A practical, research-based guide for ensuring trustworthy classroom observations that provide teachers with meaningful feedback Better Feedback for Better Teaching is an essential resource for school, district, and state, leaders committed to high-quality classroom observations. This practical guide outlines the knowledge and skills classroom observers need to identify and help develop effective teaching, and explains how leaders can best facilitate the development of classroom observers.
The best way to ensure high quality instruction in every classroom is to provide teachers with accurate, constructive feedback on practices proven to enhance student learning. Skilled classroom observers help teachers do their best work, so that they can guide students to their greatest potential. Better Feedback for Better Teaching provides helpful, reliable strategies from leading experts and practitioners involved in the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project, which carried out one of the largest, most influential studies of classroom observations to date.
Among the many topics covered, Better Feedback for Better Teaching describes how to:
Build a shared vision of effective teacher feedback among observers Ensure a common understanding of a classroom observation tool Train observers to collect objective evidence from a lesson, efficiently and free of bias Leverage data to improve how observers are trained and supported
This comprehensive resource includes helpful starting points, as well as tips to refine techniques and address new challenges. Each section combines clear explanations of key ideas with concrete, adaptable examples and strategies.
Self-assessments are included to help you quickly rank current needs and find the most relevant solutions. Filled with valuable, practical tools, Better Feedback for Better Teaching helps educators cultivate high-quality classroom observations that improve teaching and learning.
| Acknowledgments |
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vii | |
| About the Authors |
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ix | |
| Introduction: Getting from Here to There |
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1 | (14) |
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I MAKING THE BIG DECISIONS |
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15 | (36) |
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1 Building Support for Better Observer Training |
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17 | (8) |
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2 Finding Enough Observers |
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25 | (10) |
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3 Deciding on Training Delivery Methods |
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35 | (10) |
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4 Setting Priorities for Observer Training |
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45 | (6) |
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51 | (62) |
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5 Understanding Pre-Scoring Video |
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53 | (6) |
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6 Planning a Pre-Scoring Process |
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59 | (16) |
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7 Getting the Right Video to Pre-Score |
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75 | (10) |
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8 Recruiting and Training Master Coders |
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85 | (16) |
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9 Ensuring the Quality of Pre-Scoring |
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101 | (12) |
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III BUILDING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR OBSERVATION |
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113 | (108) |
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115 | (12) |
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127 | (12) |
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139 | (10) |
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149 | (18) |
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14 Using Criteria for Rating |
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167 | (20) |
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187 | (24) |
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16 Organizing a Training Program |
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211 | (10) |
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IV USING DATA TO IMPROVE TRAINING AND SUPPORT OF OBSERVERS |
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221 | (64) |
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17 Collecting and Using Data from Training |
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223 | (10) |
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18 Assessing Observers to Ensure and Improve Quality |
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233 | (34) |
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19 Monitoring Your Observation System |
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267 | (18) |
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Concluding Thoughts: Getting It Right |
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285 | (2) |
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287 | (54) |
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Observer Training Checklist |
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287 | (4) |
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291 | (13) |
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Tools Referenced in This Book |
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304 | (37) |
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Tool 7-1 DCPS Video Quality Checklist |
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305 | (2) |
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Tool 8-1 RIFT Master Coding Worksheet |
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307 | (1) |
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Tool 8-2 DCPS Advice for Facilitating Reconciliation |
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308 | (3) |
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Tool 8-3 DCPS Guidelines for Score Rationales |
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311 | (3) |
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Tool 13-1 DCPS Evidence Collection Template |
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314 | (4) |
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Tool 14-1 Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) Evidence Record Rubric |
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318 | (2) |
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Tool 14-2 Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC)/(TCRP) Top Ten Principles of True Scoring |
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320 | (2) |
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Tool 14-3 RIDE Calibration Session Protocol |
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322 | (5) |
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Tool 15-1 RIDE Feedback Quality Review Tool |
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327 | (1) |
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Tool 15-2 Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) Post-Observation Assessment Checklist |
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328 | (3) |
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Tool 17-1 DCPS Feedback Rubric with Annotated Example |
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331 | (6) |
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Tool 18-1 Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Rubric for Rating Use of Evidence |
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337 | (1) |
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Tool 19-1 RIDE Teacher Survey Items on Observation |
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338 | (3) |
| Notes |
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341 | (2) |
| References |
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343 | (2) |
| Index |
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345 | |
JEFF ARCHER, a former Education Week writer, is president of Knowledge Design Partners, a communications and knowledge management consulting business with a focus on school change issues.
STEVE CANTRELL, a former teacher, is a senior program officer in the K–12 division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he codirected the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project.
STEVEN L. HOLTZMAN is a senior research data analyst in the Data Analysis and Research Technologies group at ETS.
JILLIAM N. JOE, a former research scientist at ETS, runs a research and assessment consulting business, Measure by Design.
CYNTHIA M. TOCCI, a former teacher, spent more than 20 years at ETS, where she served as an executive director in research. She now runs a consulting business, Educational Observations.
JESS WOOD is a senior policy advisor at EducationCounsel, where she works with states and districts to improve educator preparation, support, and evaluation. A former teacher, she led observer training at District of Columbia Public Schools.