Peer observations as a means for professional

development.
Referat: Prof. Ionescu Adriana
19.05.2017

Observation tasks

Look at some different observation tasks below:

1. Where’s the teacher? Consider the position of the teacher at various times in the lesson.
Draw lines to indicate the pattern of movement of the teacher.

2. Who’s talking? What percentage of the lesson time was taken up by the teacher talking and
what percentage by learners talking?

3. What are they saying? Consider the content of what the teacher is saying: are they
instructions or feedback? What about the learners? Are they asking or answering questions?

4. Sound of silence Consider how much of the lesson was taken up with silence. Why was there
silence? Was it a help or a hindrance?

5. Focusing on one Choose one learner and record how many times they were invited to speak
and what they said.

6. Learner interaction Consider the way the learners worked together. How much of the lesson
did the learners work as a whole class / individually/ in pairs / in groups?

7. Board work Consider the whiteboard / blackboard. What was it used for? Was what was
written on it clear, legible and well-organised?

8. Teacher roles Did the teacher’s role change during the lesson? What roles did the teacher
play: monitor, observer, facilitator, helper, dictator?

9. Guess the gesture What gestures did the teacher use and what were they used for?

10. Skills used Consider the skills learners were involved in using. Was the focus on one skill
only?

11. Learner communication Consider the communicating the learners were doing. Was it
‘meaningless repetition’ or ‘genuine communication’? Did the learners have any opportunities to
express their own ideas?
Being a critical friend
There are usually three stages of a peer observation: a pre-lesson discussion, a lesson observation
and a post-lesson discussion.

In order to have an honest and valuable post-lesson discussion, it’s important to be a critical
friend:

a trusted person who asks provocative questions, provides data to be examined through another
lens, and offers critiques of a person’s work as a friend. A critical friend takes the time to fully
understand the context of the work presented and the outcomes that the person or group is
working toward. The friend is an advocate for the success of that work.

(Costa, A. and Kallick, B.(1993) ‘Through the Lens of a Critical Friend’. Educational
Leadership 51(2) 49-51)

Unseen observations
When ‘real-time’ observations are not possible because of time or distance it is possible to try an
‘unseen observation’. This is a lesson ‘observation’ where the observer does not actually see the
lesson.

Here is one approach:

Stage Task
Plan your lesson. Think about what area you want to develop and get feedback
Pre-discussion
on.
Discuss your lesson plan with a peer. Get their feedback and incorporate it.
Discussion
This discussion can be conducted virtually or face-to-face.
Teaching the
Teach your lesson. Your peer is not in the classroom, there is no ‘observer’.
lesson
Post-lesson
Discuss how your lesson went with the peer.
discussion

Graham White’s Article on Peer Observation:

In this article I shall look at the basic principles underlying peer observation and its value to
institutions and to individual teachers.

 What is peer observation?

  Quality control or professional development?

 How should peer observation be organised?

 What are the advantages of peer observation for teachers?

 What are the advantages of peer observation for institutions?

What is peer observation?

Peer observation is the observation of teachers by teachers, usually, though not always, on a
reciprocal basis.

Pairings may be mentor/novice or experienced teacher/experienced teacher. In the first case the
focus will be more clearly on helping the novice to develop their teaching skills both by
observing and being observed by an experienced colleague. In the second case, the objective is to
provide opportunities for experienced teachers to reflect on their teaching in a calm and private
environment.

Quality control or professional development?

 Quality control
Peer observation may be used by an institution as part of its quality assurance procedures.
In this model, teachers are asked to assess and report formally on the performance of their
colleagues according to criteria set out by the institution. Observation reports form part of
the ongoing evaluation of the teacher's performance and may influence decisions on
promotion or tenure.

There are clear advantages to this type of peer observation. An experienced and
competent teacher may be perceived by the institution as the best person to appraise his
or her peers. Such a teacher is familiar with the subject, the materials, the methods and
may be able to offer both practical help to a fellow teacher, at the same time
demonstrating good practice for the fellow teacher to observe and incorporate into his or
her own teaching.

However, there are major problems with this model. A good teacher is not necessarily a
good appraiser. Unless there are very clear guidelines for the observations, supported by
appropriate training for all involved, observers may record subjective and unsubstantiated
judgements on their peers. These judgements may unfairly influence the institution
against the teacher. This can lead to a deterioration in peer relationships.

Despite these drawbacks, some American universities use peer observation as part of
their quality assurance procedures.

 Professional development
The model favoured by academic institutions in the UK focuses on the professional
 development of the observing and observed teachers, while at the same time ensuring that
the institution remains uninvolved and uninformed about the outcome of the observation
and the issues discussed.

The institution provides a framework for the observation, takes care of the administrative
arrangements and ensures that the observations take place as agreed.

The framework and objectives will vary according to whether the observations involve a
novice working with an experienced teacher, or whether two experienced teachers are
paired.

How should peer observation be organised?

 Choosing your partner

As far as possible, pairs should have the freedom to choose their own partners. Clearly, if
there is trust and respect on both sides, the outcome is likely to be more useful for both
participants.

 Agreeing the format of the observations

Both parties should agree on a focus for the observation in advance. The observed
teacher may request feedback on a specific area of their teaching which they are finding
particularly challenging or which they would value input on from a trusted colleague. The
institution may have identified an area of focus for peer observation, for example the
introduction of a new curriculum area or a specific area which external quality control
mechanisms have revealed as needing attention, for example error correction, the
teaching of pronunciation or learner training.

 Background
The observer will need to be informed in advance by the observed teacher about the
students in the class, the content of the lesson, and how the lesson fits into the overall
structure of the course.

 The observation
Normally the observer will play no active role in the lesson itself, unless an element of
team teaching is agreed in advance. The observer will keep notes on the observation to
refer to during feedback.

 Follow-up
The observer and the observed should meet soon after the observation. The focus should
be on identifying the strengths of the teaching observed as well as the sharing of practical
ideas as to how the teaching might be improved. Care needs to be taken to focus only on
areas agreed in advance. Where two experienced teachers are involved they should take
the opportunity to reflect on the underlying rationale of their teaching, rather than more
superficial issues of procedure or technique.
  Confidentiality
Both parties need to be sure that their post-observation discussion and any notes on the
observations will remain confidential.

What are the advantages of peer observation for teachers?

Peer observation gives teachers an opportunity to learn from each other in a non-threatening
environment. Where there is no judgemental outcome and an atmosphere of trust between the
participants, it is to be hoped that teachers will share ideas and suggestions openly and
constructively to their mutual professional benefit.

What are the advantages of peer observation for institutions?

Institutions need to ensure that their students are being taught effectively and - equally important
- consistently. Peer observation is a powerful tool for disseminating good practice throughout an
experienced staff. It is also an important way of helping less experienced teachers both to
improve their teaching skills and to absorb the shared values of the institution.

Graham White, Principal of Eastbourne School of English