How can you get the most out of peer observation and feedback?

I have found in my experience as the observer of my peers and the one being observed by them as well, is one of the most successful ways of learning from observing is having a mind to receive information as well as to learn from a different perspective. Having an open mind that not all the time is it about a right or wrong way but more so the best way to handle a situation to actually perform an act in order to achieve and to obtain a particular result. Paying attention to what works for others. Sharing what works best for you. Don't be afraid to show up with your thoughts and the willingness to learn how you too can improve.

Peer observation and feedback are essential components of professional development. They offer teachers the opportunity to gain insights into their teaching practices and to grow professionally. With careful planning, preparation, and follow-up, this process can be enriching, providing valuable feedback and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Consider your relationship with your peer. Do you feel professionally respected by them? Do you respect their work ethic? Do you admire something about their process, their experiences, or their perspective? If you can honestly answer "Yes" to these questions, then it might be wise to ask them for their feedback. If not, reconsider the value of their feedback and whether or not you're ready to receive it.

Actually I disagree with choosing your peers as the first step to a successful peer & feedback. From my experience I strongly advice that you first discover & define yourself to a reasonable extent by clearly identifying & imbibing your life goals.values & principles.That would be the compass that guides your choices & decisions in life & would be the magnetic force that almost naturally attracts the kind of peers that befits your aspirations & simultaneously repels peers with contrasting goals. Both peers would thrive because they'd be accountability partners for each other so that both goals would thrive comfortably by inspiring each other. choosing peers without some level of self discovery makes you accept anything thrown at you.

I don't agree with choosing the peer issue. If you know what to elicit from your peers, the outcome will be reasonable and fruitful. Therefore, one should define the dimensions of the feedback that is welcomed. In this way, you can get the proper result.

The above framework is applicable to many scenarios in everyday life, and business, as well as peer observations for teaching. To me, clear criteria have a massive importance because completing a peer observation requires having a predetermined view of what to expect. A pleasantly simple example of this would be a peer review focused on the objective of improving student engagement during an online class. The criteria I'd set would most definitely include number of student questions posted, number of responses to polling questions, and overall attendance rate to the e-meeting. Hence, I'd analyze with methods such as recording the lecture and saving its associated chat, adding a post-class survey, as well as the established review rubric.

Having a set of goals can be the best way to make sure when we run our work by our peers we get the most valuable feedback. Depending on the purpose of your work being able to focus on a specific area will ensure that you get the most out of your peers' reviews. Nevertheless, this might not be always possible, especially when you are getting started on a field, or if you are working on some none technical or niched writing. In such cases, you might want to actually have feedback in a diversity of areas and from different peers to ensure that your work is not only spotless but also that it comes across in the right way reaching the expected public for your work.

Definitely the most suitable approach! Clear objectives, criteria and framework will successfully lead the person to the outcome.

agreed Stepping in without a framework and clear expectations can lead to chaos and an unclear message in the feedback. Both individuals should be focused on clear objectives.

Perhaps seek out to put clear boundaries for the professional engagement. If you are beta testing a new instrumemt then giving a form deliniating the key areas you wish feedback on is useful. However, try not to restrict the observer as there is a world of wisdom in their non specified obsevation. If you give a feedback guide before you close open the floor and ask " and general feed back as professionals or from your own experience"

Teachers' Observation is very integral part of journey towards academic excellence in every institute. An observer don't need to be a very senior or experience one but at least a person who has good observation skills and he or she has some teaching experience of the same level of class. The most critical thing is Classroom Observation checklist in which the observer is recording qualitatively as well as quantitatively. This checklist must have rubric definition on which basis who have to choose the level. It must contain all domains of teacher and classroom including content knowledge, delivery, rapport with students, organization of lesson, feedback to students, formative assessment etc

Watch the intended audience/students to ascertain their engagement and understanding of the lesson as well as the techniques and message of the teacher.

Like in so many other obligations in life, it is critical to document the gritty details throughout your observation. We cannot try to remember everything we saw; we need to take a part-by-part full note of every positive and negative portion of your counterpart's teaching to avoid biases and assumptions. Now, the methods to be used are chosen by the observer for the format that best suits the pair's current needs. In my previous experience participating in (and being judged by) peer assessments, I had the chance to video-record the lesson experience, allowing me to pay attention not only to the talk itself as well as the body language and expression of my peer to judge; then again, not all peer observations are the same. Be creative!

This very much intends on the form of observation. If you are asked to video content then you can use a note emotive format and feed back holding the loop to demonstrate. The difficulty with this observation is both client and prgessional peer are aware of being observed and while this is a must for academic requirements it is less useful and more performative in ongoing formation This all goes back to setting the boundaries. What are you being asked to look for and what can you see that may be blind to ypur requesting peer. Word notation is a good way to go. A word that will remind you of a question to ask. An emotion that allows you recall a reaction.

I strongly agree with this item. To produce proper outcome as a peer, observation and record is the most important steps. During the lesson, interfering can easily harm the procedure. If you have hesitations or questions during the lesson, taking them as a note is the most suitable way. Sometimes, we as the observer may define or detect some faults or missing pieces; however, the presenter can correct his/her faults or complete the missing pieces during the lesson. We should give time! But sole observation is not the best way; notes should be taken on a structured observation form and also there should be checklists which should be prepared according to the content and the agenda of the lesson beforehand.

