Having someone observe your teaching (and having the opportunity to observe someone else's class session) can be a valuable way of enhancing your teaching practice. It is an opportunity for dialogue through shared practice and to open up exchange on effective techniques and the addressing of shared teaching challenges. It is an opportunity to reflect, to experiment, to receive feedback from faculty and not just students, and to engage in community. Importantly, all observations carried out by the Elkana Center are voluntary, confidential, and non-evaluative unless you explicitly request otherwise.
As a faculty member, doctoral student, or other CEU community member with teaching responsibilities, you may request an Elkana Center colleague to observe your session. Alternatively, you could ask a peer in your department to observe your class session (while you observe theirs). A third option is to find (or ask Elkana Center members to help you find) a colleague in another department to pair up for class observations.
Please find below a set of brief recommendations to get the most out of the peer teaching observation process. They were developed by Elkana Center colleagues for a pilot, peer observation program within the CEU Undergradaute Program.
You may also find useful a short form that can you can use to write notes during the observation. The use of the form is optional, but using this or a similar form can help you focus your observations.
