As Expectations of Teachers Change, Administrators Rethink Their Observation Practices
May 15, 2018
By: Nikki Schafer
Source: EdSurge
Have you ever been in a classroom when a principal walks in? Planned or random, evaluative or not, the atmosphere changes.
The entrance of an administrator can create tension where there was none, or it can relieve stress—but that depends on the relationship between the administrator and teacher as well as the culture and purpose of observations in a school. In the best case, the teacher knows that the observer is there to support and welcomes the observation, but in my experience that scenario is the exception, not the rule.
An increasing number of schools are abandoning traditional models of teaching and learning to better support the modern learner. Educators are often expected to take bold steps in support of these transitions and to make major changes to their practices that can put them outside their comfort zone.