HOW TO IMPROVE A LANGUAGE SCHOOL: #4 DITCH SCHEDULED OBSERVATIONS FOR DROP-IN OBSERVATIONS

There is one huge problem with scheduled observations which is quite simply that many teachers will put on a show. Observations often stress out teachers and so when they know they are due for one, they will go above and beyond in planning a lesson. This creates a huge problem because observers can never really know what they are witnessing. Is this class really representative of what a teacher can do or is it just a sham?

Instead of scheduled observations, a language school should only use drop-in observations. This makes observativion practice more valid because teachers will have no idea they are going to be observed. The observer can be sure that this is a valid representation of what any teacher’s normal lessons might be like and also a true picture of where the teachers is at in their practice.

Over the years, I have witnessed some truly awful teaching and heard about teaching that sounds even worse. These teachers were all presumably observed at some point and somehow managed to get through their observations. The only possible way such teachers could do it would be to meticulously plan a better lesson for an observation that would, if not perhaps impress an observer at least not cause them to have serious concerns.

In contrast, if such teachers were observed on an ad hoc basis there would have been more chance the school would know about their teaching level and then at least be in a position to do something about it.

The fact that most schools don’t do ad hoc observations makes you question what the point of observations really is. I sometimes wonder if it’s not really about staff improvement and more like a kind of box-ticking exercise to get through British Council inspection.