Teachers work under tremendous pressure. They not only have to prepare lessons and teach, but they also have many administrative responsibilities. They are expected to be involved in all extra curricular activities and they have to do their work with a woeful shortage of resources. On top of this they have to deal with large classes and disciplinary problems. There is certainly no time for personal and professional development, but it seems as if school based instructional rounds are making a difference.
Starting such a system is truly not difficult and it is extremely cheap. It simply means that a smaller group of teachers attend the class of a colleague, normally a well respected and experienced one, to see how he does his job. The whole idea is to learn from one another. There is never pressure placed upon anyone to participate as either observer or the teacher being observed.
Prior to every session, the observers meet in order to set a few objectives for the forthcoming session. These objectives normally focus on the known strong points of the teacher that will be observed. The teacher being observed may be known for his ability to get learners to participate in class activities, for example. The observers will then focus on the methods he uses to achieve this.
Some people confuse these observation sessions with evaluation exercises. This is most certainly not the case. The teacher under observation is not evaluated in any way. The only purpose of the session is to allow the observers the opportunity to see a respected colleague in action. This is made clear to all role players, including the learners. No feedback is given.
After each session, the observers meet once more. They now give each other feedback about exactly what they learned, how they think those lessons can improve their own teaching techniques and ideas on how to implement renewal in their own classrooms. No criticism is voiced or allowed. No report is drawn up either. The entire meeting is deemed to be confidential.
The vast majority of teachers participating in observation sessions report that they definitely benefit. The sessions not only expose them to the teaching methods of respected colleagues, but also allow them to get to know their own colleagues a little better. These sessions are extremely popular and have even been implemented in many institutions of higher learning. The general agreement is that they help to improve educational standards.
There are critics, however. They say that observation sessions are far too short and far between to make any noticeable difference. They also say that teachers under observation do not teach the way they normally do. Instead, they go to some lengths to impress their colleagues, thus negating the entire purpose of the exercise. Critics think that formal development sessions and workshops would be a far better option.
The fact remains that observation sessions are virtually free, simple to implement and very popular. Experts agree that they do make a difference. Anything that strive towards bettering the educational system and its standards should be supported and underwritten.
Starting such a system is truly not difficult and it is extremely cheap. It simply means that a smaller group of teachers attend the class of a colleague, normally a well respected and experienced one, to see how he does his job. The whole idea is to learn from one another. There is never pressure placed upon anyone to participate as either observer or the teacher being observed.
Prior to every session, the observers meet in order to set a few objectives for the forthcoming session. These objectives normally focus on the known strong points of the teacher that will be observed. The teacher being observed may be known for his ability to get learners to participate in class activities, for example. The observers will then focus on the methods he uses to achieve this.
Some people confuse these observation sessions with evaluation exercises. This is most certainly not the case. The teacher under observation is not evaluated in any way. The only purpose of the session is to allow the observers the opportunity to see a respected colleague in action. This is made clear to all role players, including the learners. No feedback is given.
After each session, the observers meet once more. They now give each other feedback about exactly what they learned, how they think those lessons can improve their own teaching techniques and ideas on how to implement renewal in their own classrooms. No criticism is voiced or allowed. No report is drawn up either. The entire meeting is deemed to be confidential.
The vast majority of teachers participating in observation sessions report that they definitely benefit. The sessions not only expose them to the teaching methods of respected colleagues, but also allow them to get to know their own colleagues a little better. These sessions are extremely popular and have even been implemented in many institutions of higher learning. The general agreement is that they help to improve educational standards.
There are critics, however. They say that observation sessions are far too short and far between to make any noticeable difference. They also say that teachers under observation do not teach the way they normally do. Instead, they go to some lengths to impress their colleagues, thus negating the entire purpose of the exercise. Critics think that formal development sessions and workshops would be a far better option.
The fact remains that observation sessions are virtually free, simple to implement and very popular. Experts agree that they do make a difference. Anything that strive towards bettering the educational system and its standards should be supported and underwritten.
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