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.
It is truly easy to implement this system. En experienced teacher act as leader and gather a small group of less experienced teachers to visit the classroom of an esteemed colleague to see how he teaches. The purpose of the observation session is solely to learn from that teacher. The observers do not participate in the class in any way and nobody is forced to be part of the system.
The leader of the observing group will chair a meeting before each session. During this meeting they set certain goals for the observation session. Teachers being observed are normally chosen because they are known for their excellence in specific areas. The goals for the observation session will then concentrate upon those areas of excellence. No teacher is forced to participate as either observer or to be the one being observed.
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.
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.
Observation sessions are easy to implement and they do not cost anything. If they help teachers to remain motivated and to learn from each other, they should be encouraged. Every effort to improve the quality of education is worth it. Everybody benefits from even the smallest improvements in the overall system.
It is truly easy to implement this system. En experienced teacher act as leader and gather a small group of less experienced teachers to visit the classroom of an esteemed colleague to see how he teaches. The purpose of the observation session is solely to learn from that teacher. The observers do not participate in the class in any way and nobody is forced to be part of the system.
The leader of the observing group will chair a meeting before each session. During this meeting they set certain goals for the observation session. Teachers being observed are normally chosen because they are known for their excellence in specific areas. The goals for the observation session will then concentrate upon those areas of excellence. No teacher is forced to participate as either observer or to be the one being observed.
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.
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.
Observation sessions are easy to implement and they do not cost anything. If they help teachers to remain motivated and to learn from each other, they should be encouraged. Every effort to improve the quality of education is worth it. Everybody benefits from even the smallest improvements in the overall system.
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