Informal Observations: How They Help Teachers Grow in the...what is formal and informal observation?
The support of a coach is important for top athletes.Coaches can help players identify their unique strengths and help them grow their skills in areas of challenge.Coaches spend a lot of time observing athletes while they practice, giving feedback based on current efforts, breaking skills down as needed to cultivate mastery, and encouraging players to keep trying in pursuit of their goals.
Educational coaches support teachers in mastering the craft of teaching.Educational coaches need to keep an eye on their teachers as they practice specific teaching behaviors and give feedback based on those efforts, just like athletic coaches do.Real-time, in-the-field support is needed for teachers.Informal observations make possible this type of ongoing support.
Informal observations are not the same as formal CLASS observations, which require certification, official score sheets, and codes to be assigned for each cycle.An informal observation is conducted by a coach, and is an opportunity for the coach to focus on the behaviors a teacher is currently practicing, for a total of 10-30 minutes.
The coach gathers evidence about what the teacher is saying and how the children respond in the moment.The coach and the teacher meet to discuss strengths, identify effective behaviors and share notes.The coach and teacher talk about ways to make interactions with more children even better.They plan a time for the coach to conduct another informal observation with feedback and then create an action plan for classroom practice.
Before conducting the short classroom visit, the teacher and coach should decide what the focus of the informal observation will be, and when it should take place.The coach should use the form during the observation to take notes on what the teacher said and how the students responded to it.Some opportunities for growth may be included in the examples of effective moments that the coach should note.
After the observation, the coach should take a few minutes to plan questions to help the teacher reflect on his/her practice and the childrens responses, eliciting thoughts on why effective interactions are important and how they support children's healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development.The teacher and coach should meet to discuss the observation, reflection questions, and next steps.
It's a vulnerable activity to reflect on our work with someone else.It takes a positive, trusting teacher-coach relationship and lots of coach sensitivity to inspire teachers to share their honest reflections, ideas, and opinions.In order to make the most of the limited time they have with a teacher, coaches should take time to plan which notes they will share (focusing on examples of one or a few behavioral markers) and identify reflection questions.
During the post-observation conversation, teachers should be asked "Why" and "How" questions and given opportunities to plan strategies to further improve specific interactions, focusing on making these interactions longer, deeper, and more frequent.In order to promote the successful practice of new and enhanced teaching behaviors, coaches should repeat and extend the teacher's ideas and scaffold next steps.
Athletes need support in the same way that teachers do in their classrooms.The classroom is a teacher's arena, and teachers need coaches on the field with them as they practice new plays and try out new behaviors.What areas of their practice are working, and what areas might need more time to develop are some of the things that teachers deserve feedback about.Coaches need to help teachers understand why what they are practicing matters and how it impacts their students.
The Informal Observation Form was created to support coaches.Put your favorite jersey on the form and grab a pencil.You have a practice to coach.
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