Understanding what went well and what didn’t in a lesson is mission critical to school improvement. It helps teachers develop their teaching which in turn improves children’s outcomes.
Lesson observations are meant to be the tool to enable this process – to help teachers improve their practice. But instead, observations too often add to the pressure many teachers already feel. Even experienced teachers’ nerves ratchet up when their turn under the microscope arrives.
As my own experience attests, carrying out a lesson observation can be stressful for senior leaders too. I carried out many when I was a senior leader. Over the years I have learnt that if we want to use lesson observations as a training opportunity then there is room for improvement. So, where do lesson observations go wrong?
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday
Already have an account? Sign in here