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.
Before attending a session, the observers meet in order to discuss the forthcoming visit and to set some goals. Observation sessions are short so the observers try to focus on one or two aspects only, normally the known strong points of the teacher under observation. He may be known, for example, for the excellent way in which he uses multimedia in his class. The session will then focus on that aspect of his teaching.
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 always critics of any system. In this case they say that these session are of very little value because they are too short and not held often enough. They also reckon that the teachers being observed are sorely tempted to adjust their teaching styles in order to make a good impression on their colleagues. The only way in which to develop teachers professionally is by means of formal courses, they say.
Regardless of thee criticism, observation sessions keep growing in popularity. It is easy to implement and it does not cost money. The majority of role players agree that any effort to improve the standard of education should be applauded and supported.
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.
Before attending a session, the observers meet in order to discuss the forthcoming visit and to set some goals. Observation sessions are short so the observers try to focus on one or two aspects only, normally the known strong points of the teacher under observation. He may be known, for example, for the excellent way in which he uses multimedia in his class. The session will then focus on that aspect of his teaching.
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 always critics of any system. In this case they say that these session are of very little value because they are too short and not held often enough. They also reckon that the teachers being observed are sorely tempted to adjust their teaching styles in order to make a good impression on their colleagues. The only way in which to develop teachers professionally is by means of formal courses, they say.
Regardless of thee criticism, observation sessions keep growing in popularity. It is easy to implement and it does not cost money. The majority of role players agree that any effort to improve the standard of education should be applauded and supported.
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