How Instructional Rounds Help Teachers To Grow Professionally
by Daphne Bowen
Few people realize that teachers work in relative isolation. During school hours they are busy with their classes and there is little opportunity to interact with their colleagues. Opportunities for interaction with teachers from other schools are even more rare. Yet teachers need to learn from each other and the entire educational system can only benefit if teachers share experiences. One answer is to implement a system of <A href="http://www.instructionalrounds.com">instructional rounds</A>.
Implementing a system of teacher observations is within the abilities of any school. It simply consist of a small group of teachers that visit another teacher and observe his methods in his classroom. The observing teachers are led by someone that is well respected in the field of education. The teacher being observed is also normally a professional that is well regarded by his colleagues. Participation in such a system is always on a voluntary basis.
It is common practice for the observers to meet prior to the observation session. During this meeting they decide upon the goals of the observation session. The teacher being observed may, for example, have a reputation for getting students to participate in a lesson and they may decide that the goal of the observation session will be to learn more about this specific aspect of teaching.
The main aim of observation sessions is to learn from the teacher under observation. These sessions have no element of evaluation attached to them because that will defeat the purpose of the session utterly. That is why only experienced teachers are asked to agree to be observed. The students are told about the session beforehand. The teacher under observation is not given any feedback but he may ask for such feedback.
After conclusion of the observation session the observers meet again to discuss the session. Each observer will get a chance to point out the specific lessons he has learned and how he thinks he can use those lessons to improve his own teaching. The observers do not compile a report and criticism of the teacher being observed is not allowed. The focus remains, at all times, on positive aspects.
There are numerous benefits to be had in implementing a teacher observation system. Not only do teachers learn from experienced colleagues, but they also get to know each other better. The teachers are not the only ones to benefit. The students also benefit because they are the ones that will be receiving better instruction. In this way the entire educational system is improved and society as a whole benefits.
Critics say that these observation sessions are too short and too infrequent to have any value. They say that teachers scheduled for observation do not act as usual but that they are playing to their audience. These criticisms notwithstanding, educational experts agree that there is everything to gain for encouraging teachers to learn from each other and to share their experiences in the classroom.
Offering quality educational is and should be a very high priority for every society. If the quality of education is compromised the entire society as a whole is also compromised. Teachers learning from each other is a great idea and they should be encouraged to be part of such a system.
If you are searching for information about <a href="http://www.instructionalrounds.com">instructional rounds</a>, you can pay a visit to our web pages here. Additional details are available at http://www.instructionalrounds.com now.
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New Unique Article!
Title: How Instructional Rounds Help Teachers To Grow Professionally
Author: Daphne Bowen
Email: nathanwebster335@live.com
Keywords: medicine, health, treatment, healthy
Word Count: 543
Category: Medicine
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