Classroom Observations: A Positive Force in Delivering Quality Basic Education

As the Philippines reopens schools for face-to-face classes, teachers should reassess teaching practices that can help deliver successful learning. With nearly two years of face-to-face classes behind them, teachers must brush up on teaching ideas and techniques appropriate for the new normal education setting. To do this, school administrators and curriculum planners must strengthen classroom monitoring for teachers to ensure that they still exhibit the traits necessary of a new normal learning facilitator. School leaders and master teachers should provide technical assistance to teachers before and after class observations in some form. They provide details related to the teaching performance to help the teacher conceive better teaching strategies and methods. Following the class observation, school leaders and master teachers should give positive feedback by praising the best aspects of the teaching presentation and making suggestions for improvement and development in their weak areas.

Indeed, a classroom observation is the most effective technique to assess the efficacy of teaching performance. The teacher can determine whether the learning objective for the lesson has been met based on the results of formative assessment given to students by teachers. The performance level standard assesses whether the teaching method or strategy used worked or yielded results. If most students pass the evaluation with at least a 75% performance level, the teacher's approach or plan is effective. It can be used or employed again for another learning session. However, teachers must keep in mind that not all effective strategies work in all situations. Sometimes a successful strategy in one class does not work in another. However, if it is successful, teachers or school administrators might recommend it to other teachers.

Class observation with other teachers as observers is another viable way of assisting new teachers. Other teachers can benchmark the learning materials utilized by the teacher presenter and how they effectively deliver them to the learners through observation. They can also benefit from the presenter's strategies and techniques. Similarly, teacher observers can benefit from the suggestions of the school head and master teachers who serve as the panel of observers during the demonstration teaching.

Helping one another, especially during this season of reopening schools for faceto-face classes where practically everyone has never continued teaching for a couple of years, would be a watershed moment in making the class resumption feasible and successful.

The author is Teacher III at Bonobono Elementary School, Bataraza

District, Schools Division of Palawan, MIMAROPA Region

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