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Learning From Watching Other Teachers (Workshop)

Some of the best professional learning available to a new teacher is free and just down the hall: watching experienced colleagues teach. Proactively observing other teachers, with a focus and a purpose, accelerates your growth faster than almost anything else.

Key takeaway

Watching experienced colleagues teach is some of the best, free professional learning available to a new teacher; observing proactively, with a focus and purpose, accelerates growth faster than almost anything.

Format
Induction session
Length
45 minutes
Group size
Any (works 1-30)
Who can run it
A mentor or induction lead
You will need
Slides (5)Printed handoutA growth area in mindA timer
Aligned to
Learning Forward: Conditions for SuccessInTASC 9: Professional LearningResearch on peer observation
Share / assign

Why it works

New teachers can accelerate their development dramatically by observing experienced colleagues, yet many never do, out of time pressure, not knowing it is allowed, or not knowing how. Watching strong teaching, especially with a specific focus (how a teacher runs transitions, questions students, manages behavior), reveals concrete, transferable practice that is hard to learn any other way. New teachers get the most by being proactive about arranging observations, observing with a clear focus and purpose (not just watching), noting specific moves to try, and reflecting and adapting what they see to their own context. It is high-value, low-cost professional learning.

The research: Research on peer observation and teacher learning.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

    The core activity: observe with focus and purpose

    New teachers leave with a focused observation planned.

    Free professional learning down the hallWatching strong teaching with a clear focus reveals transferable practice fast. Be proactive, observe with purpose, and adapt what you see to your context.

    Facilitator notes

    Not observing colleagues wastes a top source of learningNew teachers who never watch strong teaching miss one of the fastest ways to grow. Observe proactively, with a clear focus, and adapt what you see.

    Adapt it

    Participant handout

    One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

    K12 Academics · Professional Learning

    Learning From Other Teachers: observe with purpose

    <b>Free learning down the hall:</b> a clear focus, specific moves noticed, and adapting what you see to your context.

    1. Something I want to improve:
    2. A colleague to observe who does it well:
    3. My clear focus for the observation:
    4. The specific moves I notice:
    5. How I will adapt what I saw:

    Make it stick

    Observe with purpose:

    Common questions

    Can I even observe other teachers?
    Usually yes, with arrangement, many schools encourage it. Ask your mentor or administrator. It is one of the highest-value, lowest-cost ways to learn, and most schools support it.
    How do I make an observation useful?
    Go in with a specific focus (transitions, questioning, behavior management), watch for concrete moves, note what to try, and reflect on how to adapt it to your context. Purposeful observation beats passive watching.
    What should I observe?
    Target something you want to improve, and watch a teacher who does it well. A clear focus turns watching into learning.

    Go deeper

    Build it into a bigger day

    Workshop
    Working With Your Mentor
    Workshop
    Reflecting & Growing
    Workshop
    Collaborating With Your Team