Conducting Observations
Conducting Observations
Component A Mentoring
Observation Protocol
One of the requirements of the Massachusetts New Teacher Induction Program is a planned and systematic series of observations done by mentors of their mentees and mentees of their mentors and/or other accomplished teachers.
According to the State, school systems must provide
Release time for the mentor and beginning teacher to engage in regular classroom observations and other mentoring activities. [Standard d. 603, CMR 7.12 (2)]
The purpose of these observations is to improve the instruction, competence, and confidence in the new teacher leading to improved student achievement. Research indicates that one of the best ways to learn how to teach well is to observe someone teaching well and debrief afterwards.
To that end, mentees should plan to observe their mentors and/or other accomplished teachers at least four (4) times during the year, and mentors should observe their mentees at least four (4) times a year, trying for twice a semester. Observations can range from several walk-throughs of five minutes each to an entire day. How the time is spent observing is up to the mentor and mentee.
Here is rough chronology of the order in which observations should occur. However, you know your situation best, so plan accordingly.
September - December --- New teacher observes mentor; mentor or others arrange for new teacher to observe expert teachers; new teacher shadows another for a day (especially good for specialists like SLP, OT, PT, etc.); new teacher and mentor conduct learning walks or walk throughs together; new teacher and mentor co-teach; mentor observes new teacher.
January - June --- Mentor observes new teacher beyond the classroom (running meetings, at duties, etc.); mentor and new teacher video tape each other teaching; mentor and new teacher observe videotaped classroom episodes (Check out TeacherTube, Teaching Channel, You Tube, etc. for many such teaching episodes).
(Chronology comes from Paula Rutherford and Just ASK Inc. Publications, 2005)
Under "Program Resources," you will find a variety of observation/feedback tools developed by mentors and others. The first tool is blank and can be filled out during a pre-observation conference between mentor and mentee to determine the focus of the upcoming observation if forms already created do not meet your needs. Other tools have been created in mentor training sessions, most using parameters of teaching from RBT.
Under "Links," you will find links to research and background on observations as well as other observation/feedback tools.
We all have different situations, so not all of this information will apply to everyone. Use what is appropriate and workable for you.
Observations are in no way tied into the new teacher’s evaluation and are strictly confidential between the mentee and the mentor unless the mentee wishes to share information. (See the Mentor Program Confidentiality Policy)
Background Info for Observing
1. All those mentors working in the Component A portion of the Mentor Program are mandated by the State to observe their mentees, and all Component A mentees are mandated to observe their mentors and other accomplished teachers.
2. Research recommends that mentees begin the process by observing their mentors and others early in the year.
3. Regardless of who observes first, observations should begin as soon as possible in the fall and continue throughout the year on at least four occasions.
4. Mentors and mentees working in the Component B portion of the program are advised to observe also but are not mandated to do so.
The General Protocol for Observations
1. Pre-conference/pre-work – Regardless of what format the observation will take, mentors and mentees will need to have a pre-observation conference. In this discussion, you must determine the objectives for the observation. In other words, what will the observer be looking for? Questioning skills? Classroom set-up? Progress monitoring? Launching a new ELA unit? Following an agenda? Etc.
(See Pre-observation Sample Questions below to help at this conference.)
2. Both mentor and mentee must also determine the acceptable evidence that will demonstrate that the person observed is meeting his/her objectives.
3. Based on this info, you can adapt or devise a tool that will allow you to collect this info easily. Most of the Mentor Program observation/feedback tools are not “perfect” in the sense that you can simply copy and use them for observations: you will have to adapt based on your objectives.
Getting a Sub so You Can Observe
4. Each school has a different protocol for getting subs and therefore when you can observe. It's hard for your school to hire a sub for you to observe for an hour. So try to get creative when planning sub usage to ensure economy and efficiency.
At AHS, there are generally subs available every time block on any given day. Check with Linda Monast to see if there will be a sub available when you would like to observe.
In the middle and elementary schools, it’s not as easy. Here are some things we have done successfully in the past. Please brainstorm with your principal other ways that could work.
A. A sub is hired for the day and is split between two middle schools, working in one in the morning and the other in the afternoon to allow several observations to occur. This way several mentor/mentee pairs can observe.
B. Mentors check ahead of time to find out when a sub will be in the building and when the sub will have time during the day and plan their observations for that time.
C. Members of the ILT find out when subs will be in the building and advertise these times among mentors and new teachers.
D. Mentors arrange for new teachers to observe for an entire day, using the sub for the entire day.
E. If there are student teachers in your building, colleagues who are supervising them can sub during the time they must allow student teachers to be on their own in the classroom.
