Peer Observation: a Reflective model

EI-320 ANÁLISIS DE LA PRÁCTICA DE LA ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉS

THIRD ASSIGNMENT

Introduction

Management techniques such as an appraisal or peer observation have two

connotations, and they can be taken positive or negative effect. In one hand, it

can be used as a tool to measure the staff development or job satisfaction. In

contrast, it can be used as arbitrary, threatening and judgmental. For these two

reasons, both observer and observee should have enough awareness about the

importance of the procedure in order to take advantage of this way evaluation.

Appraisal through peer observation

According to the author, there are two models in which one of them was applied

in USA and the teacher was responsible for these processes linked to paying.

Second, an appraisal was carried out in UK where the teacher was responsible

for this, and it was seen as mandatory.

Wajnyb 1992, Richards and Nunan 1999, and Rawnsley as cited in Cosh, J.

1999 pointed out that these models have been criticized due to the role of the

observer and the threatening nature of the process. The role of the teacher as

assessing or judgment is one the most important difference about why these

methods are criticized. The role of the teacher as an observer or observee is

totality different in terms of what they do. When the role is to observe others,

during a trainee course, they should learn from the others, but they seldom do

this task.

Cosh comments that this type of method (peer observation) was implemented in

the department at the school of languages in Anglia Polytechnic University

where the model did not work due to the perception of the teachers who

believed that the observers made some form of assessment or judgment about

the teachers’ work. For this reason, the peer observation lost the objective for

which was implemented.

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I think that teachers should play the role that they do best. For example, if

teachers are observers, they should have the adequate training according to the

role. Otherwise, they should do just for learning from others but without take the

role of facilitator or assessor. I agree with the author when she says that peer

observation becomes subjective due to the poor quality of the task. Peer

observation should be leaving aside the subjective judgment about the method,

style or technique that every teacher does in the classroom. Peer observation

should be a tool for self-reflection in order to improve our teaching.

Cosh appointed out that teachers who have the skill for doing this task; they

should do this activity and others not. Otherwise, teachers with no preparation

tended to be subjective and cause a defensive reaction on the observee but in

the other hand tended to do positive comments. These two positions do not

help the nature of the process. Even more, when teachers know that they are

going to be observed, they prepared a very good lesson that does not reflect a

regular day of teaching. This causes a truncate view of the reality.

Even though, the appraisal does not reflect the daily work of teaching because

teachers prepare a model lesson, it is certain that they at least prepare the

class of that day. For example, when I record my class, for my video recording, I

attempt to follow a lesson plan, and I am worried about preparing each detail of

the class. I know that after doing many repetitions the class can become a

common behavior for preparing my classes.

‘Mutual building’ was coined in 1990s, and it consists on supporting the whole

team as individual in order to reach professionalism. The challenge of this

model is work together for avoiding unsuccessful lesson through improving

each member of the team, by presenting a united front for facing external

judgment or assessment. Each member of the team should be committed to

providing support between each other in order to gain self-confidence. The

qualities of each member of the team that they should have are: being

enthusiast, self-confidence, and awareness, self-value and desire to grow

professionally

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It is a great idea to work in a team like a single person, trying it as a team, but at

the same time as an individual. We need, as a teacher, the support from a

group of people with similar objectives such as enthusiasm, confidence, and

desire to question anything. This could be a great work, but there is a problem. I

am usually not negative, but the problem is that Mexican culture cannot work in

a team and exists envied among the members of the team and this causes that

the objectives are not attained. However, it is possible work together with a

coworker, classmate, colleague or friend with the same teaching objectives.

Further models of peer observation

There are models that propose peer observation through colleagues with a

negotiated agreement between them in order to give a constructive feedback.

Other models discuss the possibility of peer observation through coworkers; two

or more teachers who work together and have a discussion area of mutual

interest but with a well defined plan (Whisker 1996). The last, teachers watch a

previous videoed lesson with a discussion area of mutual interest and propose

future development (Claydon and McDowell 1993).

In my point of view, clearly when someone is conscious about improving the

teaching process, he or she is capable of accepting feedback of others,

especially when the activity is not imposed. It is much better emphasizing on

implementing best practices of teaching through the feedback of others.

Experienced teacher can do this better than novice teachers, especially if the

observee is the novice and the observer is one with more experience. This form

works well because of the teacher with more experience do not accept

feedback so easier than the novice teacher; they feel offended. In the other

hand, novice teacher accepts all recommendations of their pair because they

feel more committed in becoming a professional very soon.

Reflective approach

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Cosh appointed out, that the main objective of this approach is to encourage

self-reflection and self-awareness instead of judging the teaching role. Those

teachers, who are convinced about the objective of this process, learn by the

style of other teachers. This learning process is useful for reassessing the

teaching process, stimulates awareness, reflection, questioning approach, and

provoke experimenting techniques that it seems difficult to implement.

The implementation of the reflective peer observation process has to consider,

between the observer and observe, what points should be observed, what is

going to be the focus of the observation and who is going to observe. In

addition, teachers should have a certain point of control in order to feel

themselves comfortable for the peer observation process.

In conclusion, in my point of view there are two ways in which a teacher can

learn and improve their teaching process. These two ways are through peer

observation and self-observation both with a focus on reflection. I believe for a

successful peer observation process, that permits to gain self-awareness and

self-development in order to improve our labor about teaching, is to be

conscious about the fact that there are many things that can be improved. We

should leave aside prejudices, judgments and fears about being observed of

course taking into account that the most effective way of becoming a

professional teacher is by the feedback of others even thought by ourselves

through the peer observation approach.

REFERENCESCosh, J. (1999). Peer observation: a reflective model. ELT Journal , 53 (1).

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