There’s always that one teacher who excels in your department. They get the best scores on student standardized tests. Most students that take their course can’t stop complimenting this teacher. They get nominated for all kinds of school awards. You want to know what they are doing in their classroom that is so effective and you want to figure out how to do it too. Observing this teacher is one of the best forms of professional development.
However, does your school foster a community of collaboration where teachers can observe each other? Is it encouraged? If it is, is it a casual drop by, or are there guidelines for what you should be observing? We all know a teacher’s time is precious, we approximately make 1,500 decisions a day! Having a system in place where teachers are encouraged to observe and welcome to observe is one of the best forms of professional development you don’t have to spend money on.
During my EEND680 class on 21st Century Educational Leadership at the University of St. Francis, we were exposed to learning walks. A learning walk is where a couple of teachers get into groups and observe teachers for a short period of time and then reflect on the observation afterwards. Teachers can fill out a quick Google Form while they are observing to keep notes on tech resources and teaching strategies that they might use in their own classroom. The key difference between a learning walk and a formal observation is that fellow teachers are meeting with the intention to learn from their peers, not to criticize. Having a small moment to reflect with the other teachers also allows for the processing of all the good things that are happening in the classroom. Plus, a teacher in your learning walk might have observed something that didn’t catch your eye. With a few teachers observing, you can cover different elements that are happening in the classroom.
Lastly, there are so many different tech tools that are thrown at teachers. It’s nearly impossible to utilize every tool. However, when observing other teachers, you can figure out how they are using the newest tech tool in action with students and you can figure out if you want to use it or not. You don’t have to waste time figuring out if a tech tool is a dud. Take a look at my Google Form for a learning walk. What question surprised you? What questions would you add? Let’s collaborate!