Barb Light - Brown Bag Seminar Presentation: Faculty Peer Reviews

1. Classroom Visits
for Peer Evaluation
LSSU Faculty Center for
Teaching
Friday, October 3, 2014

2. From the Faculty Agreement…
 Faculty being evaluated select one peer by
October 10
 Supervisors select a second peer and notify
the faculty member being evaluated by
October 15
 The supervisor and two faculty peers may
visit no more than twice per semester for
each faculty member that is being evaluated
 “Efforts should be made to consolidate the
visits in order to minimize classroom
disruption.”

3. From the Faculty Agreement…
 After meeting with the faculty member, the
supervisor or peer shall give two days notice
prior to the visit
 The “classroom” visits should occur between
the 3rd and 12th week of the semester
(September 9 through November 18)
 Results from visits should be given the
faculty member in writing within 5 days.
 Discussion of the visit should occur within
another 10 days
 The Instructional Setting Evaluation Form
(C9) must be used

4. Instructional Setting
Evaluation Form (C9) –
page 1

5. Instructional Setting
Evaluation Form (C9) –
page 2

6. Making Peer Evaluation
Meaningful

7. What we don't want:
 The process to feel judgmental
 To feel lectured at
 For this to be a wasted opportunity

8. Setting A Focus
 Without a focus that I care about, peer evaluation
has the potential to be everything we don't want.
 It might drive you crazy that the students all have
their cell phones out and check text messages and so
you make that the focus of the observation, but
maybe it doesn’t bother me.
 This is all based in the idea that in order to change, I
need to be ready for the change and willing to
address that issue.

9. Setting A Focus
 Examples:
 Relates this class to previous classes – Am I doing a good job
of making broad connections so students see the big picture?
The observer might jot down what you say to connect ideas
during the lesson.
 Provides appropriate pacing of content – Am I going too fast
or too slow for students? The observer might focus on
individual students for 5 minutes each and note the reactions
of the student that might indicate pacing appropriateness.

10. Focus Continued
 Encourages participation; gives appropriate responses – How
do I invite students to participate and how do I respond to
them? The observer can jot down each interaction – both what
you say to get students to interact and how you respond to
them during the interaction.
 Are the students engaged? Do I move around the room enough
to engage all students? The observer can chart your
movements.
 Is there evidence of learning? I provide opportunity for think,
pair, share – do my students use that opportunity to process
ideas and learn or is it social time? The observer can listen in.
 What do you want to know about your teaching and
how your teaching is impacting student learning?

11. Pre-Observation Meeting
 The faculty member being observed needs to drive
this conversation.
 Explain what the class is, what you want to be the
focus of the observation, and why.
View a sample Pre-Observation Meeting . . .

12. The Observation
 Take data – you might sketch out the room layout
and track the professor or you might jot down things
that are said or you might time elements of the
lesson, etc.
 Don't miss what is going on in class to fill out check
list. The data related to the focus is more important
than the checklist.
View a sample Observation. . .

13. Post-Observation Conference
 Best if this happens immediately after or at least the
same day as the observation
 Discuss the data and observations collaboratively
 You might also discuss the check list and fill it out
together
View two sample Post-Observation Meetings . . .

14. Questions?
 Barb Light
 bjlight@lssu.edu
 Cathy Chaput
 cwhite9@lssu.edu