A word about observations. If you’re a first-timer, Marcie will set up a time with you sometime during the first week to come watch your class. She will observe for at least 30 minutes. You don’t have to stop what you’re doing when she comes in, nor do you have to acknowledge her when she leaves. (The same applies to Dale.)<\/p>\n
She will try<\/em> to get with you later to chat about what she saw. If she fails to do so, you can assume that she didn’t see any problems at all. (Conversely, do not assume, if we approach you, that we have issues with your teaching.)<\/p>\n She will be back to observe at least twice more during the summer. At least one of those observations she’ll ask you to tell her a good time to come. Other times she may just pop in. She is not<\/em> trying to “catch” you doing anything except a good job.<\/p>\n Do not worry that it looks like you’re not doing anything. As long as the students are actively engaged, participating, and producing, you’re teaching.<\/p>\n In other words, relax about the observation\/assessment thing.<\/p>\n Today’s criteria have to do with classroom management.<\/p>\n What is the class activity\/student task?<\/strong><\/p>\n An observer should be able to discern what’s going on, or at least that something is going on.<\/p>\n Who is doing the talking? the listening? the analyzing? the decision making? the problem solving? In what balance?<\/strong><\/p>\n Especially as the class progresses, we really need to see more and more student activity compared to the amount that you’re center stage. We should also see a balance among the students: there shouldn’t be a “smart kid” problem.<\/p>\n What materials\/equipment is being used and how?<\/strong><\/p>\n Let us not see worksheets, please. Hide them or something. (N.B.: handouts are not worksheets. You probably should be handing those out.)<\/p>\n Are the students engaged directly with the material, or are they having to go through you to get it?<\/p>\n If your classroom is a smart room, are you able to incorporate that effectively?<\/p>\n What posture are the students in? Where is the teacher? Is every student actively engaged?<\/strong><\/p>\n No sleeping! You also want to check for “boredom” postures. If there’s resistance to the material, figure out why. Is it the one kid, or is it all of them?<\/p>\n Are you actively monitoring student response, or are you hiding in the work?<\/p>\n How is the learning environment arranged?<\/strong><\/p>\n This is more important than you might think. Every summer, VSU’s staff moves literal mountains of furniture for us so that your classroom is set up for maximum flexibility. Make sure you use that flexibility appropriately. (Science labs are less flexible, to be sure.)<\/p>\n If you’re lecturing, students need to be facing you. If you’re having a class discussion, you all need to be in a circle so everyone can see each other. Small group work in small groups. Panel discussion: small group up front, everyone else facing them.<\/p>\n If you have a larger room and you need interactivity between the students, don’t let them spread out. Bunch them, preferably up close to you.<\/p>\n What role is the instructor taking, e.g., lecturer, demonstrator, resource person, facilitator, etc.?<\/strong><\/p>\n All of these are valid, and you should have realized by now that you will want to be open to all of them.<\/p>\n From what source is the <\/strong>information coming?<\/strong><\/p>\n
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