UNIT 9: LESSON OBSERVATION
Key unit competence: Assess a lesson taught by a fellow teacher, referring to specific criteria
1. Observe a model lesson from an experienced teacher at demonstration schools and write something about what you observed during lesson delivery.
2. Look at the picture below and answer related questions.
a. Which activities are taking place?
b. What would interest you most if you were among these student teachers?
c. Do you think it is necessary for the student teachers in Year one classes at TTCs to go at primary school for observation? Why?
9.1. Lesson observation form
Most of the students tend to prefer some teachers than others, they are also able to say that some lessons are more understood than others. They are able to identify that teacher has mastered the content or not, and they are able to identify that the lesson is motivating and interesting or not. Describe the elements they consider to make judgement.
9.1.1.What is Lesson/classroom observation?
Lesson/classroom observation describes a process by which the observer sits in another teacher’s class to observe, records facts/evidences about the teaching and learning process and then meets with the teacher to discuss the observations.
In Pre-service, lesson observation can be conducted by student teachers when observing a model lesson delivered by a senior teacher in the model school. It can also be done by teachers from model schools and tutors from TTCs when observing student teachers during teaching practice and school attachment. Student teachers can also observe their peers.
Lesson/classroom observation is also important for in-service teachers. In this case, it is done by teachers in line with Continuous Professional Development. This can help expose teachers to new teaching methods. It can also be conducted by different supervisors/inspectors to monitor the implementation of curriculum and education policies at school level.
All these observers (Student teachers, teachers, tutors, Head Teachers, Dean of studies, Inspectors, Sector and District Education officials, etc.) need a lesson/classroom observation form to record key elements of the teaching and learning process and related environment.
9.2. Constructive feedback
KARIMA John is a teacher at one primary school in Rwanda, he is rude teacher when he is teaching he does not want students who ask him questions if one tries to raise hand and asks question, the teacher tells him/her to keep quiet and even when he asks questions to the students to be answered orally. He does not give constructive feedback to their answer, he only replies “ok” to both right and wrong answers so that students cannot be aware of what to improve. Now what do you think is wrong with this teacher? If you were that teacher what would you do differently?
The feedback
The feedback can be defined as any comment or reflection (written or oral) provided by others (i.e. teachers, peers) on learners’ work so as to give them opportunities to improve.
Purposes of feedback
The main purposes of feedback are to:
– Clarify what good performance is (goals, criteria, expected standards).
– Facilitate the development of self-assessment (reflection) in learning.
– Deliver high quality information to learners about their learning.
– Encourage teacher and peer dialogue around learning.
– Encourage positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem.
– Provide opportunities to close the gap between current and desired performance.
– Provide information to teachers that can be used to help shape teaching
How to give and receive feedback effective
Giving constructive feedback in the form of verbal or written comments is a vital aspect of ongoing classroom assessment. Feedback can be provided in a range of situations: from an instant, informal reply to a more formally planned review. While giving oral feedback, the teacher should: – Welcome both the positive negative contribution of the learner. Always give specific feedback on what a learner has done well. Clarify the right answer of the learner, and build his/her corrections upon the wrong answer.
– Seek learners’ views and value their contribution. This will help them to get better at assessing their own work, which is vital to them to become independent learners, etc.
– Provid immediate feedback right after the leaners’ perfomance.
– Invite the learners to comment on what the teacher does as well (feedback is reciprocal).
– Focus on things that each learner can change, and avoid overloading them with too much feedback at once.
– Be sensitive if the teacher has to give feedback to one person in a group. The learner might feel undermined if others hear.
– Look for ways forward together. Share ideas and explore solutions, rather than always putting forward teachers’s suggestions or input.
– Create a situation on how learners agree on the given feedback. This could include agreeing new targets or planning learning opportunities.
– Allow learners time to focus on feedback for improvement.
– Provide constructive criticism with explanations of how to improve.
9.3. Reflective practice
Louise always thinks about her lesson before going to classroom and tries her best to make her learners understand it. She makes research on her subject and after the lesson; she evaluates herself to find what she will correct next time. How do you think, thinking about lesson helps teacher Louise to improve the delivery of her lesson effectively?
.3.1. Definition Reflection Reflection is a process of learning from experience in which self-inquiry is regarded as key component of learner’s development (Richards, 1994). Reflection takes place when teacher reconstructs, re-enacts and/or recaptures the events, emotions and the accomplishment of his/her teaching (Schulman, 1987).
9.3.1. Definition
Reflection
Reflection is a process of learning from experience in which self-inquiry is regarded as key component of learner’s development (Richards, 1994). Reflection takes place when teacher reconstructs, re-enacts and/or recaptures the events, emotions and the accomplishment of his/her teaching (Schulman, 1987).
Reflective practice Reflective practice is the capacity to reflect on action so as to engage in the process of continuous learning. In education, reflective practice refers to the process of the educator studying his or her own teaching methods and determining what works best for the students.