Talk with your principal to determine appropriate days and times when you can observe to make sure the sub is used the most efficient and economical way possible.
5. Check with the person in charge of getting substitutes in the system to see what date would be best system-wide as far as sub use is concerned and lock in your date with her. Explain to her that you need the sub as part of the Mentor Program. If the process gets bogged down, ask your principal to facilitate.
6. The observation --- The mentor will take notes or use an observation/feedback tool. The observation time span can cover an entire lesson period but can be less, as long as the mentor is able to observe the specific skill to be addressed.
If the mentor has questions based on the actual observation, he/she should write them down and give them to the mentee to reflect upon before the post-conference.
7. Post-conference – Set up a date for the post-conference where the mentor will share his/her collected data. The mentee should reflect upon the data and the mentor’s questions and think about next steps before this conference.
(See sample questions below for the Post-observation Conference.)
8. Through questioning, the mentor should get the mentee to discuss what did/didn’t happen in the observed class, reflect upon things that worked and things that didn’t work, and determine some next steps based on the data collected by the mentor.
Other Ideas in Setting up Observations/Information:
1. Neither mentor nor mentee has to observe an entire class. Observing the beginning, middle, or end of class can be insightful, depending upon the objectives of the observation.
2. Be sure to let your principal know what you are doing. He or she will be able to facilitate sub coverage for you.
3. Regular classroom teachers should have mentees observe other teachers who teach the same content or grade level or who have excellent instructional strategies.
4. New special needs teachers should observe their mentors running IEP meetings before they run their own. Their mentors can then observe mentees running their own meetings.
5. Guidance counselors can do the same type of thing.
6. New specialists can observe their students in their regular classrooms to get more insight into their students.
7. New elementary and middle school teachers can observe those who teach the grades before and after their students’ grade to get a larger view of where their own instruction “fits.”
8. In addition to observing within their departments, new AHS teachers might consider observing accomplished teachers in other departments.
9. All data, discussions, decisions, etc. coming from observations and their pre- and post-conferences are confidential between mentor and mentee.
Hosting Pre- and Post-Observation Conferences
Sample Questions
Hosting pre- and post-observation conferences can be difficult since we mentors as teachers are used to doing a great deal of the talking. When mentors observe their mentees, mentors need to allow mentees to reflect upon what they want to happen in the class to be observed. After the observation, mentors should present their neutral notes on what happened in the observed class without making any judgments, allowing the mentees to discover on their own what did/didn’t happen.
It is very important that mentors NOT draw mentees’ conclusions for them, instead, helping mentees develop self-awareness by asking a series of questions.
Here are some questions for mentors to ask that should help promote reflection in their mentees both before and after the observation:
A. Sample Questions for a Pre-observation Conference
1. When do you want me to observe, for example, date and time?
2. What is the purpose of this observation?
3. What is the objective(s) of the lesson that will be observed?
4. What curriculum standards will you address?
5. What has led up to/will follow this lesson?
6. What is the sequence of events within the lesson?
7. What student behaviors do you hope to hear/see?
8. What do you hope that students will be able to do, know, and understand after this lesson?
9. How will you know if you are successful in getting students to do, know, and understand (from #8)?
10. How are the teaching strategies, desired student behaviors, and desired outcomes/objectives related?
11. Do you have any particular concerns regarding any of the above?
12. What additional information would you like to share with me?
13. What kinds of data would you like me to collect during the observation?
14. In what form should I collect this data? Can we use an existing observation/feedback tool, or should we devise our own?
B. Sample Questions for a Post-observation Conference
After the lesson, the teacher reflects and the observer listens, asking clarifying questions, and shares data collected.
1. How did you feel about the lesson? What went on that contributed to your feelings?
2. What do you recall of student behaviors?
3. How did student behaviors compare to what you had hoped for?
4. What do you recall of your own behaviors and strategies during the lesson?
5. How did your strategies and behaviors compare to what was planned?
6. What conclusions can you draw from the data I collected?
7. To what extent do you feel the objective of the lesson was achieved? How do you know?
8. What might account for the outcomes achieved?
9. What have you learned from this lesson?
10. If you were to do it again, what would be the “keepers” and what would you do differently?
11. What are your next instructional steps based on our discussions and this observation?
The most important thing to come out of observations is next steps in instruction that will improve teacher performance and push student achievement.
As the conference comes to a close . . . .
The mentee and mentor reflect on the observation and conference process and how they are working together. What are they finding useful? If they did it again, what might they change or ask their partner to do differently?
From Haley; adapted by Mentoring: A Resource and Training Guide for Educators and K. Hebert, 7-08.
