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Matthew Frutchey
Professor Reilly
ECUI 521
6 September 2015
What Can Be Learned Through Observation?
In any profession, seeing how those who came before you go about your job is vital to
learning and developing as a professional. For educators who are brand new to the profession,
veteran teachers, and everyone in between, observation can serve as a tool not only to give
students an exceptional education, but also to see what is effective and what is not. The
following will be my personal opinion, as a student brand new to the field, on how observation
will not only help me now, but also how it will assist me in evolving as an educator many years
from now.
What I am interested in most in regards to observation is learning how behavior is
handled in the classroom. Of course, I will be looking for how the teacher deals with students
who act out and cause a disruption in the classroom. As of now, taking disciplinary action is
something of which I am unsure, and I will be anxious to learn how to use warnings and
punishments effectively to deal with outbursts and situations that are toxic to a learning
environment. From there, I would be interested in seeing if the situation persists, if the discipline
was effective, or if the student's bad behavior was perhaps a result of just a "bad day".
In further regards to behavior, I will also be able to learn how the teacher's behavior has
an effect on the student body. Perhaps the teacher will be having an "off day" and the class will

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suffer as a result of poor body language, a lack of patience, or even an indifference to the
students. I believe when the subject of behavior is brought up, it often carries a negative
connotation. I am also anxious to observe students who blend in and students who bring a
positive attitude to the classroom. On the middle school to high school level, I was one of the
students who tended to blend in. I understood the material yet never felt compelled to participate
more than necessary. Now that I can reflect on that and realize that perhaps it was not the best
way to take advantage of my secondary education, I want to observe and learn how teachers try
to involve those types of students. Finally, I am looking forward to seeing how the teacher will
react to students who bring an upbeat and pleasant behavior to class. I will be looking for the
impact those types of students have on their peers and how the teacher interacts with them.
Next, I will be excited to learn about the teacher's delivery and teaching style through my
observations. Most notably, the underlying style will reflect the kind of relationship the teacher
has established with his or her students. If the teacher is stern, strict, and does not tolerate much
sidetracking, how will that impact the students? On the other side of that coin, if the teacher is
open, allows free discussion, and has a bit of fun talking about personal experiences, will the
students find him or her more relatable? If the teacher I am observing is the latter, I will be
curious to see what kind of boundaries he or she draws in regards to what they talk about that is
not directly related to what is being taught or happening in the classroom.
Of course, observers in a classroom can learn what happens before the student body even
arrives. For example, after a few weeks, a teacher would likely understand the relationships the
students have with one another, how they interact, who gets along well, and who does not.
Therefore, observing how the teacher has physically placed the students, whether it is at group
tables, in rows, or at the students' discretion, will be enlightening. Another quintessential aspect

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of teaching that can be learned, to an extent, through observation is how well the teacher knows
the content of his/her lessons and his/her effectiveness to deliver it in a way which the students
understand, enjoy, and can be assessed. Questions I have already developed in my mind to look
for include: How many questions were asked? What kinds of questions were asked? Would I be
able to understand and digest the lesson at the same age of the students? What kind of assessment
does the teacher use to find out if their students fully understood the content?
Finally, from the viewpoint of a beginner in the field of education instruction, I could
learn the ins and outs of daily classroom life. This would include: how or if there is a dress code
to be followed, how the teacher manages students moving in and out of the room (lavatory,
lockers, etc.), if a daily routine exists, and what general rules the teacher has implemented.
Assuming a set amount of rules do exist, it would be interesting to observe how strictly or
leniently they are being enforced depending on the time of the school year. For example, I would
assume that during the first few weeks to maybe the first two months, teachers would try to
enforce their classroom rules by the book. If the class responds well to them, perhaps the teacher
would be more lenient with them and therefore create a more relaxed classroom environment.
The other side of this might be the rules have not been followed well by the students, and the
teacher implemented additional restrictions to create more order.
All of these examples have been from what will be my perspective of observing, a person
new to the field watching a veteran teacher educate. A few years in the future, observation might
be crucial again for the continued growth of an educator to observe someone younger in the
field. The most obvious reason, in my opinion, would be to learn how to better implement
technology in the classroom. A teacher who began teaching twenty years ago and primarily uses
a blackboard might not realize the potential that a Smartboard might have in his/her classroom

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until he/she observes a younger teacher who was trained to use it from the start. Other
technological advances that a veteran teacher might learn from watching a younger one are: new
resource databases, presentation ideas (PowerPoint, Prezi), and media accessibility (YouTube,
other streaming services). While there might be some overlap with technology, veteran teachers
may be able to pick up on how new teachers interact with their students. Whether it is via
references to popular culture to better relate to their students or new theories in instruction, both
areas have likely changed or been further developed since the older teacher began instructing.
Another instance of a veteran teacher learning new ideas from observing a younger
generation of educators might be how to better instruct students with special needs. There are
more students today with special needs, whether it be falling on the autistic spectrum, physical
handicaps, or having ELL/ESL students included in a general education classroom. Undoubtedly,
more studies have been conducted and better instruction has been developed to best suit the
needs of students with IEPs since the veteran teacher received his/her training.
Observation is a key component of learning in any professional field. Without it, we have
no examples on which to base what new people to the field should do. In the realm of education,
I feel this is especially true. Every classroom will be different, have different personalities, and
have different sets of circumstances. The more situations I can observe and learn from the better
I will feel entering the field myself. A few years later, I hope to keep evolving as an educator and
feel the need to observe a younger generation of teachers to learn new technology, theories in
practice, and ways to best assist every single student.