Best Practices observations

Observing is a key facet of Best Practices. Without our observations we would have no material, no best practices, to spread throughout the school community. Knowing the importance of observing, we put a lot of time and energy into developing a protocol that would be useful, efficient and effective.

As a group, we created a tool that we call the Best Practices Report (BPR). We chose to use several open response questions on a few subjects (like Atmosphere, Teaching for Understanding, etc.) We have continued to fine-tune our BPR in the hope that all aspects of the classroom can be described using our observation tool.

When we explain our BPR to teachers, many have questions regarding the specifics. So here's a breakdown of how a student observation usually goes:

  • A BP member checks their schedule for available blocks. See Block Schedule page for what an LHS schedule looks like.
  • Then, s/he sees which teachers who have already volunteered (we don't observe teachers who don't want to be observed) teach during those free blocks. Matching their block with the teacher's the student chooses a class to visit.
  • The student emails the teacher ahead of time to check that a given day would be a good day to observe (Not a test day, for example) and asks some preliminary questions (Such as, "What level is this class?" "Is there anything in particular you'd like me know about this class?" "What's your plan for the class?" etc.)
  • On the chosen day, the student shows up at the class, takes a seat in the back and observes. The student fills out as much of the BPR as possible, knowing that some questions might not apply to a given class.
  • After class, the student writes up an assessment, summarizing the best practices seen in the class.
  • The student and teacher meet together to discuss the good things that the student has observed. This is also an opportunity for the student to ask any questions about the methods of the teacher, or for the teacher to ask the opinion of the student on a specific teaching practice. These meetings run between 10-45 minutes long.

    • The student submits the BPR with the assessment to Best Practices to be archived and used in later presentations. In the near future, we plan on having all BPR's accessible on this website.


    Sample observation 1

    Class:
    Freshman English Heterogeneous

    Date Observed:
    2/9/06

    How are students coming up with new ideas?
    Explains unusual subject.

    How are students showing they understand?
    Sharing their homework, asking detailed questions (using examples from homework).

    What kind of questions are they asking?
    Mostly close-ended: "Is crying an adjective?" "What are words like 'then or at'?" "Would 'bones' be..." "Can a preposition be an indirect object?" "Can you have a DO after an infinitive?"

    What kind of questions is the teacher asking?
    Mostly close-ended (about grammar). "Any questions? Going to breeze right through, stop me if you haven't gotten anything" "Do you guys have a question? [used to quiet chatter]" "What was that annoying rule I mentioned yesterday?" "That's what I call them, but what are they really called?" "What else?" "What are you tempted to pick on?" "So what do you think..."

    How are students showing their involvement (paying attention, participation)?
    Writing on board, listening to peers share homework, changing their own answers, doing quiz, marking up graded papers.

    How does the teacher make sure students are staying engaged?
    Watching them when responding. If chattering, teacher asks, "Do you have a question?"

    Describe the flow of the conversation: (are students' comments related to each other?)
    Student reads homework→teacher responds→student might have questions→teacher responds

    How does the teacher encourage students to develop their own ideas (including constructive criticism)? If they got something wrong→gives time to answer→gave wait time after asking a harder question→gives time for students to correct their essays before it goes in writing folder. Not graded, but required.

    How does the teacher find out whether students are understanding "it" or not?
    "We did back row yesterday, right? Ok so this row now..." [makes sure to get all students]. While other kids write on board, she goes around checking to see if homework was done. If chatter, she asks, "Do you have any questions?"

    How does the teacher incorporate student comments into the flow of the discussion?
    Student asked question at beginning of class→checks to see if, in the middle of class, she was answering it→adds to an answer the student gave, questions students further if they're missing something→stops her sentence to call on students with questions. "I think you're also getting to..." [brings another point into discussion].

    How does the teacher show awareness of students' daily life? "It's cold today! We got spoiled with the weather..." "Do you have a pass?" Does attendance while kids are writing on board. "I don't want to make you catch the late bus, so..."

