DISCUSSION FORUM MARIE A GOMEZ
Having the culture of growth by telling teachers that monitoring is not about fault-finding but about giving support & developing them professionally.
Tell the teachers the observations are all about learning new things, not inspection.
I clearly explain to the teacher monitoring is about equipping her for quality teaching in class and one of the tools used for the monitoring is the COT (Curriculum Observation Tool).
I encourage teachers to engage in teamwork in order to achieve a common goal.
Allow teachers to think, ask questions and create together action steps, spot-checking
regularly. Recognize, appreciate, and celebrate teaching effects and progress
This reduces anxiety, encourages trust and ensures transparency and change
1. What leadership practices have you seen or implemented that positively
influence teaching quality? (e.g., lesson observation, peer coaching, professional development) Peer coaching: This is when teachers share each other’s ideas or
teaching method to promote confidence collaboration or teamwork Regular classroom observations: This supports the teacher and makes the teacher focus and develop. Professional development workshop (school, which we also call a school-based workshop). This can be based on individual class needs. For e.g., when a teacher found out that pupils have problems in certain subject areas, workshops were held on formative assessment methods. These types of school-based workshop help improve lesson planning, encourage learners, and improve the overall teaching quality
2. How do you balance support and accountability when monitoring instructional practices, especially in schools where teachers may feel anxious about evaluation?
Start by building trust with the teachers. Use evaluations for growth, not just judgment.
Make sure lesson observations are followed by supportive discussions. Offer specific, resource-based support immediately after identifying a need. Use a 'low-stakes' system where a first observation is purely for support.
3. What strategies can be used to celebrate teaching excellence in ways that uplift staff morale without creating unhealthy competition or resentment?
Acknowledge good work through a school newsletter or staff meeting. Give 'spot awards' for specific actions, like "Best Use of Technology. “Provide professional development funding as a reward. Ask excellent teachers to lead a short training session for their peers. This respects their expertise. Focus celebrations on team successes and shared goals.
4. Feel free to share real examples from your school, including what has worked well and what challenges you have faced.
Worked Well: Our school started subject-specific teams; teachers in the same subject meet weekly. They share resources and plan together. This greatly reduced isolation and improved lesson planning quality.
Challenges: Getting teachers to commit to extra time for peer coaching is difficult. They feel they already have too much work. We are trying to solve this by building coaching time into the official school schedule.