Fostering a Culture of Peer Observation and Support

2. Peer observation for coaching and mentoring: How do we give feedback and support? How can we create a culture of peer to peer coaching at Oakham? By Dr Julie Summers (Senior Lead Practitioner)

3. When was the last time you were observed? • Have you ever been observed when a lesson when completely ‘wrong’? • How does being observed make you feel? • Does WHO is observing you make a difference to this?

4. To what extent do you agree with these statements? • Observations are all about rating a teacher’s performance, not about improving practice. • I’m much more comfortable being watched when I don’t know anyone is coming. • I’d rather be observed by someone I don’t know. • I always learn something from watching a lesson, even if the pupils don’t! • Observations are never natural, even if they are informal. • Being observed makes me up my game and I always value the feedback I get.

5. Peer observation has been shown to be an effective way of helping teachers to improve their practise and have a positive impact on pupils learning. Observation is one element of peer coaching. • Peer coaching is a confidential process through which two or more professional colleagues work together to reflect on current practices; expand, refine, and build new skills; share ideas; teach one another; conduct classroom research; or solve problems in the workplace. • Top things you can learn from watching someone else teach • Top benefits of being observed. • What are people most ‘afraid’ of? • How can we foster a culture of non-evaluative peer support in school?

6. Why does observation make many people nervous? • When they feel judged • When it is used for performance management rather than professional development • When it isn’t done often, it feels like a bigger deal • When it’s only ever carried out by SLT or equivalent (sense of hierarchy) • When observation feedback is critical but unconstructive • When observation feedback is bland, unspecific or dishonest

7. The main benefits of observing each other regularly… • Peer coaching has nothing to do with evaluation! • Equal status • It’s like holding a mirror up for a colleague so they can see themselves in it more clearly. • Peer coaches have one another’s best interests at heart, enabling them to be brutally honest. • Low stakes – both have something to gain, but no hierarchy involved so nothing to lose. • Encourages collaboration • Encourages reflection and the sharing of best practice • Peer advice can help resolve small issues with CR management, instructions, feedback etc • We should practice what we preach and lead by example – we want our pupils to learn from each other, talk about their learning and to reflect upon how they could improve!

8. When doesn’t it work? • When colleagues don’t rate or respect each other • When it’s not approached in the right spirit. Nothing should be intended or interpreted as critical rather, it should be mutually constructive. • When egos interfere it breaks down. • When there is no specific focus – feedback should be given on the areas set by the teacher being observed.

9. So…. How can we foster a culture of peer observation and support? • Learning walks, not just by SLT! • Open door teaching when appropriate • Casual conversation about T and L • Joint planning/reflection on new schemes of work • Lesson Study • Establishing the practice of having a critical friend

10. How do you get the most out of being observed? • Set a focus for the observer. A particular pupil, aspect of your teaching (e.g. instructions, praise..), new activity… • Set the context. Explain beforehand what you hope to try out/achieve and where the lesson fits in with a particular topic or skill you are teaching. • Set aside a time to have a proper conversation about the lesson • Make it mutual – observe each other • Lesson Study – be involved in each other’s planning and delivery towards a common target.

11. How to be a good observer! • Agree on a time and place for feedback and what form it will take (e.g. written on school observation form or informal chat?) • Ask the teacher what they want your involvement to be • Make notes of what happens, what is said so feedback can be very specific • Only feedback on the areas agreed upon beforehand • Be honest, be constructive • Say ‘I noticed that…’ so all feedback is based on observed fact. • Note down any questions you have during the lesson

12. Further reading around Observation: • Lesson Observation Feedback Book: An essential resource for any teacher interested in getting better (High Impact Teaching) by PeppsMccrea (2015) • Classroom Observation by Matt O’Leary (2013) • Reclaiming Lesson Observation by Matt O’Leary (2016) • The Transparent Teacher: Taking Charge of Your Instruction with Peer-Collected Classroom Data (2013) • Peer Observation: Improving Teaching and Learning Through Collaboration by John Blanchard (2012) • Lesson Observation Pocketbook by Roy Watson-Davis (2009) • https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Gosling/publication/267687499_Models_of_Peer_Observation_of_Teaching/links/545b64810cf249070a7955d3.pdf • https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19415257.2012.693119

13. In the school library…. Cohen, Louis, Lawrence Manion, and Keith Morrison. Research Methods in Education. 7th ed. London: Routledge, 2011 Knight, Oliver, and David Benson. Creating Outstanding Classrooms : A Whole-School Approach. London: Routledge, 2013. Macintyre, Christine. The Art of Action Research in the Classroom. London: David Fulton, 2000 Swann, Joanna, and John Pratt. Educational Research in Practice : Making Sense of Methodology. London: Continuum, 2003. Taber, Keith. Classroom-Based Research and Evidence-Based Practice : An Introduction. Second edition. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2013 These two also have short sections, but are lighter reads: Bentley-Davies, Caroline. How to Be an Amazing Teacher. Carmarthen: Crown House Publishing, 2010. Tolhurst, Judith. The Essential Guide to Coaching and Mentoring.The Essential Guides. 2nd Revised edition Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, 2010.