Observing teachers is a powerful tool for improving teaching and learning as well as overall program quality. Watch this video to see the observation process for a teacher and pay close attention to what the observer is doing.

Observing teachers is a powerful tool for improving teaching and learning as well as overall program quality. Watch this video to see the observation process for a teacher and pay close attention to what the observer is doing. Explain the role of an observer before, during, and after the observation.

Describe how the observer in the video communicates with the teacher and list three ways that the observer and teacher worked together to assess and document the teacher’s techniques and the children’s individual performance in order to plan for effective future instruction.  

Compare the observation strategies that you have seen your Cooperating Teacher use with the observation strategies in the video. If you have not experienced observation at your site yet, ask your Cooperating Teacher about observation techniques used at the  site and share what you learn.

In response to your peers: Compare the observation practices that you each noted in the video and that you learned about or experienced at your practicum sites. How were these practices used to improve teaching, learning and overall program quality?