Lesson Observation as an Effective Means of Teachers Continuing Professional Development

1
Lesson Observation as an Effective Means of
TeachersContinuing Professional Development

• T.W. HONG
• 28 November 2008

2
Objectives

• On our understanding of CPD, thinking about
• The WHAT WHY of LO
• How to make use of LO to enhance Ts
  professionalism
• How to take LO forward in school

3
Minds-on

• Why lesson observation? What unique role does it
  serve in CPD?

4
Common Forms of CPD

• I. Formal education courses ? qualifications
  (e.g. PUC, B Ed., M Ed.)
• II. Professional Development (PD) activities
• Structured learning
• Attend seminars, workshops, lectures, courses
• Online learning
• Other learning activities/action learning in
  school
• LO
• Collegial collaboration e.g. CLP, school-based
  curriculum
• Debriefing from seminars/workshops
• Mentoring
• PD activities outside school
• Cross-school exchanges, e.g. visits, sharing
• Networking
• Participation in action learning/research
  projects (TI, ESR)
• Secondment to EDB

90
88
84
5
Lesson Observation as Teachers CPD Flexible
mode
(Peer)

• A form of collaborative CPD (T/T , P/T,
  others experts, visitors, parents)
• A means of sharing instructional techniques and
  experiences between and among teachers
• Within KLA subject, across subjects
• Within school, across schools
• Within local education system, across systems

(Engage in Critical Reflection)
6
Benefits of LO

• T Observers
• reflective dialogue
• sense of shared responsibility ?
• trust and collegiality ?
• ? T professionalism
• ..

• Teacher Observees
• Engage in reflective dialogue
• Improvement of classroom practices
• Focused support from an expert peer
• ..

• School
• T collaboration ?
• a professional learning community
• focus on SL ?
• ..

(Adapted from Teachers observing Teachers A
Professional Development Tool for Every School,
Education World, 2008)
7
Purpose of Ts CPD in Context of School
Development

• Increased emphasis on school-based CPD
  activities
• CPD to effect school improvement and student
  learning, NOT at the expense
• CPD as an integral part of school development
  initiatives
• (Interim Report on TCPD, ACTEQ, 2006)
• Job-embedded PD

8
Challenging reform goals Learning to learn
Teachers capacity building
Reporting
How do we know the impact on learning ?
9
Make teaching a public rather than a private
act

• A closed classroom (a private act)

• Opening up the classroom

• Lesson observation culture (What is the
  meaning?)

Stephanie Hirsh-deputy executive director of
the National Staff Development Council
10
Obstacles? Worries? Difficulties?

• Skepticism
• Association with appraisal/inspection
• Sense of insecurity, fear, intrusion
• Dislike of being judged
• Dislike to make judgement
• Lack of expertise (not of the subject)
• Extra work Is it worthwhile?
• ..

• Who?
• A matter of Age?
• Experience?
• Why?
• Fear of what?
• Self-confidence?

School managements role?
11
How does each of the following impact on
collegiality/trust? Solutions?

• Subject expertise or cross-subject?
• Whole lesson or lesson segment?
• With or without focus?
• Link with collaborative lesson preparation?
• With designated time slots for preparation?
• Detailed form to capture evidence?
• How frequent is LO conducted?

12
Observation by Subject Specialists

• Pros

• Cons

• Understand difficulties in treatment of subject
  content/ required pedagogy
• Specific/professional advice
• Possible for transfer to own classroom
• Possible to link with collaborative lesson
  preparation
• Action learning/research-based lesson study
• ..

• Confined perspective
• Expose professionalism
• More critical judgement
• Different collegial relationship in subject
  panels
• Strong expertise in school?
• Development limited by the pool of subject
  experts in school
• ..

Role of lesson observation outside school
(cross-school, ESR, cross-border) ?
13
Trees or Forest? Some Ideas About Classroom
Walkthrough

• Structure-wise
• Brief frequent visits
• Focus on process not individuals
• Routine informal observations
• With clear agreed foci of observation
• Reflecting school-based priorities
• Variety of participants
• ..

• Process/Purpose
• Creating a whole-school picture of L/T
• Ref. made to set targets
• Encouraging reflective practices
• Promoting professional dialogues
• Providing school-level feedback
• Helping to identify Ts strengths devt. needs
• ..

14
Pre-conditions for Success (1)

• Willingness Voluntary participation
• Ts recognise Reflective collaborative learning
  for purpose of improving student learning
• A critical mass of teachers

15
Pre-conditions for Success (2) Knowing the
expectations

• Ask yourself what you would focus on when
  observing a lesson
• What would be the 3 most important features that
  you expect an effective lesson should have?
• How to make effective use of questioning
  techniques to cultivate critical thinking?

Do you have clear expectations of a good
lesson? Is there consensus within the subject
panel? Is there consensus within the school?
16
A Shared ToolPerformance Indicators on L T
Really understand underlying expectations of
quality?
17
Effectiveness defined by learning process
outcomes
Focus on Student Learning
Attitude-Skills-Knowledge (content-specific),
generic skills, positive values
18
Pre-conditions for Success (3)Effective
professional growth

• Observee/observer share the expectations on
  quality of L/T know the focus of the LO
  (student-learning/content)
• Effective analysis and post-observation dialogue
• Feedback and reflection
• Follow-up action to improve planning and teaching
  for enhanced student learning

19
Recording ObservationsHow important is it?
How important are the details? Can you make
reliable judgement?
Data form and trust
20
Post-observation Feedback (1)

• Aim provoke reflection by teachers
• Evaluation identify strengths and areas for
  improvement of the lesson i.r.o. objectives, NOT
  the person
• What was effective?
• What was less effective?
• What else might you have done?
• How might we tackle it next time?
• Follow-up
• What actions and support will be needed /
  available?

objective, positive, constructive
21
Post-observation Feedback (2)

• provide feedback as soon as possible

• choose a cozy quiet environment

• Let the observee evaluate his/her performance
  first
• Listen attentively to the observees views
• Have empathy for the observed
• Throw questions to guide the observee through
  exploration of various possible ways to solve the
  problems identified
• Discuss the problems identified tactfully
• Use words like may or could when offering
  suggestions
• Evaluate the effectiveness of learning and
  teaching rather than the competence of the
  observee
• Include examples to support evaluation
• Give constructive comments

22
Feedback (3) To say it or not, to take it or not

• Express criticism with respect,
• With compliments,
• In the course of a heart-to-heart talk
• That is filled with empathy,
• Marked by self-criticism,
• As an expression of care,
• Presented with humor
• Take criticism as an incentive to greater effort,
• An expression of expectation and aspiration.

23
Some Suggestions for Embedding LO

• Structural changes
• School leaders advocate and support this
• Developmental observations NOT appraisal
• Self-forming observation groups are normally
  found to work best (peer, mentor-mentee)

• Cultural changes
• Build a community of commitment, trust and
• collegiality in school
• Start first with volunteers
• Free choice of partners for reciprocal
  observation
• Relationships around existing team teaching
  arrangements

24
If our vision is to embed LO/cultivate LO for
enhancing SL
How ready are teachers in your school?
How to make it happen, structurally/culturally?

• Who to start with?
• Who are the salesmen, mavens, connectors?
• What enhances trust/acceptance?
• How to engender a favourable context?
• How to sustain the practice with impact?
• ...

Thank you
Flexible, no one-size-fit-all strategy
Plan-Implement-Review