Peer Observations – making them as effective as possible

Focus group presentation

Intro

• Not talking about forcing people to do peer observations

• Great resistance to observations from many – but we are not talking about them for the

moment!• Assuming there is sufficient pressure/personal

motivation/incentives

‘Cognitive’ vs ‘behavioural’ change

Effective PO involves changing:• Beliefs

• Rather than just behaviour – making a change without your underlying beliefs

• Can we really change beliefs of teachers?• Behavioural descriptive

• Cognitive reflective – so permanent change• Takes longer, more challenging

• Needs longer period (so more than one obs)

What is peer observation?

• Peer observation needs to be 2-way – Simon Borg

• Also ‘observational study’ – more one-way• Define exactly what your system is...

• Is it for mutual development? - Bi-directional peer observation

• Both teachers can see what differences have occurred

General recommendations

• Can copy a technique – doesnt truly result in a change of beliefs...

• Needs follow-up discussions• Need to discover your own needs

• Need to reflect – needs training and follow-up • Reflective practice the key - ie essential to

reflect on the process effectively

• Follow-up discussions – depends on issue but may be needs an hour (some strongly felt this,

others thought it should be more flexible)• Needs a lesson plan – must know aims; doesnt

need to be detailed necessarily – dont want to put too much pressure on them

• Aims of lesson are the important thing• Before do follow up should have some

questions to reflect on

• Some dont want to give detailed feedback – feel not qualified as trainer feedback – causes

withdrawal from process• Depends on how the feedback is given• Need to be taught how to do it so that

withdrawal doesnt occur• As trainers we need to help them find the path

• How to decide the pairs is an important motivational issue

• Often want to be pairs with their partners (not necessarily friends) – to meet needs

• Recording feeback session can be useful• Need to be able to learn a skill from observing• Reflection period helps identify the areas you are

interested in• Need to integrate ideas raised with general training

available

• Are they observing just once on an issue? Depends on the issue...

• Very qualified people sometimes just want to observe to see how something being done

• Want to see variety• Structured peer obs doesnt work in our

culture...• Structured peer obs can be better for less

experienced

• Give options of PD – peer obs can be just one• Not a good idea to force them...

• Many teachers do it anyway – works better then

• But need to frame the project to help them use the process to develop