Classroom Observation Tools

Teachers are in a unique position, in control of a number of people, organizing what they do and how they do it. To ensure that all the right procedures are being followed and learning is taking place, supervisors observe teachers on a regular basis. They use a number of observation tools that are predefined and discussed so the teacher knows what is being observed. Sometimes these observations are pre-arranged, and sometimes they are ad hoc.
  1. Basic Observation Notes

    • Observation of what goes on in class by the supervisor is written in note form. This includes the students' behavior, classroom management, structure of the lesson, interaction between the teacher and the students and whether learning is taking place. The supervisor also notes language used between the teacher and the students and any incidents that occur. There is a debrief after the observation to discuss these notes and interpretation by the observer.

    Selective Scripting

    • Detailing the teacher's behavior in class using selected conversations from the lesson is used in selective scripting. The supervisor will indicate whether the teacher was asking enough questions, including work that allowed for different learning styles and using group or pair work. She will also be looking for the teacher to check for understanding and recap from previous lessons.

    Seating Chart

    • Using a seating chart of the class indicating names, gender, language or special needs, the supervisor can observe where the teacher directs questions. He can also see which students interact with each other and how the teacher moves around the room and checks if everyone is working. Observation can be made of how the teacher's interactions vary from student to student in duration and focus.

    Feedback

    • Observations are about improvement, so once the observation has been completed the supervisor needs to give effective feedback to the teacher. She gives praise where it is due and constructive criticism where necessary. Generally, observations are scored on how well the teacher met the specific criteria of the supervisor.

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