How Instructional Rounds Improve The Quality Of Education
Teachers have a tough time. Teaching conditions are difficult because of very large classes, many disciplinary problems, a huge administrative burden and extremely limited resources. On top of this, the very heavy work load carried by tea hers makes it very difficult to attend courses and to interact with other professionals in their field. This can easily lead to stagnation. However, with a system of instructional rounds teachers can be motivated anew.
The entire concept is uncomplicated. It simply means that a small group of teachers arrange to observe another teacher, normally a senior teacher with a very good reputation and lots of experience, in action in the classroom. The observers are led by an experienced senior teacher. The observers do not take part in the teaching process and they do not interfere with the lesson. Their role is to simply observe and to make notes.
Each observation session has very clear goals. The observers meet prior to the session and agree to those goals. The goal may be, for example, to see how the teacher being observed uses visual aids during the lesson. The purpose of these sessions is for the observers to learn new techniques and approaches, so they would normally focus on the known strengths of the teacher under observation.
These observation sessions have nothing to do with evaluation. The teacher being observed is not is not in the firing line. The whole idea is to learn from the teacher in action. In fact, observers normally choose very experienced and successful teachers to observe. After the observation session no feedback is give to the teacher concerned but it may be given if it is requested specifically.
Directly after each session, the observers meet in private. The purpose of this meeting is not to comment on the teaching methods of the teacher concerned. Instead, the focus is upon the lessons learned from that teacher. The observers compare notes and they discuss ways in which they can use those lessons to improve their own teaching efforts. No report is submitted and the meetings are deemed to be confidential.
Everyone benefits from these observation sessions. They give teachers the opportunity to get to know each other and to learn from each other. Students benefit because their teachers learn new techniques to improve the quality of teaching. The educational system benefit because everyone involved improves and higher morale and motivation is often a side benefit of such sessions. Even the teachers being observed benefits because they know that they are seen as experts in their field.
Detractors of this system say that it does not achieve anything because the observation sessions are too short, because the teachers being observed make a special effort to impress their colleagues and because the entire system does not make provision for official feedback. However, teachers seem to love the idea and they normally partake gladly. Students too, seems to like observation sessions.
Learning from experienced peers is as old as civilization itself. That is where the apprentice system comes from. Teachers enjoy observation sessions. It not only gives them a chance to learn but it also allows them to interact with their colleagues on a professional level. Educational experts all agree that teachers must be given the opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally.
The entire concept is uncomplicated. It simply means that a small group of teachers arrange to observe another teacher, normally a senior teacher with a very good reputation and lots of experience, in action in the classroom. The observers are led by an experienced senior teacher. The observers do not take part in the teaching process and they do not interfere with the lesson. Their role is to simply observe and to make notes.
Each observation session has very clear goals. The observers meet prior to the session and agree to those goals. The goal may be, for example, to see how the teacher being observed uses visual aids during the lesson. The purpose of these sessions is for the observers to learn new techniques and approaches, so they would normally focus on the known strengths of the teacher under observation.
These observation sessions have nothing to do with evaluation. The teacher being observed is not is not in the firing line. The whole idea is to learn from the teacher in action. In fact, observers normally choose very experienced and successful teachers to observe. After the observation session no feedback is give to the teacher concerned but it may be given if it is requested specifically.
Directly after each session, the observers meet in private. The purpose of this meeting is not to comment on the teaching methods of the teacher concerned. Instead, the focus is upon the lessons learned from that teacher. The observers compare notes and they discuss ways in which they can use those lessons to improve their own teaching efforts. No report is submitted and the meetings are deemed to be confidential.
Everyone benefits from these observation sessions. They give teachers the opportunity to get to know each other and to learn from each other. Students benefit because their teachers learn new techniques to improve the quality of teaching. The educational system benefit because everyone involved improves and higher morale and motivation is often a side benefit of such sessions. Even the teachers being observed benefits because they know that they are seen as experts in their field.
Detractors of this system say that it does not achieve anything because the observation sessions are too short, because the teachers being observed make a special effort to impress their colleagues and because the entire system does not make provision for official feedback. However, teachers seem to love the idea and they normally partake gladly. Students too, seems to like observation sessions.
Learning from experienced peers is as old as civilization itself. That is where the apprentice system comes from. Teachers enjoy observation sessions. It not only gives them a chance to learn but it also allows them to interact with their colleagues on a professional level. Educational experts all agree that teachers must be given the opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally.
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