Zach Boness

EDAD 632

SUPERVISION OF INSTRUCTION

Course Reflection

The supervision of instruction course was a great course for myself to take since
our school district is going to the Danielson model. Official observations and any form of
observations can be mind numbing for an educator when they are instructing their
students. There is that sense of feeling like administrators are looking for the “gotcha,”
moments and this can hurt rapport between educators and administrators. With the
Danielson model it puts more power into the hands of the educator and opens the floor
for open communication between both parties.
In previous formats of observations the administrator would do most of the
communicating and would point out what they saw to the educator that they observed.
There is nothing wrong with this format, but it doesn’t encourage there to be open lines
of communication. One of the biggest reasons educators leave for other opportunities is
because they don’t feel they have the support of their administrators. This can be very
defeating for the teacher and leave them feeling helpless.
Another important aspect to this course was discussing how educators have to
collect artifacts of their teaching to present to the administrator. This is a great
opportunity for the teacher to back up what they are doing in the classroom and also
opens discussion between one another. Communication is a great tool that can build
rapport between colleagues and allow the opportunity to strengthen the connection
among adults in the school building. The Danielson model encourages all of this.
When we started the implementation process of the Danielson model I was apart
of the leadership team that shaped it to our school district. There is a lot that goes into
the Danielson model and it can be more time consuming compared to the other
observation models. At the same time I feel that observation model opens the door to
be more beneficial for all involved, and that is what education is all about. We, as
educators, need to set up our students for success later on in their future. For educators
to be the best they potentially be they need mentors and an observation model that will
allow them the best opportunity to do so.