5 sure fire ways to have a stellar classroom observation

Few things in life are certain, but in the world of teaching there is one guarantee: observations. Formal classroom observations can be daunting for everyone involved. You may find yourself planning and re-planning for all the ‘what-if’ scenarios your mind can drum up with all roads leading to confusion. It doesn’t have to be this way! While you may be wondering why we need our classroom to be observed, there are sure fire ways to have a stellar classroom observation true tips for giving yourself your best chance for success.

Tip 1: Have a clean beginning and ending

Something you want to be sure you demonstrate to administration is clear concise sequences in lessons. The clean beginning and ending is a major part of that. It doesn’t hurt that these activities serve a dual purpose too! For a beginning, a set activity like a warmup or bell ringer gives students the opportunity to jump start their focus. At the same time, it gives you, the educator, time for administrative duties like collecting homework and submitting attendance.

A great way to wrap up a lesson is with exit tickets! It not only shows administration that you have a clear ending for class, but afterwards you’ll be able to assess student learning needs to make the necessary adjustments. If songs or mnemonic devices are more your speed, this is also a great option which helps students retain information.

Tip 2: Have two to three student collaborations during class

Student collaboration is a great solution for those awkward pauses during instruction. Using the think-pair-share format, students are able to share ideas and work together to understand the material better. When the time comes for sharing out, students are often more apt to speak up. Without the pressure of having to share ideas they came up with alone, they feel empowered to participate!

The sweet spot for classroom collaboration is two to three times. This way, students still get the opportunity to collaborate, but not enough to encourage too excessive chatter, you get off topic or loss of your pacing.

Tip 3: Perform a classroom temperature check at least twice during the lesson

Temperature checks just means make sure all of your students understand the material. Some teachers prefer to ask a question to the whole class then call on a specific student that knows the answer to show the class is learning. This works up to a point.

Usually, though, administration wants to know that everyone in the class is learning. What I like to do is have students use whiteboards. By posing a question to the entire class, they can somewhat anonymously answer the question by showing the answer only to you, the teacher. This really clears up any confusion about who understands the material and who needs further reinforcement. This method also assures that all students participate and be honest about where they’re at with the material.

I highly recommend this method, but a word of caution, don’t wait to use white boards for the first time on the day of your observation. Make sure this method is a part of classroom culture beforehand! You don’t want to wait until the day (or the week) of your formal classroom observation to implement this.

Tip 4: Always give students an opportunity to work independently

Quiet, independent work is helpful in seeing who is struggling and who may need remediation. A simple way to lead into independent work is by surprisingly through classroom collaboration. Allow students to work with a shoulder partner and depending on the group, they may also be able to pick their team partner. Once partners are selected, have them work with someone for a timed, five-minute period. After the five minutes is up, students should return to their seats and work individually. This is good for a few reasons.

Tip #5: Check in with Students Individually

During this time, you can circulate, talk to them, look at their work, ask clarifying questions and make sure they understand. Many students absorb information better during collaboration, but application comes during independent work, particularly with exit tickets. These quick assessments allow students to process the information and allow you to see what adjustments to make to your teaching.

Do you feel ready for the next time your administrator comes by your room? Your students are going to benefit greatly from these improvements. For more tips, follow me on social media. If you want to save some time, check out my formal observation form freebie!

If you are wondering what to expect from your principal, click here for a behind the scenes look.  Or, for more project-based learning in your class, check out these tips from Edutopia.