that is that observation sessions have no negative impact at all. Any effort to improve the quality of education should be supported wholeheartedly. It is one of the most economical ways in which to allow teachers to grow professionally. The system is easy to implement and to manage.
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