IPN-UPIICSA

CELEX Cooperative Development Procedure on observations

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Procedure

1. The teacher has a copy of and is aware of the teaching skills and standards. There will be a discussion with
the line manager and some self-assessment against the skills may have already taken place. The teacher also
has a copy of the lesson-plan template and drafts a lesson plan.

2. The observer and teacher meet to discuss the lesson. The observer will act in an appropriate way (non-
directive, collaborative, alternatives, directive) according to the teachers wants and needs during the
discussion. Changes to the plan may or may not be made after this discussion.

3. Before the lesson, the teacher provides a copy of the final lesson plan to the observer. During the
observation, the observer writes a description of what happens in the lesson as objectively as possible
(referring also to the lesson plan).

4. After the lesson, the observer writes up observation notes and poses questions about the lesson using the
observation template designed for this project.

5. The teacher responds to the questions posed by the observer and adds any other comments or thoughts of
their own to the document.

6. The observer and teacher meet to discuss the lesson using structured feedback as appropriate.

7. The teacher writes up a summary of his/her reflections on the lesson and her thoughts after the post-lesson
discussion. He/She identifies action points as a result of the process. He/She passes the document back to the
observer.

8. The observer writes a final comment about the process (focussing on the teachers ability to self-evaluate and
identify appropriate action points) and teacher and observer sign off the document.

9. Further action may take place as appropriate, e.g. drawing up a learning plan, planning a further observation,
implementing a performance improvement plan, writing a reference.

Food for thought on good lessons1

When busy and tired, we often regard the variables of our classes (such as the type of class, the prescribed syllabus, the
schedule, the number of students) as constraints blocking the achievement of a good lesson or course. If only, we think. If
only my class were smaller or I had more resources or I had more time to plan. Then I could teach really well.

We can look at the variables of the classroom differently though, regarding them instead as part of the description of our
situation. I have a largish class, we can think, with no many resources. So some things are not possible and other things are
possible. Ill have to create what I can with my given situation. This is my setting and my design problem and this is how Im
going to set about solving it. Im going to do the best I can and THAT is what Im going to call good!

We need to have robust, personal criteria for what we consider good work. But we need to ponder our own definitions of
good to make sure theyre realistic and set us up for success. This is the main reason for us to be here working together with
you in a cooperative development mode towards a common goal, thus serving both ends enabling our students to continual
improvement of their linguistic competence appropriately and raising professional awareness of a never-ending learning
process when teaching. We sincerely envisage this being a unique commonly shared opportunity to Continuing Professional
Development.

1 Adapted from Woorward, T. (2001:1, 2) Planning Lessons and Courses. CUP