Instructional Rounds Improve The Quality Of Education
Teachers are under tremendous pressure. They often have to work under difficult, even dangerous conditions. They seldom have all the resources they need to do their jobs properly. They have to cope with very large classes and they often work in isolation. In addition, the fact that the entire educational system is under such tremendous pressure means that teacher seldom get the opportunity to attend seminars and training sessions. Instructional rounds, however, do create opportunities for professional development.
Implementing this system is very simple. A smaller group of teachers, led by senior colleague, attends the class of an experienced teacher. The purpose of this is for the observer teachers to learn from their more experienced colleague. They do not participate in any classroom activities. The system is voluntary. No teacher is ever pressurized to be an observer or to agree to be the teacher that is observed by others.
Before attending an observation session, observers meet in order to set some objectives for the session. In most cases, these objectives will focus on the known strong points of the teacher under observation. A teacher me be known, for example, for using humour as a teaching aid. Observers will then focus on the ways in which the observed teacher use humour in the classroom.
Experts are quick to point out that these observation sessions should never be confused with any for of student or teacher evaluation. They have only one purpose and that it is to impart teaching skills and techniques. For this reason, feedback is seldom given after a session and then only if the teacher under observation requests feedback. Care is also taken to make sure that students understand the purpose of such sessions.
Even though no feedback is given, observers still meet after each session. They discuss the lessons that they have learned, the ways in which they can implement those lessons in their own classrooms and any other positive observations that they have made. No criticism of the teacher that was observed is allowed. These feedback meetings are confidential and no report is ever drawn up.
Observation sessions have become widespread and now even include the observation of respected teachers at other schools and colleges. Most participants report that they benefit from these sessions. Of course, when they benefit, their schools and the learners also benefit and in this way the quality of education is raised. Teachers under observation also benefit because they are being acknowledged as experienced and talented.
There are those that say that these sessions are worthless, mainly because they are too informal and short. Some even say that teachers under observation do not perform as they would normally do, but that they make an extra effort simply to impress their colleagues. Supporters are adamant, however, that the system helps to improve educational quality and that teachers participating are benefiting from it.
A solid, reliable educational system is one of the main cornerstones of any healthy society. As with every other profession, there are more experienced and less experienced teachers. Learning from the more experienced teachers makes simple sense. Observation sessions are easy to organize and it seems as if teachers benefit.
Implementing this system is very simple. A smaller group of teachers, led by senior colleague, attends the class of an experienced teacher. The purpose of this is for the observer teachers to learn from their more experienced colleague. They do not participate in any classroom activities. The system is voluntary. No teacher is ever pressurized to be an observer or to agree to be the teacher that is observed by others.
Before attending an observation session, observers meet in order to set some objectives for the session. In most cases, these objectives will focus on the known strong points of the teacher under observation. A teacher me be known, for example, for using humour as a teaching aid. Observers will then focus on the ways in which the observed teacher use humour in the classroom.
Experts are quick to point out that these observation sessions should never be confused with any for of student or teacher evaluation. They have only one purpose and that it is to impart teaching skills and techniques. For this reason, feedback is seldom given after a session and then only if the teacher under observation requests feedback. Care is also taken to make sure that students understand the purpose of such sessions.
Even though no feedback is given, observers still meet after each session. They discuss the lessons that they have learned, the ways in which they can implement those lessons in their own classrooms and any other positive observations that they have made. No criticism of the teacher that was observed is allowed. These feedback meetings are confidential and no report is ever drawn up.
Observation sessions have become widespread and now even include the observation of respected teachers at other schools and colleges. Most participants report that they benefit from these sessions. Of course, when they benefit, their schools and the learners also benefit and in this way the quality of education is raised. Teachers under observation also benefit because they are being acknowledged as experienced and talented.
There are those that say that these sessions are worthless, mainly because they are too informal and short. Some even say that teachers under observation do not perform as they would normally do, but that they make an extra effort simply to impress their colleagues. Supporters are adamant, however, that the system helps to improve educational quality and that teachers participating are benefiting from it.
A solid, reliable educational system is one of the main cornerstones of any healthy society. As with every other profession, there are more experienced and less experienced teachers. Learning from the more experienced teachers makes simple sense. Observation sessions are easy to organize and it seems as if teachers benefit.
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