The majority of teachers are dedicated professionals that want to make a difference in the lives of their learners. Unfortunately, they are overwhelmed with numerous responsibilities. They teach, perform many admin duties, are involved with extra curricular activities and attend many time consuming meetings. There is little time to develop professionally and the budget rarely stretches as far as to fund formal further training. Thankfully, school based instructional rounds can help teachers to become better at their jobs and to grow as individuals.
It is very easy to implement such a system. Basically, a small group of teachers visit the class of another teacher in order to observe him in action. The teacher being observed is normally one with a reputation for getting good results and they normally have lots of experience. The observers do not become involved in the class. They simply watch and learn. The system is always voluntary.
The observers have a meeting prior to attending the class of another teacher. The purpose of this meeting is to set a few specific goals. In most cases, the teacher that will be observed is considered to be accomplished in at least one specific area, such as succeeding in getting learners to participate in the lesson. The observers will them concentrate on this specific aspect, hoping to learn just how it is accomplished.
These observations sessions should never be confused with any form of evaluation. The observers are not there to rank the teacher under observation. Their only focus is to learn from the teacher under observation. This is made clear to the learners prior to every session. In fact, no feedback is given to anyone after the session, not even to the teacher that was observed unless he asks for it.
After the session, the observers meet once again. This time the purpose is to share lessons learnt with each other. No observer is allowed to voice any criticism. The only thing being discussed is the lessons that were learnt and the insight that was gained. They also discuss way s in which they can integrate these lessons in their own classrooms. These meetings are confidential and no report is submitted.
Ever since its inception, these observation sessions have become hugely popular. Teachers say that they definitely benefit and, of course, if they benefit then the entire educational system and especially the learners benefit too. Similar systems are now being introduced in institutions of higher education. Teachers under observation also benefit. They are acknowledged as professionals worth observing and this can be extremely motivating.
There are those that disagree. They say that observation sessions cannot make any difference because they are too short and much too informal. Some critics say that teachers under observation do not act as they normally do in class. They even go as far as to say that education authorities use these systems to save money of very necessary formal development programs for teachers.
There can be no doubt that the entire education system is under great pressure. Every effort that is made to improve the quality of education should be applauded and supported. Earning from one another is an economical and practical step forward.
It is very easy to implement such a system. Basically, a small group of teachers visit the class of another teacher in order to observe him in action. The teacher being observed is normally one with a reputation for getting good results and they normally have lots of experience. The observers do not become involved in the class. They simply watch and learn. The system is always voluntary.
The observers have a meeting prior to attending the class of another teacher. The purpose of this meeting is to set a few specific goals. In most cases, the teacher that will be observed is considered to be accomplished in at least one specific area, such as succeeding in getting learners to participate in the lesson. The observers will them concentrate on this specific aspect, hoping to learn just how it is accomplished.
These observations sessions should never be confused with any form of evaluation. The observers are not there to rank the teacher under observation. Their only focus is to learn from the teacher under observation. This is made clear to the learners prior to every session. In fact, no feedback is given to anyone after the session, not even to the teacher that was observed unless he asks for it.
After the session, the observers meet once again. This time the purpose is to share lessons learnt with each other. No observer is allowed to voice any criticism. The only thing being discussed is the lessons that were learnt and the insight that was gained. They also discuss way s in which they can integrate these lessons in their own classrooms. These meetings are confidential and no report is submitted.
Ever since its inception, these observation sessions have become hugely popular. Teachers say that they definitely benefit and, of course, if they benefit then the entire educational system and especially the learners benefit too. Similar systems are now being introduced in institutions of higher education. Teachers under observation also benefit. They are acknowledged as professionals worth observing and this can be extremely motivating.
There are those that disagree. They say that observation sessions cannot make any difference because they are too short and much too informal. Some critics say that teachers under observation do not act as they normally do in class. They even go as far as to say that education authorities use these systems to save money of very necessary formal development programs for teachers.
There can be no doubt that the entire education system is under great pressure. Every effort that is made to improve the quality of education should be applauded and supported. Earning from one another is an economical and practical step forward.
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