Audience: Peer Observers, Deans, Vice Presidents for Instruction
Fall 2013
•Peer Observer Training
Background Protocol created by District Administration and Seattle AFT
See: 2007-10 Agreement (Article 6.7)
Based on Peer Observation for Teaching Assessment created by faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/Faculty/docs/peerob.pdf
Purpose of POP Protocol:
Develop mutual understanding of the observation process
Guide conversations between the teacher and observer
Practice objective observation and open discussion of teaching and learning
Provide opportunity for both teacher and observer to learn from the experience
Protect privacy of information between teacher and observer
Peer observation is not evaluation!
Brief outline of processPhase 0: Peer observer and Teacher
exchange information
Phase 1: Teacher identifies goals for observation
Phase 2: Dialog about goals
Phase 3: Observation
Phase 4: Dialog about what happened during the observation
Phase O – Initiating ObservationsObservations are suggested by some deans at
campuses and within some divisions – however, at other campuses the deans are not involved in this process. Please follow the protocol used in your division by your dean.
Observer contacts assigned teacher and negotiates time
Observer gives POP document to teacherObserver asks teacher to fill out Phase 1
documentEstablish a spirit of confidentiality and trust -
this is important!
What is objective observation?Practice observationDescribe what actually happens in this video clip
– 1. What do you see?2. What to you hear?
– PRACTICE VIDEO –
Debrief with participants reporting out what they saw
Make sure observations are objective statements (not inferences or interpretations
Phase 1 – Establishing GoalsTeacher completes Phase 1 form (page 5).
This document communicates to the observer:
Goals of the class as a wholeLearning Objectives for the sessionTeaching strategies for the learning
objectivesWhat the teacher wants to have observed
Phase 2 -First Dialog Teacher & observer come to agreement
about how the observation will take placeObserver listens to teacher’s goals for the
session and what is to be observedProtocol document (p. 6) provides
suggestions about what could be observed but you are not limited to this list
Phase 3 – ObservationPOP Protocol includes several options for
observationPage 7 provides prompts to describe the
session and what kind of interactions happen between teacher and students
Page 8 focuses on the nature of questions asked by teacher and students
Teacher may elect to focus on one or the other type of observation – OR –
Teacher and observer may agree to use a different method altogether
What is observable?Physical Reality – objective report of
what actually happensSocially constructed meaning – can be
developed by consensus between teacher and observer in final meeting
Personal reality – avoid subjective opinion and interpretation
Practice ObservingWrite down what you see using the
observation sheet (p. 7) using either of the two methods
PRACTICEDebrief
Phase 4 - DialogWhat actually happened during the observation?Observer shares notes (not interpreting, not
evaluating)Teacher is invited to reflect on what the
observations meanTeacher derives meaning from evidence through
dialogConversation is confidential between observer &
teacherBoth observer and teacher sign page 9 Observer hands all notes to teacher
Follow upThe page 9 signature sheet goes to the
deanThe observer keeps a copy of the page 9
signaturesObserver gives all notes to the teacherOnly the teacher may communicate
contents from the observation to others
2nd Hour – Welcome Experienced POsIntroductionsLarge group dialog:What has worked well for you?What challenges have you experienced?Other things to consider?
What are Peer Observer Leads?They are your resource for questions &
concerns, they:Provide trainingField questions from observers & deansCommunicate with deans about the
process of Matching observers with teachersRecruiting Peer Observers for the following
yearPaying stipends to observers
Who Are Your POL’s for 2013-2014North: Toni Anderson
Phone: 206.934.4520 [email protected]
South: Ryan DormanPhone: [email protected]
Central: Barbara JarrettPhone: [email protected]
You can also contact Carey Schroyer (district faculty coordinator if you have questions.Phone: [email protected]