Making observation optional

As we approach the end of another academic year, we are thinking again about ways to strengthen our culture and practice for professional learning at school. With this in mind, I’d be grateful for any views on the below, or to hear from any other schools who already do this or something similar.

We’ve worked hard to make lesson observation a positive experience over the last few years. Taking grading away felt risky at the time, but turned out to be an absolute nailed-on no-brainer. Thinking carefully about how to run lesson feedback, with a view to rooting the conversation in clarity and humility has helped us to make the process more collaborative and impactful.  Explicitly dissociating lesson observation from appraisal or quality assurance has encouraged a healthier focus on development, and reduced stress.

This year, we’ve experimented by retaining the same observer for each of the three observations we have over the year. We’ve organised observations in three loose cycles (one in Term 1 / 2, one in Term 3 / 4, one in Term 5 /6), and teachers have been encouraged to talk to their observer and arrange which class they’d find it most helpful to be seen with. We feel that this approach has helped to provide greater continuity between observations; the observer knows what the teacher is working on, gets to know the teacher better over time, and the quality of relationships and trust is enhanced.

Despite all this, it still doesn’t feel quite right. Too much about lesson observation is inextricably entangled with notions of quality assurance, monitoring, teacher evaluation and Ofsted - the ghost of ‘Requires Improvement’ haunts the process, injecting anxiety and eroding value. It’s in the language we use, the way we think, the forms we use - it’s tainted, and that’s a shame. So here’s the plan.

• Aside from NQTs or teachers new to the school in their first year, all observations become optional and available on request
• Teachers fill in an online form requesting an observation as and when they feel that it would be helpful
• The form allows them to make bespoke requests, eg to ask for a subject specialist, or an observer with particular expertise in, for example, behaviour management, modelling, explanation etc
• When observations are requested, we make sure that the quality of the process is as high as we can get it, in terms of the quality of guidance, interaction, resourcing and follow up
• We promote and celebrate the advantages of observation through espousing the value of collaboration, of gaining the perspectives of colleagues, of being open and transparent about our work, and of getting help when we need it

Advantages

• Teachers will have access to a genuinely personalised professional learning service. One of the biggest challenges inherent to organising professional learning in a school is that teachers want to learn different things, at different times, in different ways. Often, we offer or structure learning at a time when the teacher just isn’t ready or positioned for it - real teacher learning happens in fits and starts, in bursts of activity followed by periods of just getting on with the job. We need an approach which caters for this reality, and provides input when it is most helpful - when, for example, the teacher is trying something new, or dissatisfied with the way a particular class is going.
• It will be different enough from prior models of evaluation-focused observation to feel different - the ghost of RI will be exorcised. Ownership lies entirely with the teacher.

Potential Risks

• I suppose the obvious one here is what would happen if lots of people chose not to be observed - wouldn’t this represent a diminution of the quality of debate and discussion around learning - Tim Brighouse’s ‘teachers talking about teaching’? And that’s an interesting question. My own view - and I’d be interested in what others think on this - is that most teachers will continue to choose to be observed. I think if we were all empowered to lead the process - to access help when we need it - the majority of teachers will agree that asking their colleagues for a view on a lesson is a useful thing to do. If, however,  individuals choose not to be observed as one of their methods of professional learning, then that will be OK - we are all grown ups after all. The important thing though, is that all of us are doing something over the year to move our practice on. It’s reasonable in a school - I think - to have a base expectation that, whilst recognising the challenges and difficulties of learning at the same time as doing a busy and sometimes frenetic job, all teachers should be prepared to invest in their own development, and should be supported in doing so. This is the aim of observation - it’s a tool, not an end in itself, and that end can be reached by other means. This then raises the question of ‘if observation, for whatever reason, is absolutely not for you, then what else can you do to move things on?’. There’s potential here for alternatives such as researching new approaches and trying them out, discussion with colleagues about resources and approaches, going to observe others, visiting other schools - it will need a bit of structure, but will also recognise that, if professional learning is the thing, there are other ways to approach this than observation.
• What about teachers who may be really struggling - would they not be likely to not be observed and therefore low quality teaching is sustained over time? This is another interesting point, but in reality, lesson observation is pretty hopeless as a way to spot chronic underperformance - it’s infrequent, often an untypical lesson, and we all know that students behave differently when other adults (particularly senior staff) are in the room. It would be important I suppose to retain the school’s right to observe a teacher if they thought that there was a need to do so - if concerns were raised through other streams of information such as results, drop-ins to lessons, multiple and credible complaints from students or parents etc - but this would be very much the exception, and it’s damaging to arrange our systems and procedures around exceptions and worst case scenarios.

So - what do you think? At root, we are committed to the idea of making the quality of observation one of the best things about working our our school. We’ve got better, but aren’t there yet - if we take this step, will it be in the right direction?