Reflective teaching
Reflective teaching is an activity that engages a teacher in critical self-evaluation of the manner he/she has conducted the teaching of a particular lesson. It should be done at the end of every lesson. The student/teacher is supposed to comment on his/her own performance in the lesson. It involves giving honest answer to the following questions:
– How did I teach?
– What was successful and how can I make it better?
– What was not very successful?
– How can I improve on it?
The answers to these questions should be written down (written reflection).
Reflective learning
Reflective learning refers to an active process involving thinking through issues asking yourself questions and seeking out relevant information to aid your understanding. Reflection works best when you think about what you are doing before
9.3.2. Types of reflective teaching
Reflection for action (before): It is proactive in nature; it involves thinking a head about an action before doing it. This simply means thinking about the lesson before teaching it.
Reflection- in- action (present): Is when teachers are in the classroom teaching in their everyday routine knowledge. Given that teachers carry out such actions every day, they have to employ a kind of knowing- in –action.
Reflection-on-action (past): It is the systematic and deliberate thinking back over one’s action. It also involves thinking back on what teachers have done to discover how knowing in action might have contributed to unexpected action.
9.3.3. Steps for Reflection
There are four Steps for Reflection :Look, Think, Learn, Plan, described below:.
Step 1: Look back at a situation or experience
Look back at something that happened or some thought you find yourself focusing on and describe it briefly.
Step 2: Think in depth about your experience or thought
Think in depth about why your experience happened or why your thought is so important to you. What hunches, ideas, guesses, interpretations come to mind as you analyze your experience? (Probably the most important piece.)
Step 3: Describe what you learned about yourself or your role: Write what you’ve learned about yourself, your role, or the situation.
Step 4: Plan what you will do next: Describe what you are going to do next/ your action plan, next steps. This may be resolving to do something differently the next time; it may be adopting a new attitude or changed thinking; it may be needing to puzzle further.
9.3.4. Importance of reflection in education.
The reflection is more important in various ways for both the teacher and learners for the following ways:
For the teacher: When problems arise during a teaching episode, a teacher spontaneously analyzes the situation and responds accordingly. Reflective thinking that involves continuous assessment, creating a balance between new information and the critical examination of prior teaching experiences relevant to new information. After teaching and learning process the teacher can assess him/herself about the strengths and weaknesses as well as ways forward, etc.
For the learner
A learner may have self- reflection on what was supposed to be done after an assessment. Also, they may use their learning log/diary/journal for the purpose of improving their learning. Reflection activities should involve individual learners and address interactions with peers.
For the school management
Educators weigh competing viewpoints and research findings regarding a whole range of pedagogical concerns/decision. Example: curriculum, instructional strategies, rules and organization of classroom, etc. Educators consider the social, moral and political dimensions of schooling and judge those dimensions in light of ethical criteria such as social justice and equality of opportunity. School manager and its administration can sit down and think of what can be done to enhance the students’ performance.
9.4. Importance of lesson observation/ classroom observation
Based on the experience you have from sub-unit 9.1 and 9.2 brainstorm the importance of model lesson observation to you.
9.4.1. Importance of classroom/lesson observation for student teachers Student teachers
will need to observe model lessons in model/demonstration schools as part of opportunities to gain professional skills. In fact, this will enable student teachers:
– To observe how to engage all learners by effectively using teaching and learning methods/techniques and resources (including chalkboard and ICTs tools.
– To observe effective strategies for classroom management depending on class size and level (pre-primary, lower primary and upper primary)
– To be informed on how to give constructive feedback while teaching
– To observe how to accommodate learners with Special Educational Needs.
9.4.2. Importance of classroom/lesson observation for in-service teachers
Lesson observation conducted by teachers and supervisors from different levels allow:
– To observe teachers in real life teaching situations;
Teachers to get feedback from fellow teachers and supervisors;
– The teacher observed to improve next lessons based on feedback;
– To identify own strengths and weaknesses in teaching;
– To assess availability of teaching and learning resources and their effective use;
– It contributes to the Personal Professional Development (CPD);
– Supervisors to plan for future CPD related activities;
– To monitor student’s progress.
9.5. Key elements to consider during classroom/lesson observation
Most of the students tend to prefer some teachers than others, they are also able to say that some lessons are more understood than others. They are able to identify that teacher has mastered the content or not, and they are able to identify that the lesson is motivating and interesting or not. Why these students make the above judgements?
The student teachers, tutors, teachers from model/demonstration schools who will be conducting an observation in primary will have to fill the observation form for primary while those who will be conducting an observation in pre-primary will have to fill the observation form for pre-primary.
Either pre-primary or primary observers will fill in the forms based on the following key elements:
– Pedagogical documents
– Development of competences and integration of crosscutting issues
– Learner’s engagement and progress
– Use of teaching Methods and techniques
– Use of teaching and learning resources
– Teacher’s professional conduct and ethics
– Class management and learning environment
– Assessment of learners ‘progress
– Use of Medium of instruction and communication skills
1. Explain elements on which the effectiveness of a lesson is based and measured.
2. Identify the steps of reflection that you will go through after observing s model lesson