Observations

We all love being observed as we teach...right?  ha! We might like getting the positive comments back about our teaching but do we really like to hear about the things we are bad at?  Do we really want to hear about what we need to improve on?  I've been through the student teaching observations and a few job interview teaching observations so I thought I was done being observed.  I was wrong.

Today my principal is coming by to observe one of my science classes.  To be honest, I'm not too nervous because I'm just going to continue with my plan and teach as I normally would, but there is one part of me that worries.  I did not get a degree in science.  In fact, the science classes I took at CU were among my worst grades in college.  Earth science, Anatomy, Biology, you get the idea.  I hated those classes and look what I'm doing now...teaching about those things.  Funny the way God works.  :)  I plan to teach from a power point today to continue on with my weeks lessons.  I thought about switching my days around this week so the principal could see me doing a lab with the students, but I think its best that he sees me in my true teaching environment.  I do look forward to a few positive comments and I will actually be happy to hear a few words of critique so I can continue to improve as a teacher outside of my field.  Its good to be observed because it can break us of our lazy habits.  For example, I don't really like to move around the room as I teach.  I like to stay at the front of the room and interact with the students in that way.  Your observer will be all over you if you do that.  They want to see that you move around preventing problems from happening and keeping all students on track and focused.  This is something I will change today as I am observed.  If I am constantly evaluating myself, then I would have fixed this problem on my own.  I would have recognized my lazy teaching patterns and I would have fixed it before my observation day. 

Luckily I will only be observed twice a year by my principal.  We had to fill out a self evaluation form at the beginning of the year and the principal will go over that form with us after we are observed the first time.  We will fill the form out again at the end of the year and see if we have grown as a teacher.

I actually get informally observed at least 3 times a week by the principal, headmaster, and athletic director in my PE class.  They have meetings together in the gym as my first period 8th grade PE class is going on so they get to see what I'm doing and hear what I am teaching my students.  Pretty awesome isn't it?  haha  It definitely keeps me on my toes as I'm teaching that's for sure.

The point of this blog is to encourage you to take your observations seriously.  Use them to improve and use them to practice for your real job where you will continue to be observed every now and again.  Be able to evaluate yourself.  Think critically about your teaching style and your teaching methods.  If you can critique yourself every now and again you will push yourself to be a better teacher.