There can be absolutely no doubt that teaching is a very demanding career. Teachers have numerous responsibilities. Their main focus, to teach, is often made very difficult by having to work with inadequate resources and numerous administrative responsibilities that claim a lot of their time. Large classes make it impossible to pay attention to the needs of individual learners. Within this demanding environment, many teachers have no time to spend on self development. Luckily, instructional rounds are there to address at least a part of this need.
This is an easy to implement system that allows small groups of educators to observe and experienced or well known colleague in action in his classroom. The sole aim of the session is to learn from the educator that is under observation. The observers do not ask questions or interrupt the lesson in any way. They must just watch and learn. Nobody is ever forced to participate in observation sessions.
Before attending a lesson, observers first meet with each other. The purpose of this meeting is to formulate some objectives for the observation session. Observers are encouraged to focus on the strengths of the teacher under observation because that is where they will learn most. In this way observers may, for example, decide to focus on the ability of the observed teacher to draw students into discussions.
For this system to work, it is vital that all role players fully understand that observation sessions have no element of evaluation. The observers are not judging the observed teacher and even the students are informed about the purpose of the exercise. These sessions have only one aim and that is to help the observers to improve the quality of their own teaching.
The observers meet once more directly after the observation session, while everything is still fresh in their minds. During this session that are not allowed to criticise the observed teacher but rather to discuss the ideas that they have garnered and the lessons that they have learned. Observers never submit reports or even provide informal feedback. Their discussions remain confidential.
The practice of observing colleagues in action has become widespread, even at colleges and other tertiary educational institutions. Participants generally say that they benefit from these sessions and for many busy teachers this is the only way in which to grow professionally. The system has grown to the point where observers even observe teachers at other schools. This also help teachers to create their own professional networks.
Critics have shot down the system as utterly worthless. They argue that observation sessions are artificial because the teacher under observation inevitably try to impress his colleagues rather than teach as he would normally do. Critics also think that the sessions are too short and that the lack of formal feedback renders them useless. Many critics say that formal teacher development programs are the only way in which to improve the system.
The educational system is certainly under tremendous pressure. Observation sessions make no claims on scarce resources and they are easy to manage and to implement. If they make even the smallest difference to the quality of education then they should be promoted vigorously.
This is an easy to implement system that allows small groups of educators to observe and experienced or well known colleague in action in his classroom. The sole aim of the session is to learn from the educator that is under observation. The observers do not ask questions or interrupt the lesson in any way. They must just watch and learn. Nobody is ever forced to participate in observation sessions.
Before attending a lesson, observers first meet with each other. The purpose of this meeting is to formulate some objectives for the observation session. Observers are encouraged to focus on the strengths of the teacher under observation because that is where they will learn most. In this way observers may, for example, decide to focus on the ability of the observed teacher to draw students into discussions.
For this system to work, it is vital that all role players fully understand that observation sessions have no element of evaluation. The observers are not judging the observed teacher and even the students are informed about the purpose of the exercise. These sessions have only one aim and that is to help the observers to improve the quality of their own teaching.
The observers meet once more directly after the observation session, while everything is still fresh in their minds. During this session that are not allowed to criticise the observed teacher but rather to discuss the ideas that they have garnered and the lessons that they have learned. Observers never submit reports or even provide informal feedback. Their discussions remain confidential.
The practice of observing colleagues in action has become widespread, even at colleges and other tertiary educational institutions. Participants generally say that they benefit from these sessions and for many busy teachers this is the only way in which to grow professionally. The system has grown to the point where observers even observe teachers at other schools. This also help teachers to create their own professional networks.
Critics have shot down the system as utterly worthless. They argue that observation sessions are artificial because the teacher under observation inevitably try to impress his colleagues rather than teach as he would normally do. Critics also think that the sessions are too short and that the lack of formal feedback renders them useless. Many critics say that formal teacher development programs are the only way in which to improve the system.
The educational system is certainly under tremendous pressure. Observation sessions make no claims on scarce resources and they are easy to manage and to implement. If they make even the smallest difference to the quality of education then they should be promoted vigorously.
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