Teachers are often given the short end of the stick. They have to prepare lessons, teach, be involved with all school activities, mark papers and perform numerous administrative tasks. There is very little opportunity for professional or personal growth and the educational authorities recognize this fact. Instructional rounds, however, have started to play a bigger role in not only helping teachers to grow professionally, but also to improve the standard of education.
The system is simple and straight forward. A small group of teacher get together and visit another teacher to observe his teaching methods and classroom techniques. The observed teacher is normally an experienced professional that obtain excellent results and he will only be observed if he agrees. The observers are there to learn from him in order to improve their own results and to glean new ideas.
Before the observation session the observers meet in order to define some aims for the session. The observed colleague is often acknowledged as a successful educator and he may even be know for using unique techniques to achieve better results. The purpose of the observers is to see how he does that and to find out if they, too, can use his formula in their own classrooms.
Observers never evaluate the colleague that is observed. That will negate the entire idea behind these sessions. They have only one goal and that is to learn from the observed colleague. This is why the learners are informed about the reason for the visit and that is also why no feedback is ever given. The observers do not participate in the classroom activities and they do not interact with learners.
After the observation session the observers meet once again. This time round the purpose is to give each other feedback regarding the lessons that was learnt. They discuss ways in which they can use these lessons to improve their own teaching methods. Criticism of the observed colleague is not allowed. No report is drawn up and all discussions are deemed to be confidential.
These sessions have become commonplace and teachers say that they greatly benefit from them. They learn from experienced colleagues, find new inspiration and they get the opportunity to interact with colleagues. When teachers grow professionally everyone benefits. Learners obtain better results, schools are obtaining better results and the entire educational system is improved. Observed teachers also benefit because they find new motivation in the knowledge that they are deemed as worthy to learn from.
There are, of course, critics. They say that the sessions are too short to be of any value. They also accuse observed teachers of taking extra trouble for these sessions instead of teaching the way they normally do. Supporters nevertheless refute these arguments by saying that they learn a lot, that they improve as educators and that the learners ultimately benefit from the system.
Nobody will argue the fact that the educational system is under pressure and that many schools produce poor results. Any system that aims to improve the situation should be supported. These observation sessions are easy to implement and they do not require funding. If it helps to improve the quality of education it should be supported at all levels of the overall educational system.
The system is simple and straight forward. A small group of teacher get together and visit another teacher to observe his teaching methods and classroom techniques. The observed teacher is normally an experienced professional that obtain excellent results and he will only be observed if he agrees. The observers are there to learn from him in order to improve their own results and to glean new ideas.
Before the observation session the observers meet in order to define some aims for the session. The observed colleague is often acknowledged as a successful educator and he may even be know for using unique techniques to achieve better results. The purpose of the observers is to see how he does that and to find out if they, too, can use his formula in their own classrooms.
Observers never evaluate the colleague that is observed. That will negate the entire idea behind these sessions. They have only one goal and that is to learn from the observed colleague. This is why the learners are informed about the reason for the visit and that is also why no feedback is ever given. The observers do not participate in the classroom activities and they do not interact with learners.
After the observation session the observers meet once again. This time round the purpose is to give each other feedback regarding the lessons that was learnt. They discuss ways in which they can use these lessons to improve their own teaching methods. Criticism of the observed colleague is not allowed. No report is drawn up and all discussions are deemed to be confidential.
These sessions have become commonplace and teachers say that they greatly benefit from them. They learn from experienced colleagues, find new inspiration and they get the opportunity to interact with colleagues. When teachers grow professionally everyone benefits. Learners obtain better results, schools are obtaining better results and the entire educational system is improved. Observed teachers also benefit because they find new motivation in the knowledge that they are deemed as worthy to learn from.
There are, of course, critics. They say that the sessions are too short to be of any value. They also accuse observed teachers of taking extra trouble for these sessions instead of teaching the way they normally do. Supporters nevertheless refute these arguments by saying that they learn a lot, that they improve as educators and that the learners ultimately benefit from the system.
Nobody will argue the fact that the educational system is under pressure and that many schools produce poor results. Any system that aims to improve the situation should be supported. These observation sessions are easy to implement and they do not require funding. If it helps to improve the quality of education it should be supported at all levels of the overall educational system.
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