Never underestimate the power of learning from others and peer pressure as well. Peer pressure is definitely good especially if it is used to acquire positive traits. This is the same ideology that was in mind when instructional rounds were invented. It is a program where teachers come together and learn from themselves on the best teaching methodologies.
The rounds cannot be used every now and then since in that case there would be nothing new you are learning from your colleague. However, they are organized once a semester or once a year where there is bound to be something new to learn. It is also meant to give the other teachers to practice the positives that they have observed from their counterparts.
In some schools they are also called instructional coaches, people who other teachers can listen to. Some people feel uncomfortable with such arrangements thinking that they are being valued, which is not necessarily the case. The teachers who are observed do so on a voluntary basis. However, some veterans in the field can also be chosen to demonstrate how it works to those who are new to the rounds. Any teacher can volunteer his or her class for the rounds.
Smaller groups for conducting the rounds are preferred. A group of three to four teachers is okay not counting the lead teacher. The teachers have to alert their classes that they will receive other teachers in their class room for the exercise. The students have to understand that the teachers are learning from each other, just like what students do.
The observing teachers arrive when the lesson is going on. They knock at the door and once they are allowed in, they slowly walk to the back of the classroom and sit. They should not disrupt the class whatsoever. They take notes and observe how the instructor of that class works. They may choose to observe on a general level or just what interests them.
The observation takes no more than fifteen minutes. They have to take notes of both the good and the bad that they observe. This is not a rating exercise but one where they learn from each other on the best teaching methodologies. Once the observation exercise ends, they leave the class not forgetting to thank both the teacher and the students.
After the class, they meet after the classes for a discussion. They bring up the positives about what they observed after which they bring up the negatives. They do not dwell too much on the negatives neither do they bring them up bluntly and rudely. Actually, the negatives are brought up as questions in a bid to be polite and thoughtful.
The positives have to turn out more than the negatives, otherwise this will discourage the teachers from participating. Rules are very important in such a forum as there are some teachers who might choose to annoy others just for the sake. Those who cannot follow them ought to be ejected from the group before they destroy relationships between them and their colleagues.
The rounds cannot be used every now and then since in that case there would be nothing new you are learning from your colleague. However, they are organized once a semester or once a year where there is bound to be something new to learn. It is also meant to give the other teachers to practice the positives that they have observed from their counterparts.
In some schools they are also called instructional coaches, people who other teachers can listen to. Some people feel uncomfortable with such arrangements thinking that they are being valued, which is not necessarily the case. The teachers who are observed do so on a voluntary basis. However, some veterans in the field can also be chosen to demonstrate how it works to those who are new to the rounds. Any teacher can volunteer his or her class for the rounds.
Smaller groups for conducting the rounds are preferred. A group of three to four teachers is okay not counting the lead teacher. The teachers have to alert their classes that they will receive other teachers in their class room for the exercise. The students have to understand that the teachers are learning from each other, just like what students do.
The observing teachers arrive when the lesson is going on. They knock at the door and once they are allowed in, they slowly walk to the back of the classroom and sit. They should not disrupt the class whatsoever. They take notes and observe how the instructor of that class works. They may choose to observe on a general level or just what interests them.
The observation takes no more than fifteen minutes. They have to take notes of both the good and the bad that they observe. This is not a rating exercise but one where they learn from each other on the best teaching methodologies. Once the observation exercise ends, they leave the class not forgetting to thank both the teacher and the students.
After the class, they meet after the classes for a discussion. They bring up the positives about what they observed after which they bring up the negatives. They do not dwell too much on the negatives neither do they bring them up bluntly and rudely. Actually, the negatives are brought up as questions in a bid to be polite and thoughtful.
The positives have to turn out more than the negatives, otherwise this will discourage the teachers from participating. Rules are very important in such a forum as there are some teachers who might choose to annoy others just for the sake. Those who cannot follow them ought to be ejected from the group before they destroy relationships between them and their colleagues.
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