#15 What is Observation?by Leslie Crawford-Lipovski

Objectives:

Students will:

1. Recognize the difference between looking and observing while developing strategies for effective observation;
2. Engage in reflective teaching techniques through the use of a sample observation log.

Method:

Students will:

1. Read about and discuss observation and reflective teaching strategies through analyzing the attached handouts ("Observation Form" and "Questions that Reflective Teachers Ask Themselves").
2. Learn how to keep an observation log through explanation and example.
3. Work in groups of four or five to read case study of an observer and discuss.
4. Complete a sample observation log in response to case study.

Information:

1. Students will recognize the difference between looking at teaching and observing, knowing specific behaviors and practices to observe.
2. Students will have practical, applicable strategies and materials to use when observing the classroom teacher.
3. Students will learn the valuable art of observation logs and be able to use them in a way that adds to their observation experience.

Evaluation:

1. Students will be able to practice observation techniques through the use of a case study and sample observation log.
2. Students will use the attached handouts as observation guides. ("Suggestions for Observing in the Secondary Classroom")

Observation Form

Date ____________
Class Observed _______________________

How did the teacher:

1. Start the lesson?
2. Tie it to previous learning?
3. Arouse students' interest?

How did the teacher make the purpose and relevance of the lesson apparent?

1. Through direct teacher statements?
2. By eliciting reactions from students?
3. Other (Specify)?

What procedures were incorporated into the body of the lesson?

1. Lecture
2. Discussion
3. Audiovisual
4. Demonstration
5. Student Activities

What materials were used in the course of the lesson?

1. Books
2. Videos
3. Computers
4. Concrete Objects
5. Transparencies
6. Illustrations
7. Models
8. Other (specify)

What was the teacher's style of teaching (explain)?

Questions Reflective Teachers Ask Themselves

Date ____________Class Observed ____________________

1. Did the students learn anything? Why or why not?
2. Did anything significant occur? What and why?
3. Was the strategy used the most effective one? What other strategies may have been more effective?
4. How well was the lesson related to students' knowledge, experiences, and interests?
5. How could this have been done more effectively?
6. How flexible was the teacher in moderating the lesson according to student response?
7. How well was the classroom managed? What worked? What did not? Why?
8. What connections were there between teaching strategies and learning effectiveness?
9. What are some alternatives for conducting today's lesson?
10. Were the students motivated? How was this accomplished?
11. Were students given the opportunity to direct their own learning? If so, how? If not, how could this have been accomplished?

Suggestions for Observing in the Secondary Classroom

Focus on:

• praise behavior
• questioning techniques
• type of questioning (e.g. high order-critical thinking vs. low order-facts)
• discipline techniques
• types of classroom disruptions
• student-teacher interaction (primarily one-way, two-way, mix)
• techniques used to motivate student participation
• classroom setting
• teacher's movement about the classroom
• use of audiovisual aids
• time management
• teachable moments
• wait time
• teaching strategy
• multiculturalism
• mainstreamed or inclusion students
• classroom management (used here as a broader concept that also includes discipline techniques, classroom setup, established classroom procedures, ambiance of classroom, etc.)
• student interaction
• student social groups (clicks)

Note: The purpose of the observations is not to criticize your host teacher. There are dynamic forces at play, when a teacher is teaching, that you may not be aware of because of your past experiences and lack of pedagogical knowledge. For instance, a teacher makes approximately 3,000 decisions during a teaching day. The teacher may base those decisions on prior experience, pedagogical knowledge, subject matter knowledge, knowledge about their students, etc. Therefore, observing a teacher in action as well as when he or she is preparing for action may assist you in observing those forces at play. Reflecting on those actions and on what you learned in class may provide you with experiences that will gradually transform you from student to teacher.

Reflections on Presenting This Seminar

My first seminar ran smoothly despite the fact that I have not been in front of a class in over a year. The lesson was well planned and I had lots of activities ready in case the discussion did not go well. I discovered quickly that these students were active in discussions and had much to offer to the seminar content. I discovered the role of facilitator for the first time in my teaching career; high school students need a lot more direction than these students required. Their responses to the questions I posed were enthusiastic and well informed. These students seem really excited about teaching, which is a nice change from the negative banter I sometimes heard in the teacher's lounge. I found myself trying to maintain their excitement while also giving them small doses of reality. They had many questions about my experiences as a teacher and were genuinely interested in the stories I shared. Their interest was specific to my student teaching and first-year experiences.I provided them with some handouts about how to observe effectivelyy and we discussed observing versus merely looking at the teacher and class. The observers seemed comfortable with their role in the classroom and many are being allowed to teach as well as observe. I concluded the seminar with some advice about using the observation semester as a learning tool because it is rare that you are able to learn from observation as a student teacher or as a teacher. Time constraints do not usually permit this activity beyond the observation semester.

