The majority of teachers work very hard and they take their jobs very seriously. Unfortunately, most teachers work in isolation. They seldom have the chance to interact with their peers and they are not often able to attend training sessions that will help them keep up to date on the latest techniques and teaching aids. This is where instructional rounds can be valuable. It allows teachers to learn from each other.
This type of exercise should never be seen as a form of evaluation. This is not the purpose at all. The idea is that teachers get a chance to observe other teachers in the classroom in order to see how the teacher in question interacts with the students, use media to explain difficult concepts and maintain discipline in the classroom. The teacher that was observed is not given feedback unless he requests it.
Setting up an observer roster is very simple. It is even possible to observe teachers at other schools. The students are told what the purpose of the exercise is and the observers do not take any part in the teaching or classroom interaction. Those being observed are often highly qualified and experienced educators. They are never forced to agree to an observation session.
Observers will get the maximum benefit if they narrow down the focus of their observations. They may decide to focus on teacher student interaction, or on the use of visual aids, for example. In this way all the observers concentrate upon the same aspects which allow them to compare notes at a later stage. Observation sessions seldom last longer than a quarter of an hour.
After each observation session the observers meet to share their experiences with each other. They identify those ideas that they can implement in their own classrooms and they discuss the ways in which they can improve their own teaching techniques. These discussions are confidential and no report is ever submitted. If the teacher that was observed wishes to attend the debriefing session he can, but he is not allowed to participate.
The entire educational system benefits from observation exercises. Teachers get the chance to interact with experienced educators and to learn from them. Teachers that volunteer to be observed are often also newly motivated to be even more innovative. Students benefit from renewal in the classroom and many schools that support this system have reported improved results. This motivates both teachers and students to try even harder.
While it is easy to implement an observation roster care should be taken to manage the system. The teacher being observed should never be criticized and observers should never discuss their experiences with anybody that was not part of the observer group. This can result in conflict and resentment. It is also important to use only volunteers for observation purposes.
Any system that allows professionals to learn from each other must surely be beneficial to the entire educational system. Teachers have to face enormous challenges and they often work in isolation. By observing each other in the classroom they not only get ideas from each other, but they also get the opportunity to share their experiences and difficulties.
This type of exercise should never be seen as a form of evaluation. This is not the purpose at all. The idea is that teachers get a chance to observe other teachers in the classroom in order to see how the teacher in question interacts with the students, use media to explain difficult concepts and maintain discipline in the classroom. The teacher that was observed is not given feedback unless he requests it.
Setting up an observer roster is very simple. It is even possible to observe teachers at other schools. The students are told what the purpose of the exercise is and the observers do not take any part in the teaching or classroom interaction. Those being observed are often highly qualified and experienced educators. They are never forced to agree to an observation session.
Observers will get the maximum benefit if they narrow down the focus of their observations. They may decide to focus on teacher student interaction, or on the use of visual aids, for example. In this way all the observers concentrate upon the same aspects which allow them to compare notes at a later stage. Observation sessions seldom last longer than a quarter of an hour.
After each observation session the observers meet to share their experiences with each other. They identify those ideas that they can implement in their own classrooms and they discuss the ways in which they can improve their own teaching techniques. These discussions are confidential and no report is ever submitted. If the teacher that was observed wishes to attend the debriefing session he can, but he is not allowed to participate.
The entire educational system benefits from observation exercises. Teachers get the chance to interact with experienced educators and to learn from them. Teachers that volunteer to be observed are often also newly motivated to be even more innovative. Students benefit from renewal in the classroom and many schools that support this system have reported improved results. This motivates both teachers and students to try even harder.
While it is easy to implement an observation roster care should be taken to manage the system. The teacher being observed should never be criticized and observers should never discuss their experiences with anybody that was not part of the observer group. This can result in conflict and resentment. It is also important to use only volunteers for observation purposes.
Any system that allows professionals to learn from each other must surely be beneficial to the entire educational system. Teachers have to face enormous challenges and they often work in isolation. By observing each other in the classroom they not only get ideas from each other, but they also get the opportunity to share their experiences and difficulties.
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