After participating in a Bell Educational Trust program at Homerton College, Cambridge GB (August 2011), in a workshop given by Lorraine Kennedy, we participants were confronted with the following idea about teacher observations and reflective teaching. Can we actually get feedback from a blind observation? It is important to state the most of us had never heard of that way of observing classes before.
To start with, let’s define the meaning of the term blind observation. This sort of “observation” is actually a question-guided reflective task with a peer rather than with a supervisor or mentor. Although this could actually be used by mentors or supervisors as well to help their supervisees reflect on various aspects of a lesson that has been taught, Ms. Kennedy, -our instructor-, stressed the fact that in her British teaching context, blind observations have worked much better among peers, rather than with a supervisor.
Taking into account that an observation is always a situation in which the teacher’s affective filter is very high due to “fear” or “discomfort” because of the presence of a mentor or supervisor grading his/her performance, could observations be actually guided by a peer? And does his/her peer actually need to be present during class time?
If we bear in mind that what we teachers are actually behind is teacher development, a blind observation can be the answer. We always wonder why certain things happen in class, but sometimes out of fear we do not necessarily ask others what the explanation could be. Having in mind that this is a peer-to-peer session to help us teachers reflect in the good and the bad things that happen in class, a blind observation can provide and be a source of interesting information about one’s teaching style, techniques, etc.
As reflective teachers, it is important to keep in mind that not all that happens in class can be predicted or controlled. And the learning outcomes that are written down are not necessarily met at the end of class. Here is the right moment to start reflecting on what went right or wrong, analyze the class in its various components (lesson plan, classroom management, etc.), and point out the possible causes that trigger the good and bad results. But how can my colleague help me find out what took place in class with my successful or unsuccessful teaching?
A peer can actually work with a partner to discover –through reflection- the little details that can be overseen by the teacher. Ms. Kennedy suggested that a questionnaire be prepared to guide this “heart-to-heart” talk between a teacher and his/her peer. Let’s take a look at some of the questions she provided us for a reflective task we had as part of the workshop:
BLIND OBSERVATION FEEDBACK; REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
01. What was the aim of your lesson?
02. Were you able to achieve your goals?
03. What teaching materials did you use? How effective were they?
04. What techniques did you use?
05. What grouping arrangements did you use?
06. Was your lesson teacher dominated?
07. What kind of teacher-student interaction occurred?
08. Did anything amusing or unusual occur?
09. Did you have any problems with the lesson?
10. Did you depart from your lesson plan? If so, why? Did the change make things better or worse?
11. What was the main accomplishment of the lesson?
12. Which parts to the lesson were most successful?
13. Which parts of the lesson were least successful?
14. Would you teach the lesson differently if you taught it again?
15. What 1 or 2 changes would you make if you were to teach the lesson again?
Main learning point? (What did you learn through this experience?)
Main action point? (What are you planning to do to repeat a successful experience or correct an unsuccessful learning outcome?)
It is important to remember that this questionnaire can be, and must be, modified to cater for one’s particular needs in one’s particular teaching environment. Some of the questions listed above can be modified or substituted to fit one’s teaching context. In this way, through hindsight, the teacher can mull over his/her class and develop him/herself professionally and successfully.
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