As I reflect on the seminar, I feel that it was a positive experience for both my students and myself. They left with some tangible advice and practival application about how to observe effectively. I left feeling like I had helped them, albeit in a small way, and I was encouraged by their participation and interest in the class. I proceeded to plan my next seminar with realistic expectations and high hope for success.

Literature Review - Observation

I chose observation as a focus for a seminar because often students do no more than passively watch the cooperating teacher. They are not skilled in how to critically observe another's teaching practices. There is much literature on this topic as researchers begin to recognize the importance of effective observation. An important study conducted by Denise Mewborn and Patricia Wilson (1999) sums up the field experience goal well: "There is hope that field experiences will allow students to see theory exemplified in practice and students will actually base their own practice on theories and strategies that have been discussed in their program" (p. 1). Although these researchers cannot speak for everyone, the literature supports the idea that observation will hopefully show preservice teachers examples of theories they have learned in their education courses. However, the literature also points out that at times preservice teachers are so overwhelmed by what they see that they fail to establish relationships between theory and practice. Research has found that preservice teachers tend to adopt the philosophy and habits of their cooperating teacher, making us wonder the benefit and value of the theory that is taught in the university classroom. Zeichner (1981) boldly asserts that studies on field experiences: "...provide overwhelming evidence for the position that the impact of the college is 'washed out' by the school experience" (p. 7). However, this does not mean that university professors should cease trying to make connections between theory and practice. Rather, they should include instruction on effective observation and reflection strategies.

A major part of observation is reflection, for if students do not think about and process what they hear and see in the classroom then it can be argued that they did not truly observe at all. Teacher educators should shift their focus from merely observation to reflective thinking. Reflective thinking involves practices such as journal recording of thoughts about the observation experience and seminars where students discuss their observation experiences. Mewborn and Wilson report that "by discussing what other students had seen, they were able to process what they had seen both individually and as a group" (p. 16). The seminar discussions allow students to gather different viewpoints about what they are seeing and establish commonalities and differences between theirs and others' experiences.

The research overwhelmingly supports the idea of reflection in conjunction with observation. Reflecting involves setting goals, reflecting on what you observe teachers doing on a daily basis, and observing your own development as a teacher (Goodman, 1984; Calderhead, 1989). These three elements are important to consider when sending students out to observe. Observation is not a waste of time nor should it be a time for students to begin teaching. Rather, it is a unique opportunity to learn from experts in the teaching field while having time to fully process what is being observed. A student teacher and teacher will never again have the luxury of being able to watch others at their craft and reflect on what they can incorporate and omit from their own experiences. Observation is a logical step toward student teaching where a preservice teacher will be able to implement what was observed during field experience.

Teaching observation skills in my seminar helped my students to focus on what they were supposed to be doing while in the classroom. I provided them with handouts and suggestions that helped to guide the observation process. The importance of making a record of their observations while observing was stressed to help them remember events and notice patterns in the classroom (Borich, 1999). In addition to handouts, I gave them suggestions on how to keep a journal of their observations.

The importance of observation cannot be overlooked as Jantzen (1981) astutely notes, "...Teacher socialization occurs through the internalization (largely unconscious) of teaching models during the thousands of hours prospective teachers spend as students in close contact with teachers (apprenticeship of observation)" (p.8). The process of students becoming teachers is largely out of the teacher educator's control once the students enter the field. The best that teachers of education can do is to equip students with essential skills to function in a classroom. A major part of this equipping is to instruct them how to best use the observation semester. It is not merely a hoop to jump through, but an opportunity to learn through watching and reflecting on what is seen.

References

• Borich, G. D. (1999). Observation skills for effective teaching. (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, Inc.
• Calderhead, J. (1989). Reflective teaching and teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 5, 43-51.
• Cruickshank, D. R. (1990). Research that informs teachers and teacher educators. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa.
• Goodman, J. (1984). Reflection and teacher education: A case study and theoretical analysis. Interchange, 15, (3), 9-26.
• Jantzen, J. M. (1981). Why college students choose to teach: A longitudinal study. Journal of Teacher Education, 32, (2), 45-47.


• Lanier, J. E., & Little, J. W. (1986). Research on teacher education. In Wittrock, M. C. (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching. (3rd ed.). (p. 527-569). New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Mewborn, D. S., & Wilson, P. S. (1999). Do you see what I see? Helping preservice teachers develop their powers of observation, insight, and reflection. San Francisco, CA: Paper presented at the research presession of the 77th annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
• Posner, G. J. (1996). Field experience: A guide to reflective teaching. (4th ed.). New York: Longman Publishing Company.
• Roe, B. D. & Ross, E. P. (1998). Student teaching and field experiences handbook. (4th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
• Silverman, R., Welty, W. M., & Lyon, S. (1992). Case studies for teacher problem solving. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
• (1999, June). Suggestions for observing in the secondary classroom. Available FTP. http://dpweb1. dp.utexas.edu/edapp/suggest.num
• Zeichner, K. M. (1985). The ecology of field experience: Toward an understanding of the role of field experiences in teacher development. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 18, (3), 44-51.