PEER OBSERVATION LIST March 2019
During the second term, we have a series of peer observations. At Active, we believe these are a very worthwhile professional development opportunity and here are some of the reasons why:
- We all have a professional curiousity to see how other people work and to compare and contrast our class to another. By doing so we uncover a number of similarities and differences within our environment
- It’s a great moment to borrow and use ideas from a colleague – it serves as an opportunity to pick up new ideas, as a reminder perhaps of activities we’ve done in the past and since forgotten and also to enforce that what we’re doing in our own classes is ‘a good thing’
- It’s a time when we spread best practice – using the feedback session to compare how we do things and provide constructive comments on other ways of working
- The democratisation of observation, by which we mean that observation should not be seen as a top-down, evaluative tool in which a teacher is ‘judged’ on their performance
- It provides a break from routine
- It raises your awareness of your peers
- Perhaps more specifically to Active where we work in a number of different environments, it gives teachers the opportunity to see how different styles of teaching work (e.g. bilingual classes, speaking classes)
- It’s a wonderful moment to reflect on your own teaching – after an observed lesson, we’re likely to be more reflective and analytical of the class than we would be on a daily basis; but it also allows a moment to reflect on the bigger picture – perhaps not just thinking about that one lesson, but other lessons with that group, or other classes in general
Here are more ideas from Education World:
Administrators benefit from:
| * | the opportunity for reflective dialogue with and among teachers. |
| * | an increased sense of shared responsibility. |
| * | an increased focus on student achievement. |
| * | an increased trust and collegiality among staff. |
| * | participation in a professional and collaborative learning community. |
| * | a cadre of self-reliant, confident teachers who love teaching. |
| * | enriched teacher efficacy |
| * | participation in a professional and collaborative learning community. |
Teachers benefit from:
| * | an opportunity to engage in reflective dialogue about their work. |
| * | the focused classroom support. |
| * | improvement of classroom practices. |
| * | support from an “expert” (peer) who understands the daily demands of the classroom. |
| * | satisfaction with one’s work. |
| * | reduced job stress, especially for the new teacher. |
| * | a welcoming atmosphere for new teachers. |
| * | the comfort of knowing that someone is available to help, explain, and assist. |
The school benefits from:
| * | increased collaboration among teachers. |
| * | the establishment of a professional learning community. |
| * | an increased focus on student achievement. |
| * | enthusiasm for the teaching profession. |
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