There can be absolutely no doubt that teaching is a very demanding career. Teachers have numerous responsibilities. Their main focus, to teach, is often made very difficult by having to work with inadequate resources and numerous administrative responsibilities that claim a lot of their time. Large classes make it impossible to pay attention to the needs of individual learners. Within this demanding environment, many teachers have no time to spend on self development. Luckily, instructional rounds are there to address at least a part of this need.
This straight forward system aims to help teachers to improve their own teaching skills. This is done by having small groups of teachers attend the class of an experienced colleague with the aim of learning something from that teacher. Observers are just that. They do not take part in the lesson and they may not even ask questions. Participation, whether as observer or as the observed, is always voluntary.
Observers always meet just before an observation session. In this meeting they set some goals for the session. Teachers selected for observation are normally deemed to be professionals that achieve excellent results. The observers therefore strive to focus on the techniques and methods used by this colleague to achieve their results. The teacher under observation is not part of this meeting.
The most important characteristic of the observation sessions is that they do not involve any form of evaluation. Such an approach will defeat the entire purpose of the session. The teacher being observed is not judged. All participants, even the students, are clearly informed of this fact. The only purpose of the observation session is to help the observers to improve their own teaching techniques and methods. There are no secondary objectives.
The observers meet once more directly after the observation session, while everything is still fresh in their minds. During this session that are not allowed to criticise the observed teacher but rather to discuss the ideas that they have garnered and the lessons that they have learned. Observers never submit reports or even provide informal feedback. Their discussions remain confidential.
The system of observing professional colleagues in action has become extremely popular. Observers learn from experienced professionals and those under observation are motivated because they have been identified as true professionals in their field. Eventually, however, it is the students that benefit most because their teachers are freshly inspired with new ideas. Teachers not only learn from each other but they also get to know each other better.
Critics have shot down the system as utterly worthless. They argue that observation sessions are artificial because the teacher under observation inevitably try to impress his colleagues rather than teach as he would normally do. Critics also think that the sessions are too short and that the lack of formal feedback renders them useless. Many critics say that formal teacher development programs are the only way in which to improve the system.
Nobody will argue the fact that the entire educational system needs to be improved drastically. This has to be achieved with an ever decreasing budget. Observation sessions require no resources and if they help to make even a very small positive difference, then they must be worth the effort.
This straight forward system aims to help teachers to improve their own teaching skills. This is done by having small groups of teachers attend the class of an experienced colleague with the aim of learning something from that teacher. Observers are just that. They do not take part in the lesson and they may not even ask questions. Participation, whether as observer or as the observed, is always voluntary.
Observers always meet just before an observation session. In this meeting they set some goals for the session. Teachers selected for observation are normally deemed to be professionals that achieve excellent results. The observers therefore strive to focus on the techniques and methods used by this colleague to achieve their results. The teacher under observation is not part of this meeting.
The most important characteristic of the observation sessions is that they do not involve any form of evaluation. Such an approach will defeat the entire purpose of the session. The teacher being observed is not judged. All participants, even the students, are clearly informed of this fact. The only purpose of the observation session is to help the observers to improve their own teaching techniques and methods. There are no secondary objectives.
The observers meet once more directly after the observation session, while everything is still fresh in their minds. During this session that are not allowed to criticise the observed teacher but rather to discuss the ideas that they have garnered and the lessons that they have learned. Observers never submit reports or even provide informal feedback. Their discussions remain confidential.
The system of observing professional colleagues in action has become extremely popular. Observers learn from experienced professionals and those under observation are motivated because they have been identified as true professionals in their field. Eventually, however, it is the students that benefit most because their teachers are freshly inspired with new ideas. Teachers not only learn from each other but they also get to know each other better.
Critics have shot down the system as utterly worthless. They argue that observation sessions are artificial because the teacher under observation inevitably try to impress his colleagues rather than teach as he would normally do. Critics also think that the sessions are too short and that the lack of formal feedback renders them useless. Many critics say that formal teacher development programs are the only way in which to improve the system.
Nobody will argue the fact that the entire educational system needs to be improved drastically. This has to be achieved with an ever decreasing budget. Observation sessions require no resources and if they help to make even a very small positive difference, then they must be worth the effort.
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