Teacher observation

Ross Woods, 2019

Teacher observation is a system for teachers to observe other teachers and learn from them.

Motivators for creating such a program come in various kinds. Consider the following:

• The school wants to reach a particular goal e.g. a standardized test score, a university admission rate, a specific end-of-school pass rate.
• A small group of teachers who are doing well but feel the need to improve.
• An unsatisfactory result from a school inspection or evaluation.
• A new group of first year teachers who need help.
• A group of teachers who did unsatisfactorily in a performance review.
• The instigation of a “master teacher” program.

Overcoming fears

At the beginning of a teacher observation program, teachers tend to be apprehensive about being observed by other teachers; they fear being judged or that others are checking up on you. A solution is to start by carefully selecting the teachers who will be observed; make it voluntary and ask those least likely to feel threatened.

Give the impression of learning, not judging. You can give various assurances: It’s about the data, not about you as a person. It is not about passing judgement and is non-evaluative. Its purpose is to broaden teachers' viewpoints peer-to-peer.

If you make the initial experience purposeful, positive, and productive for observers and the observed, it will be easier to build it into an ongoing strategy. The longer term goal is to build a culture where teachers normally collaborate to help each other improve by reflecting on the practice of others, and getting feedback on their own practices. In such an environment, being observed is a normal part of the teachers’ role. Later on, teachers will feel better when they are accustomed to being observed, and it will be easier to get other teachers to be observed.

The essentials

Set goals and make a plan

The first step in any approach is for people to meet and discuss the purpose. For example, a group of observers might want to solve a particular problem of practice. Discuss how and why they do what they do and their need. Each individual might set goals for aspects of teaching in which they feel a need to improve, although some people need a coach to help them identify their needs.

Then make a plan. Who will you observe? Which lessons will you observe? How many lessons? Will you incorporate any of the variations below? When will you do the debriefing?

Observation

An individual or a group goes to observe a lesson and collect observational data. Observers are quiet, non-intrusive, and take notes; they do not interrupt the class in any way. Their notes might include answers to questions such as What did I learn? How could I apply what I learned?

In other cases, especially where students are adults, observers might be more like participant observers; the teacher may ask observers to lead discussion groups or help in other ways.

Debrief

Observation requires a debriefing to be beneficial. If observers are a group, each person shares their observations and then group members compare them, looking for themes and patterns. Group members might pose questions to prompt further development, or reflect on their own practices. The attitude is essential; people need to share their experiences, not report them.

The next part of the debriefing is to plan improvements. The group might look for different ways of doing something and consider new ideas and strategies. Then make recommendations for future work.

Variations

1: No feedback

In a school where teachers are afraid of being observed, just observe and don't give feedback. Observers learn through their own reflection.

2: Individuals

An individual observer does the planning and debriefing in on-to-one meetings with a coach.

3: Groups of observers

A small group of observers observes a teacher.

4: A series of observations

1. The plan is to do a series of observations addressing the same purpose.
2. Immediately after each observation, the group does a short debrief on what they’ve seen.
3. Continue observations until the schedule of observations is complete.
4. The group does a final debrief and gives feedback to specific participants.

5: A specific lesson

1. Teachers decide the purpose of the lesson and what’s going to be in it.
2. Teachers work together to write a lesson.
3. A teacher teaches the lesson, and the others observe.
4. The group discusses their observations based on the data they have recorded.
5. Second observation; another teacher teaches the lesson.
6. Final discussion of the lessons:
1. What changes were made from first to second lesson?
2. Outline teacher learning and improvements.
3. Generate ideas for your own teaching.

6: Video

A video camera is unobtrusive and picks up things that are usually difficult to observe. Student reactions are also visible if the camera has a wide-angle lens.

1. A group meets and set goals with a coordinator, usually someone in a leadership position.
2. They record the class.
3. The group watches the video recordings, making any observations and discussing any strengths or weaknesses with the coordinator.
4. Each group member plans improved teaching practices based on what he/she has learnt through observation and discussion.

7: The whole school

The group gives a generalized report to the whole school in reference to school improvement.

8: Ongoing implementation

Good intentions are easily lost. Does the school have way to systematically coach and monitor teachers to implement their intended improvements?

Questions & tasks

• At your school ...
1. What would be the most effective way to allay teacher’s fears of being observed?
2. Does your school have a set of teaching effectiveness goals?
3. If your school does not have a set of teaching effectiveness goals, what should they look like?
4. How many of your teachers are inexperienced and need to improve?
5. How do you handle people who don't want to improve?
6. Look at the variations of teacher observation.
1. Which are most appropriate for your school? Why?
2. Which are least appropriate for your school? Why?
•  
  Observation forms
1. Should observers use a form with specific questions or not?
2. You have been asked to write an observation form for observers.
•  
  You have been asked to lead a team of observers ...
1. Prepare a plan for leading a planning session. Include a list of discussion questions.
2. Prepare a plan for leading a debriefing session. Include a list of discussion questions.
3. An untrained person has come onto your teaching staff. What do you do?
4. In the debriefing session, you see that several teachers are overly opinionated with ideas that you think are of dubious value. What should you do?
5. In the debriefing session, some teachers tend to notice only weaknesses in the teachers they have observed, while others tend to notice only strengths and ignore weaknesses. What should you do?
•  
  Adaptations
1. How would you adapt teacher observation for teacher training?
2. How would you adapt adapt teacher observation for a Master Teacher program?
3. How would you adapt teacher observation for use as an applied research project?

Reference
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/lead-develop/develop-others/classroom-observation/classroom-observation-strategies