It is common knowledge that the educational system is under tremendous pressure. There are not enough teachers, facilities and other resources. Teachers have to cope with very large groups and apart from teaching, they also have to perform many administrative duties, attend meetings and be involved in other school activities. With their extremely busy schedules, teachers have very little opportunity for self development programs. However, by leading instructional rounds more experienced teachers can help their colleagues to develop both personally and professionally.
The idea is not complicated at all. An experienced educator act as group leader and, with a small team of other teachers, attends the classes of another experienced teacher. The purpose of sitting in on the class of another teacher is to learn from him by observing him in action. The observers are not allowed to take part in the lesson or to interrupt the teacher under observation.
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.
The leader of the observers will chair another meeting soon after the observation session. This time the purpose of the meeting is to compare notes. No criticism is allowed. Instead, observers share with each other the lessons that they have learnt and their ideas on how to implement them in their own classrooms. This meeting is deemed to be confidential and no report is ever submitted.
Participants in these observation systems are very positive about it. They say that they learn a lot and that they get a chance to interact with professional colleagues. As a result the system has been implemented everywhere and schools even have observer teams visit each other. Colleges and other educational institutions have also caught on. There are numerous benefits including professional development and improved motivation that leads to better teaching.
There are many skeptics too. They do not think that observation sessions offer any benefits. They are too short, too infrequent and too informal, they say. They also dislike the idea that no feedback is given or reports compiled. In their opinion, formal development courses, seminars and conferences are the only way in which to improve the teaching abilities of teachers. They also question the fact that teachers being observed just teach as they always do during these sessions.
Despite the criticism, one has to admit that the entire educational system is under tremendous pressure. Anything that can help improve standards and raise the motivation of teachers should be applauded and supported. Observation sessions do not cost anything and they certainly do no harm.
The idea is not complicated at all. An experienced educator act as group leader and, with a small team of other teachers, attends the classes of another experienced teacher. The purpose of sitting in on the class of another teacher is to learn from him by observing him in action. The observers are not allowed to take part in the lesson or to interrupt the teacher under observation.
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.
The leader of the observers will chair another meeting soon after the observation session. This time the purpose of the meeting is to compare notes. No criticism is allowed. Instead, observers share with each other the lessons that they have learnt and their ideas on how to implement them in their own classrooms. This meeting is deemed to be confidential and no report is ever submitted.
Participants in these observation systems are very positive about it. They say that they learn a lot and that they get a chance to interact with professional colleagues. As a result the system has been implemented everywhere and schools even have observer teams visit each other. Colleges and other educational institutions have also caught on. There are numerous benefits including professional development and improved motivation that leads to better teaching.
There are many skeptics too. They do not think that observation sessions offer any benefits. They are too short, too infrequent and too informal, they say. They also dislike the idea that no feedback is given or reports compiled. In their opinion, formal development courses, seminars and conferences are the only way in which to improve the teaching abilities of teachers. They also question the fact that teachers being observed just teach as they always do during these sessions.
Despite the criticism, one has to admit that the entire educational system is under tremendous pressure. Anything that can help improve standards and raise the motivation of teachers should be applauded and supported. Observation sessions do not cost anything and they certainly do no harm.
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