Job Discussion Forums

[Shroob]

Both, though I've opted for the top one (they did have training). On the CELTA course I was constantly watched by both professionals and amateurs (fellow CELTA students).

In my job however, my boss, who has no teaching qualifications that I'm aware of, drops in once a semester to watch a 45 minute section of a lesson I teach. His feedback usually consists of 'Very well done, Shroob, it was a good lesson'. Then I don't see him in my classroom for another 6 months.

[VietCanada]

As far as I know I've never been observed by anyone with training specific to observing.

Most of my observations over 12 years have been good with quite a few proclaiming that I'm the best teacher they've ever seen. They've either been co-teachers or employers with no teaching certification and few teachers.

I've only had one observation with a formal feedback in written form. It was from a petty school with low wages and a very high workload. It was immediately prior to contract renewal. I had expressed my desire for more pay and improved conditions. They had expressed a desire to re-sign all to the current contract- or else. I had one other negative review from a businessman fresh to the industry who seemed to find all his meagerly paid employees lacking in some unexpressed fashion. I'm sure it had nothing to do with his unfulfilled promises of hours.

I appreciate that there are some circles that observation is respectable, even from unqualified observers but I've only experienced quality observations from peers in EFL. I've learned a lot from people I've met along the way. From what I've read in the other thread this is prevalent. But some let it go to their head.

[teacheratlarge]

Both.

None of us had training for observations per se, though certainly we all had criteria to consider for what a lesson should include.