Desire for freedom is integral to human nature. Whether in domestic life or the workplace, nobody enjoys being watched or controlled. We begrudgingly accept oversight at the moment of peer observation and feedback with the relief that it is at least a mutual loss of freedom. When receiving the observations report, there will be discrepancies between our perception of ourselves and the external analysis we've been subjected to. We may immediately recognize comments as valid - or not, and try to deny criticism we disagree with. Probably, those critiques we dislike most accurately pinpoint the areas with a need for improvement. So, embracing the temporary blow to one's ego and respectfully accepting even harsh criticism is commendable.

In giving feedback always thank your peer for trusting you to observe their work as it soeaks a lot about you as observer. The first question to ask "where will it be most helpful to you that I start?" From there you find what went well and what can be bulit upon. With rhe exception of a gross misconduct or breach of confidentiality - which would see you need to arbutrarly end the session - there is always something to be built on. Always a diamond in the rough.

Time-gap is critical for the feedback. It shouldn't be early or late; just on time. To get the most fruitful outcome; the feedback should be after the lesson but not straight after. From my point of view, the presenter should have some time after the lesson and in this period there should be a structured style of thinking and taking notes which leads the presenter to the questions of "What did I do right and wrong? What were the positive and negative sides of my lesson?" In this way, the presenter can evaluate him/herself and the feedback of the peer can be more meaningful, too.

Be sure to question what you don't understand about the peer comments or about the observed lesson. Sometimes what may appear to an outsider to be a behavior that needs to be corrected may actually be based on former experience and observations of the teacher of which the observer is not aware.

The fourth step is to provide and receive feedback respectfully, this is the key to being able to followup on suggestions and feedback. When we receive feedback that seems to be targetting our work, even if it is just a subjective feeling we are less likely to follow up on the comments or feedback that our peers have provided. We have to keep in mind as authors of our work that when we receive feedback in most cases it is supposed to help us improve. And as such we should take it with the best possible attitude. I am sure that you had some situation at work or in a similar ambient when someone might have seemed to go against your work, but it is key to make sure we can separate this "work" from our daily life and relation with those people.

Peers should be receptive to feedback without becoming defensive. Listen carefully to understand the perspective been shared and give yourself time to process the feedback before responding. This can help to avoid reacting impulsively. In addition, if a peer finds the feedback to be valid, acknowledge it. This shows maturity and a willingness to learn and grow.

Feedback should include questions that might help the observer better understand the lesson that was viewed. It also opens up a constructive dialogue that may be beneficial to both parties. Observers, depending on the situation, should view question answers as explanations and not "excuses". When the observed action is viewed as an explanation. When viewed in this manner, both parties may experience a clearer understanding and an instructional dialogue may ensue.

As you review the feedback you received from your peer, and properly acknowledge your faults with the self-awareness I mentioned in the previous point, it is paramount to remember that 'perfect is the enemy of good'. Receiving criticism does not mean you are failing as a teacher, and in fact no professor will be infallibly free of flaws. Do your best to correct oversights, and incorporate feedback to ensure your students receive the optimal learning experience. Do not paralyze yourself with undue stress for minor (or inevitable) inefficiencies.

Check for clarity with the observer before the session ends. Ensure you understand where the observer is coming from. Remember just because something is observed outside of you there is no compunction to add a value on it positve or negative. You can also ask could you observe your peer observer at work as this might be a valyable aid to feedback

I believe that peer observation and feedback should be accompanied by self-reflection. It's important to not only get your peers to review your work, but also to complete a self-evaluation. It is so valuable to sit down and compare what you see in yourself and your work versus what your peers have observed. In doing this, you'll be both affirmed and challenged in how you see yourself and your work. You'll be able to make active decisions in how to move forward, based on not only what your peers are seeing, but in what you are motivated to see change in yourself too!

While the process ends by evaluating how the peer review went, as well as celebrating each other's achievement, this is the only time to accurately report if your reviewer was unnecessarily harsh, rude, or otherwise failed in their duty. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately a fellow professor may be having a bad day - or simply dislike peer observation entirely - and therefore be unjust. Evaluate them fairly; if one's post-review survey sounds harsh or in any way retaliatory, then one's professional reputation nosedives, appearing like a sore loser. Basically, if all went well, then this stage should be quick. Though what exactly is meant by "rewarding yourselves" above, I am unsure. The greatest reward is learning.

The first step to a successful peer observation and feedback process is fostering a trusting and collaborative environment - also known as attunement in coaching and therapeutic circles. When participants feel safe and supported, they are more likely to share honest feedback, paving the way for personal growth and development.

A really important aspect is to create psychological safety. This includes ensuring a safe space where each person feels they can be themselves, ask questions, raise dissenting views, and not be treated unfairly for any of it. To create a psychologically safe space requires high emotional intelligence (awareness of one’s own and others’ emotions) and strong conflict management skills to address any issues that may come up. For instance, noticing if someone is uncomfortable and taking steps to help ease into giving feedback by learning and addressing their concerns. Of course, one must also be aware as much as possible of one’s own biases and aim to stay as open-minded as possible, while also being ethical.

California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) has a wonderful system when they certify schools every six years! The questions they want answered are discussed before their visitation, and after involving everyone on the faculty in the process, they visit the school, and meet with everyone over a period of a few days. They leave the school with a list of commendations and a list of recommendations. It’s a through and professional way from which everyone benefits greatly!

Peer feedback will not work without having a safe environment where discussion, talks and suggestions are welcomed. To build such environment at work your team members need to be comfortable in receiving and giving feedback. Psychological safety is important and when achieved it should be nurtured as much as possible as it will lead to many fruitful wins for the team and the company or institution in the long run.