The teaching profession is a very demanding profession. Many teachers have to do their work in isolation, even if they are surrounded by colleagues and students. They are seldom offered opportunities to grow as teachers and as mentors. That is why classroom walkthroughs have become so popular. It allows teachers to assist each other and to learn from each other. It is not a threatening practice but rather an effort to increase the quality of education.
It is not the aim of instructional rounds to evaluate teachers in a formal manner. It aims at providing teachers with the opportunity to interact with peers and to learn from each other. The visiting teacher observes the methods of the local teacher and they compare notes after the visit. No formal feedback is expected or given unless it is requested. The visit is normally discussed in an informal way and the purpose is purely to compare notes.
Setting up a system of instructional rounds is simple and straight forward. Small groups of observers, often from different schools visit another teacher in class. The students are informed that there will be visitors and they are advised that the visitors are there to learn. Observers typically attend classes for fifteen minutes only and they never take part in the teaching activities.
In order to gain full benefit from an observation session it may be best to focus on one or two aspects of teaching only. Observers may, for example, concentrate on the way in which the host teacher communicate with the students or the manner in which he uses his teaching aids and other visual media. Observation sessions seldom last more than a quarter of an hour.
The debriefing after an observation session is important. Observers can learn even more by sharing their experiences and by discussing the techniques and methods employed by the host teacher. These discussions are not shared outside the group of observers. Part of the discussions should be on how to incorporate new ideas in their own classes. The host teacher can choose whether he or she wants to be part of the debrief session.
Educational managers agree that instructional rounds can play a very important role in improving the quality of education. Teachers not only learn from each other but they are also motivated when observers acknowledge their innovation. Instructional rounds also play an important role in improving relations between different schools. It goes without saying that student benefit when their teachers try new methods.
There is a danger that instructional rounds can actually cause harm rather than good. If the focus is not upon objective observation and a willingness to learn from each other the system is almost certain to fail. Harm can also result from breach of confidentiality and from interference by observers. The system should never be treated as a form of formal evaluation.
There can be no doubt that everyone involved in the education system, including the learners, can benefit from instructional rounds. This is especially the case when innovative and experienced teachers are willing to be observed by less experienced educators. Nobody is ever too old or too experienced to learn from another.
It is not the aim of instructional rounds to evaluate teachers in a formal manner. It aims at providing teachers with the opportunity to interact with peers and to learn from each other. The visiting teacher observes the methods of the local teacher and they compare notes after the visit. No formal feedback is expected or given unless it is requested. The visit is normally discussed in an informal way and the purpose is purely to compare notes.
Setting up a system of instructional rounds is simple and straight forward. Small groups of observers, often from different schools visit another teacher in class. The students are informed that there will be visitors and they are advised that the visitors are there to learn. Observers typically attend classes for fifteen minutes only and they never take part in the teaching activities.
In order to gain full benefit from an observation session it may be best to focus on one or two aspects of teaching only. Observers may, for example, concentrate on the way in which the host teacher communicate with the students or the manner in which he uses his teaching aids and other visual media. Observation sessions seldom last more than a quarter of an hour.
The debriefing after an observation session is important. Observers can learn even more by sharing their experiences and by discussing the techniques and methods employed by the host teacher. These discussions are not shared outside the group of observers. Part of the discussions should be on how to incorporate new ideas in their own classes. The host teacher can choose whether he or she wants to be part of the debrief session.
Educational managers agree that instructional rounds can play a very important role in improving the quality of education. Teachers not only learn from each other but they are also motivated when observers acknowledge their innovation. Instructional rounds also play an important role in improving relations between different schools. It goes without saying that student benefit when their teachers try new methods.
There is a danger that instructional rounds can actually cause harm rather than good. If the focus is not upon objective observation and a willingness to learn from each other the system is almost certain to fail. Harm can also result from breach of confidentiality and from interference by observers. The system should never be treated as a form of formal evaluation.
There can be no doubt that everyone involved in the education system, including the learners, can benefit from instructional rounds. This is especially the case when innovative and experienced teachers are willing to be observed by less experienced educators. Nobody is ever too old or too experienced to learn from another.
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