    How is the teacher demonstrating respect towards the students?
    Explains agenda. "If you want extra practices..." "If you get lower than a B, schedule an appoint because this is a building block...like math." "How was it, did you all ace it?" After saying she'd collect a sheet she passed on, realized it might be useful for students to have and said, "Actually, if you want to keep those..." Explained what would be on the homework during class.

    Is the teacher supportion the dicussion (posing questions, connecting comments, listening to students)?
    Teacher leads review: goes over student problems, responds to questions.

    Overall assessment:
    There were two practices that really stood out during this English class. One was a strategy for hearing many kids participate and checking up on the class at the same time. The other was a more long-term practice, one that was an excellent way to get students to work on their writing. At the beginning of class, the front row of students went up to the board to each write one grammar problem. While they were doing so, Ms. X went around the rest of the class, checking to see if they had done their homework. She wasn't writing anything down while checking it, so there wasn't a pressure of grading, but she was able to see who had done the homework. Since the homework led right into what was going to be on the quiz, it was a good way of checking in with the class.

    The second best practice was more about content. Ms. X had the students look at an example of a good body paragraph before they got their own graded essays back. They had plenty of time to read it, and then the class went over together why it was a strong piece of writing. Even more significant was what happened afterwards. The students received their graded essays and were given 10 minutes to sit quietly and go through the essay and Ms. X's comments on their essay and edit their own papers. This technique forced all the students in the class to take a fresh look at their own writing and attempt firsthand to create an "ideal" piece of writing based on what they had talked about in class. It was a great way to help students improve their writing and to use class time effectively.


    Sample observation 2

    Class:
    Honors Advanced Math

    Date Observed:
    Tue, 2005-12-06 21:00

    How are students coming up with new ideas?
    Each needed new ideas to solve task.

    How are students showing they understand?
    Working on problems, answering questions and clarifying/probing questions. Makes mistake, but fixes it. Group answers together.

    How are they asking related questions?
    "What units?" Mr. X explains how there are no units (i.e. it's a ratio).

    At what levels are they showing understanding? Basic 1 2 3 4 5 advanced...:
    1 Basic

    What kinds of questions are they asking?
    Mostly close-ended. Which of these? Any questions on that reasoning? Any boundaries on...So, prove it! Gives short period of time after questions.

    How are students showing their involvement (paying attention, participation)?
    Most getting to work on task, sitting in pairs, but pretty quiet after a few minutes. Raising hands/answering questions. Looking at board, a few are taking notes, even in back of room. "All answer together" Silence, but raise hands, or they don't understand [and use silence to show it].

    Describe the flow of the conversation: (are student's comments related to each other?)
    Teacher asks a question→student answers→teacher responds→teacher lectures a bit→telling of info: 1) check in questions, 2) problem→more info from teacher.

    How does the teacher incorporate student comments into the flow of the discussion?
    Has students start off with task on board. Expected to begin work immediately. Asks for answers and uses board, constantly looking at students. Asks close-ended questions for quick info. Waits for new/more hands. "Write these down in your notes" NOTES ARE NEAT AND EASY TO FOLLOW. Shows connections.

    Is the teacher supporting the discussion (posing questions, connecting comments, listening to students)?
    As students work in small groups (pairs), he walks around, constantly asking questions and making constructive comments. Asks for info from geometry class. "How about if you all answer together" "Any questions? No, the we'll work on problems to see if you understand."

    How does the teacher encourage students to develop their own ideas (including constructive criticism?
    Task requires student ideas, it makes them prove something he told them was true, then prove a related fact. They must call upon last year's knowledge/cumulative. "You try it and then we'll check it."

    How is the teacher demonstrating respect towards the students (in terms of the atmosphere)?
    Homework is on board, clearly marked. So is the AGENDA. Congratulates students on how well they did on the Task. "[Being] not sure is fine" "The only thing you need to know coming in are the definitions" [i.e. what we did today, this is why it's instrumental to the rest of the subject, and your education]. Allows silent time [no student or teacher talking, students working on problem on board]. Explains why he's going over something he just said they didn't need to do in his class. Leaves time to explain homework. Thanks class for involvement, "Have a nice day, see you tomorrow."


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