Why All Schools Need A System Of Instructional Rounds
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 system is designed to provide a way in which a small group of teachers can learn from an experienced teacher. They do this by attending a class of the teacher under observation. The observers are expected to be unobtrusive. They are not allowed to participate in the lesson or to ask any questions. Their focus is to learn something from the teacher in action. This is always a voluntary system.
Before attending a lesson, observers first meet with each other. The purpose of this meeting is to formulate some objectives for the observation session. Observers are encouraged to focus on the strengths of the teacher under observation because that is where they will learn most. In this way observers may, for example, decide to focus on the ability of the observed teacher to draw students into discussions.
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.
After the observation session the observers meet once more. This time the aim is to share the lessons that each observer has learned and the ideas that they got for the improvement of their own lessons. This discussion is considered to be strictly confidential and no report is ever submitted to anyone, not even to the teacher that were under observation. Observers are also not allowed to voice any criticism.
The practice of observing colleagues in action has become widespread, even at colleges and other tertiary educational institutions. Participants generally say that they benefit from these sessions and for many busy teachers this is the only way in which to grow professionally. The system has grown to the point where observers even observe teachers at other schools. This also help teachers to create their own professional networks.
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.
The fact remains that the entire education system is under tremendous pressure. No one will deny the fact that major steps are necessary to improve the situation. Observation sessions are easy to implement and they do not require funding. If they help to improve the quality of education then they are certainly worth a try.
This system is designed to provide a way in which a small group of teachers can learn from an experienced teacher. They do this by attending a class of the teacher under observation. The observers are expected to be unobtrusive. They are not allowed to participate in the lesson or to ask any questions. Their focus is to learn something from the teacher in action. This is always a voluntary system.
Before attending a lesson, observers first meet with each other. The purpose of this meeting is to formulate some objectives for the observation session. Observers are encouraged to focus on the strengths of the teacher under observation because that is where they will learn most. In this way observers may, for example, decide to focus on the ability of the observed teacher to draw students into discussions.
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.
After the observation session the observers meet once more. This time the aim is to share the lessons that each observer has learned and the ideas that they got for the improvement of their own lessons. This discussion is considered to be strictly confidential and no report is ever submitted to anyone, not even to the teacher that were under observation. Observers are also not allowed to voice any criticism.
The practice of observing colleagues in action has become widespread, even at colleges and other tertiary educational institutions. Participants generally say that they benefit from these sessions and for many busy teachers this is the only way in which to grow professionally. The system has grown to the point where observers even observe teachers at other schools. This also help teachers to create their own professional networks.
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.
The fact remains that the entire education system is under tremendous pressure. No one will deny the fact that major steps are necessary to improve the situation. Observation sessions are easy to implement and they do not require funding. If they help to improve the quality of education then they are certainly worth a try.
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