Component A Mentoring
Observation Protocol
One of the requirements of the Massachusetts New Teacher Induction Program is a planned and systematic series of observations done by mentors of their mentees and mentees of their mentors and/or other accomplished teachers.
According to the State, school systems must provide
Release time for the mentor and beginning teacher to engage in regular classroom observations and other mentoring activities. [Standard d. 603, CMR 7.12 (2)]
The purpose of these observations is to improve the instruction, competence, and confidence in the new teacher leading to improved student achievement. Research indicates that one of the best ways to learn how to teach well is to observe someone teaching well and debrief afterwards.
To that end, mentees should plan to observe their mentors and/or other accomplished teachers at least four (4) times during the year, and mentors should observe their mentees at least four (4) times a year, trying for twice a semester. Observations can range from several walk-throughs of five minutes each to an entire day. How the time is spent observing is up to the mentor and mentee.
Here is rough chronology of the order in which observations should occur. However, you know your situation best, so plan accordingly.
September - December --- New teacher observes mentor; mentor or others arrange for new teacher to observe expert teachers; new teacher shadows another for a day (especially good for specialists like SLP, OT, PT, etc.); new teacher and mentor conduct learning walks or walk throughs together; new teacher and mentor co-teach; mentor observes new teacher.
January - June --- Mentor observes new teacher beyond the classroom (running meetings, at duties, etc.); mentor and new teacher video tape each other teaching; mentor and new teacher observe videotaped classroom episodes (Check out TeacherTube, Teaching Channel, You Tube, etc. for many such teaching episodes).
(Chronology comes from Paula Rutherford and Just ASK Inc. Publications, 2005)
Under "Program Resources," you will find a variety of observation/feedback tools developed by mentors and others. The first tool is blank and can be filled out during a pre-observation conference between mentor and mentee to determine the focus of the upcoming observation if forms already created do not meet your needs. Other tools have been created in mentor training sessions, most using parameters of teaching from RBT.
Under "Links," you will find links to research and background on observations as well as other observation/feedback tools.
We all have different situations, so not all of this information will apply to everyone. Use what is appropriate and workable for you.
Observations are in no way tied into the new teacher’s evaluation and are strictly confidential between the mentee and the mentor unless the mentee wishes to share information. (See the Mentor Program Confidentiality Policy)
Background Info for Observing
1. All those mentors working in the Component A portion of the Mentor Program are mandated by the State to observe their mentees, and all Component A mentees are mandated to observe their mentors and other accomplished teachers.
2. Research recommends that mentees begin the process by observing their mentors and others early in the year.
3. Regardless of who observes first, observations should begin as soon as possible in the fall and continue throughout the year on at least four occasions.
4. Mentors and mentees working in the Component B portion of the program are advised to observe also but are not mandated to do so.
The General Protocol for Observations
1. Pre-conference/pre-work – Regardless of what format the observation will take, mentors and mentees will need to have a pre-observation conference. In this discussion, you must determine the objectives for the observation. In other words, what will the observer be looking for? Questioning skills? Classroom set-up? Progress monitoring? Launching a new ELA unit? Following an agenda? Etc.
(See Pre-observation Sample Questions below to help at this conference.)
2. Both mentor and mentee must also determine the acceptable evidence that will demonstrate that the person observed is meeting his/her objectives.
3. Based on this info, you can adapt or devise a tool that will allow you to collect this info easily. Most of the Mentor Program observation/feedback tools are not “perfect” in the sense that you can simply copy and use them for observations: you will have to adapt based on your objectives.
Getting a Sub so You Can Observe
4. Each school has a different protocol for getting subs and therefore when you can observe. It's hard for your school to hire a sub for you to observe for an hour. So try to get creative when planning sub usage to ensure economy and efficiency.
At AHS, there are generally subs available every time block on any given day. Check with Linda Monast to see if there will be a sub available when you would like to observe.
In the middle and elementary schools, it’s not as easy. Here are some things we have done successfully in the past. Please brainstorm with your principal other ways that could work.
A. A sub is hired for the day and is split between two middle schools, working in one in the morning and the other in the afternoon to allow several observations to occur. This way several mentor/mentee pairs can observe.
B. Mentors check ahead of time to find out when a sub will be in the building and when the sub will have time during the day and plan their observations for that time.
C. Members of the ILT find out when subs will be in the building and advertise these times among mentors and new teachers.
D. Mentors arrange for new teachers to observe for an entire day, using the sub for the entire day.
E. If there are student teachers in your building, colleagues who are supervising them can sub during the time they must allow student teachers to be on their own in the classroom.
