| Woo-hee! This is a scary concept - having a colleague | | | | 5. Define, as specifically as possibly, what you want |
| come in to your classroom to observe your teaching | | | | the other person to 'look for.' If no direction is |
| (and then to give you feedback). I know it's | | | | provided, then the feedback you may receive could |
| intimidating (for a lot of reasons), but I'm going to | | | | end up being less than helpful. In addition, the other |
| write about it anyway and encourage you to access | | | | person may feel like a ship adrift when walking into |
| this as a feedback method. Here are some ideas to | | | | your classroom and in fact, feel less confident that if |
| keep in mind when you considering inviting someone | | | | the direction had been provided. |
| to observe you as you teach. | | | | 6. Discuss the ways that the observer could make |
| First, think about who you might ask. You could invite | | | | notes, depending on his/her style as well as whether |
| - An experienced instructor in your own department | | | | or not you have a particular form you want used. In |
| - whom you know well. | | | | many cases, I felt most comfortable using a laptop |
| - An experienced instructor in your own department | | | | where I could script nearly everything that was said, |
| - whom you don't know well, other than by | | | | much faster than I could have hand written it (plus, |
| reputation. | | | | with a laptop, at least someone could read it later!!) |
| - An experienced instructor in another department - | | | | 7. Set up a time when the two of you can debrief. |
| whom you know well. | | | | Note: The debrief is better sooner rather than later in |
| - An experienced instructor in another department - | | | | terms of making sure that memories are still intact |
| whom you don't know well, other than by reputation. | | | | about what happened in the classroom interactions. |
| - Someone who has been assigned as a peer mentor. | | | | Note that there is significant risk in this process |
| - Someone who has been assigned as an | | | | unless you are absolutely comfortable with the |
| experienced faculty mentor. | | | | person observing your teaching and that person, |
| - Someone from your institution's faculty teaching | | | | likewise, is comfortable playing this role. If the person |
| learning center (or one of their specially-trained | | | | you chose declines - for perfectly understandable |
| faculty consultants). | | | | reasons - resist applying pressure of any kind. The |
| - A graduate student from your department (or an | | | | simple fact that you invited him or her to participate |
| undergraduate student from your department (or | | | | in the process might plant a seed that will bear fruit |
| another one). | | | | at some later time. Note too that an informal |
| There are many ways to set up the observation, but | | | | assessment may be especially useful when there is a |
| here are a few guidelines: | | | | formal process in place that you must satisfy later - |
| | | | your colleague's observation can serve as a trial run. |
| 1. Ask the person if s/he would be willing to observe | | | | Therefore arrange it far enough advance so that you |
| your teaching and provide you with feedback. If the | | | | have time to make changes based upon its feedback. |
| answer is yes, proceed. If no, thank the person and | | | | Having a colleague observe your classroom and give |
| assure that there are "no worries." | | | | you feedback is invaluable - regardless of whether |
| 2. Determine a time that is mutually convenient for | | | | you are an outstanding teacher or someone who is |
| the two of you. | | | | struggling a bit. I won essentially every award |
| 3. Discuss the expectation of confidentiality - both for | | | | available at my institution and had observers |
| your students' sakes as well as yours. | | | | constantly - and it helped me. AND, sometimes, I |
| 4. Provide whatever background information the | | | | asked observers to attend my class because I was |
| other person might need about your teaching, the | | | | struggling with an entire class or a whole group. It |
| particular lesson you're teaching, the students in the | | | | was always scary - and always helpful, too. Don't |
| class, and any other pertinent context. | | | | miss this chance for growth. |