Susan Murphy, Librarian

Lansing Community College

murphs12@lcc.edu

REFLECTIVE

TEACHING

An unexamined life is

not worth living.Socrates

Journaling• Free write

• Dialogue

• Focused question

• Structured toolsTechniques

Journaling Free writing

• Anything related to your teaching

• Pencil doesn’t leave the paper

• No mental editing

• Pause as little as possible

• Just write for 5 minutes

Peer Observation

• Pre-requisites

oWilling colleagues with commitment to being better teachers

o a shared understanding of peer observation -what it is and isn’t

o and what are the “rules”

• Pre-observation

• Observation

• Post-observation

• Best practices

Peer Observation

Pre-Library Instruction Peer Observation Form Questions

1. What are the goals for the class that I will observe?

2. What teaching/learning activities will take place?

3. Will this class be typical of your teaching style? If not, how and why?

4. What areas would you like me to focus on during the observation? (It may be helpful to connect your answer with the Classroom Observation form.)

5. Is there anything else I should be aware of prior to the observation?

Pre-observation

Peer Observation

Pre-Library Instruction Peer Observation Form Questions

1. What are the goals for the class that I will observe?

2. What teaching/learning activities will take place?

3. Will this class be typical of your teaching style? If not, how and why?

4. What areas would you like me to focus on during the observation? (It may be helpful to connect your answer with the Classroom Observation form.)

5. Is there anything else I should be aware of prior to the observation?

Pre-observation

Peer Observation

Observation

Peer Observation

Best Practices • Create a favorable environment.

• Choose the right time.

• Start the conversation.

• Use effective communication skills.

• Be positive and build on strengths.

• Describe behavior.

• Be specific and accurate.

• Don’t compare.

• Focus on the future.

• Maintain confidentiality.

Post-Observation

Teaching Circles

• Circles are a great way to explore issues

with other brains

• Multiple models but needs some structure

to be successful

• A framing question is a good place to start

• 4-10 is usually a good size

Other Tools

• Video

• Portfolios

• Combinations

Barriers to Reflection

So…

• We know that it’s a good idea to reflect on our teaching so why don’t we?

• How can we work over under through these barriers?

Resources

Presentation and documents

http://www.slideshare.net/SusanMurphyLCC

Documents include a list of books and websites as well as documents such as peer observation forms and best practices.

Conclusion

•What is most important is not how you reflect but that you do!

• Finally, take a minute and write down

• one way you are going to reflect on your instruction and

• how you are going to make it happen