Authors Marsha Ing and Kenneth Montgomery discuss one school district’s attempt to use classroom visits to improve instruction. They argue that instructional observations can improve instruction, but offer guidelines for observations after discussing the shortcomings in the district’s experimental practices. These are their guidelines:
- Signal what is important. Design tools that will focus on what is important.
- Draw a line from practice to performance. Consider how the feedback will be used by teachers and principals.
- Take a systemic approach. Establish mechanisms and processes so that teachers can observe each other.
- Triangulate with other measures. Use classroom observation data with other sources of information (such as student work or classroom assessments).
Author: Marsha Ing and Kenneth Montgomery
