Few people realize that teachers work in relative isolation. During school hours they are busy with their classes and there is little opportunity to interact with their colleagues. Opportunities for interaction with teachers from other schools are even more rare. Yet teachers need to learn from each other and the entire educational system can only benefit if teachers share experiences. One answer is to implement a system of instructional rounds.
Such a system is very easy to implement. A small group of teachers visit a colleague in his class and observe him. The visiting teachers are led by a teacher that is well respected and that is regarded as a professional. The teacher being observed either volunteered or even asked for the event. No teacher is forced or pressurised to participate in this type of exercise.
The observers meet before each observation session. During this meeting they set goals for the forthcoming session. The teacher being observed may be well known for using humour in the classroom, for example, and the observers may want to learn how he does it. It is advisable to try and focus upon the strong points of the teacher under observation. In this way the observers can learn more.
The main aim of observation sessions is to learn from the teacher under observation. These sessions have no element of evaluation attached to them because that will defeat the purpose of the session utterly. That is why only experienced teachers are asked to agree to be observed. The students are told about the session beforehand. The teacher under observation is not given any feedback but he may ask for such feedback.
After conclusion of the observation session the observers meet again to discuss the session. Each observer will get a chance to point out the specific lessons he has learned and how he thinks he can use those lessons to improve his own teaching. The observers do not compile a report and criticism of the teacher being observed is not allowed. The focus remains, at all times, on positive aspects.
There are numerous benefits to be had in implementing a teacher observation system. Not only do teachers learn from experienced colleagues, but they also get to know each other better. The teachers are not the only ones to benefit. The students also benefit because they are the ones that will be receiving better instruction. In this way the entire educational system is improved and society as a whole benefits.
Critics say that these observation sessions are too short and too infrequent to have any value. They say that teachers scheduled for observation do not act as usual but that they are playing to their audience. These criticisms notwithstanding, educational experts agree that there is everything to gain for encouraging teachers to learn from each other and to share their experiences in the classroom.
Any society that wants to advance simply must understand that one of the cornerstones of a strong society is education of a high standard. Teachers face many difficult challenges and anything that can help them to inspire their learners is worth trying. Teachers learning from other teachers is a good idea.
Such a system is very easy to implement. A small group of teachers visit a colleague in his class and observe him. The visiting teachers are led by a teacher that is well respected and that is regarded as a professional. The teacher being observed either volunteered or even asked for the event. No teacher is forced or pressurised to participate in this type of exercise.
The observers meet before each observation session. During this meeting they set goals for the forthcoming session. The teacher being observed may be well known for using humour in the classroom, for example, and the observers may want to learn how he does it. It is advisable to try and focus upon the strong points of the teacher under observation. In this way the observers can learn more.
The main aim of observation sessions is to learn from the teacher under observation. These sessions have no element of evaluation attached to them because that will defeat the purpose of the session utterly. That is why only experienced teachers are asked to agree to be observed. The students are told about the session beforehand. The teacher under observation is not given any feedback but he may ask for such feedback.
After conclusion of the observation session the observers meet again to discuss the session. Each observer will get a chance to point out the specific lessons he has learned and how he thinks he can use those lessons to improve his own teaching. The observers do not compile a report and criticism of the teacher being observed is not allowed. The focus remains, at all times, on positive aspects.
There are numerous benefits to be had in implementing a teacher observation system. Not only do teachers learn from experienced colleagues, but they also get to know each other better. The teachers are not the only ones to benefit. The students also benefit because they are the ones that will be receiving better instruction. In this way the entire educational system is improved and society as a whole benefits.
Critics say that these observation sessions are too short and too infrequent to have any value. They say that teachers scheduled for observation do not act as usual but that they are playing to their audience. These criticisms notwithstanding, educational experts agree that there is everything to gain for encouraging teachers to learn from each other and to share their experiences in the classroom.
Any society that wants to advance simply must understand that one of the cornerstones of a strong society is education of a high standard. Teachers face many difficult challenges and anything that can help them to inspire their learners is worth trying. Teachers learning from other teachers is a good idea.
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