Talk with your principal to determine appropriate days and times when you can observe to make sure the sub is used the most efficient and economical way possible.
5. Check with the person in charge of getting substitutes in the system to see what date would be best system-wide as far as sub use is concerned and lock in your date with her. Explain to her that you need the sub as part of the Mentor Program. If the process gets bogged down, ask your principal to facilitate.
6. The observation --- The mentor will take notes or use an observation/feedback tool. The observation time span can cover an entire lesson period but can be less, as long as the mentor is able to observe the specific skill to be addressed.
If the mentor has questions based on the actual observation, he/she should write them down and give them to the mentee to reflect upon before the post-conference.
7. Post-conference – Set up a date for the post-conference where the mentor will share his/her collected data. The mentee should reflect upon the data and the mentor’s questions and think about next steps before this conference.
(See sample questions below for the Post-observation Conference.)
8. Through questioning, the mentor should get the mentee to discuss what did/didn’t happen in the observed class, reflect upon things that worked and things that didn’t work, and determine some next steps based on the data collected by the mentor.
Other Ideas in Setting up Observations/Information:
1. Neither mentor nor mentee has to observe an entire class. Observing the beginning, middle, or end of class can be insightful, depending upon the objectives of the observation.
2. Be sure to let your principal know what you are doing. He or she will be able to facilitate sub coverage for you.
3. Regular classroom teachers should have mentees observe other teachers who teach the same content or grade level or who have excellent instructional strategies.
4. New special needs teachers should observe their mentors running IEP meetings before they run their own. Their mentors can then observe mentees running their own meetings.
5. Guidance counselors can do the same type of thing.
6. New specialists can observe their students in their regular classrooms to get more insight into their students.
7. New elementary and middle school teachers can observe those who teach the grades before and after their students’ grade to get a larger view of where their own instruction “fits.”
8. In addition to observing within their departments, new AHS teachers might consider observing accomplished teachers in other departments.
9. All data, discussions, decisions, etc. coming from observations and their pre- and post-conferences are confidential between mentor and mentee.
Hosting Pre- and Post-Observation Conferences
Sample Questions
Hosting pre- and post-observation conferences can be difficult since we mentors as teachers are used to doing a great deal of the talking. When mentors observe their mentees, mentors need to allow mentees to reflect upon what they want to happen in the class to be observed. After the observation, mentors should present their neutral notes on what happened in the observed class without making any judgments, allowing the mentees to discover on their own what did/didn’t happen.
It is very important that mentors NOT draw mentees’ conclusions for them, instead, helping mentees develop self-awareness by asking a series of questions.
Here are some questions for mentors to ask that should help promote reflection in their mentees both before and after the observation:
A. Sample Questions for a Pre-observation Conference
1. When do you want me to observe, for example, date and time?
2. What is the purpose of this observation?
3. What is the objective(s) of the lesson that will be observed?
4. What curriculum standards will you address?
5. What has led up to/will follow this lesson?
6. What is the sequence of events within the lesson?
7. What student behaviors do you hope to hear/see?
8. What do you hope that students will be able to do, know, and understand after this lesson?
9. How will you know if you are successful in getting students to do, know, and understand (from #8)?
10. How are the teaching strategies, desired student behaviors, and desired outcomes/objectives related?
11. Do you have any particular concerns regarding any of the above?
12. What additional information would you like to share with me?
13. What kinds of data would you like me to collect during the observation?
14. In what form should I collect this data? Can we use an existing observation/feedback tool, or should we devise our own?
B. Sample Questions for a Post-observation Conference
After the lesson, the teacher reflects and the observer listens, asking clarifying questions, and shares data collected.
1. How did you feel about the lesson? What went on that contributed to your feelings?
2. What do you recall of student behaviors?
3. How did student behaviors compare to what you had hoped for?
4. What do you recall of your own behaviors and strategies during the lesson?
5. How did your strategies and behaviors compare to what was planned?
6. What conclusions can you draw from the data I collected?
7. To what extent do you feel the objective of the lesson was achieved? How do you know?
8. What might account for the outcomes achieved?
9. What have you learned from this lesson?
10. If you were to do it again, what would be the “keepers” and what would you do differently?
11. What are your next instructional steps based on our discussions and this observation?
The most important thing to come out of observations is next steps in instruction that will improve teacher performance and push student achievement.
As the conference comes to a close . . . .
The mentee and mentor reflect on the observation and conference process and how they are working together. What are they finding useful? If they did it again, what might they change or ask their partner to do differently?
From Haley; adapted by Mentoring: A Resource and Training Guide for Educators and K. Hebert, 7-08.
