Kidwatching during Modeling
As Roland Barth, author of Improving Schools from Within , has said, “ There is no more powerful way of learning and improving on the job than by observing others and having others observe us” (Barth, 2006, p. 11). Modelling a lesson in a teacher’s classroom provides the opportunity for observation. Whether only one teacher observes or you invite the whole team, observations are an experience ripe with prospects for instructional improvement. Pre-Observation: Laying the Foundation for Teacher Learning Effective observation starts with wondering. As you prepare for the lesson, ask about not just teacher needs, but also student needs. Get together before the observation lesson and elevate the questions that guided your planning. Tell the teacher(s) what you are wondering about now. Will students grasp the concepts as intended? Will they have success with the mini-steps leading up to that concept? Will they find the work interesting? ...