To improve, teachers need the chance to see good teaching. Recent research by Teach First suggested that observing skilled practice helps trainees become effective quickly (alongside several more important forms of support). Once the foundationsare laid however, the report suggested that, for a teacher to pursue excellence, the opportunity to examine great lessons is critical. This should be no surprise: it is analogous to the importance of showing students what great work looks like. But it does pose two major problems:
Problem 1: who?
There are many reasons why a teacher may not be able to see excellent teaching, for example:
- They may be the sole subject specialist in a school;
- They may be focusing on an aspect of their teaching (questioning, for example) or a phase (A Level) in which no colleague specialises;
- They may find that other schools, or indeed colleagues, aren’t receptive to visits.
Problem 2: when?
Even if a colleague in the next classroom is…
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The Echo Chamber 