John Hattie’s Top Ten Visible Learning Takeaways –
Number Six: Microteaching / Peer Observations
This is the fourth of a ten part series that serves to highlight the most significant findings and their applications to our classrooms from Hattie’s 2012 work, Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning.
Number 6 – Microteaching
This concept primarily applies to teacher preparation programs. Hattie says microteaching “typically involves student-teachers conducting (mini-) lessons to a small group of students (often in a laboratory setting) and then engaging in post-discussions about the lessons. They are usually videotaped for this later analysis, and allow an often intense under-the-microscope view of their teaching” (2009, p. 112).
Application to the Classroom
The microteaching concept may not have a direct application to many of you as currently practicing K-12 educators, but perhaps this experience may be transferable through teachers practicing specific instructional methods and using microteaching strategies to get peer feedback. This is a practice more commonly observed in the National Board Certification process for practicing educators.
In our building this year we have loosely applied this microteaching strategy through a process of “teachers observing teachers.” Each semester teachers are encouraged to observe another teacher and then follow-up with a reflective conversation. The focus of the observation is at the discretion of the teachers and the goals include the opportunity to learn from one another and receive feedback on effective instructional strategies in addition to connecting, collaborating, building community, building culture, nurturing relationships, and growing professionally.
The expectations are designed to maximize impact while minimizing the time needed to complete the task.
- Pick a theme (some suggestions are offered based upon current initiatives)
- Set-up an observation of the partner teacher at a PLC Team meeting
- Observe the partner (the recommendation is to stay from 20 minutes up to the entire period)
- Have an informal follow-up conversation with your partner teacher
- Share out your learnings with your team at a team meeting (focus on the positives!)
- Switch roles with your partner and repeat
Hattie, J., Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement (2009)
Hattie, J. Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning (2012)
Shute, V.J., Focus on Formative Feedback (2008)
Effect size image retrieved from: http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/what_works.htm
Maxwell image retrieved from http://quotesgram.com/care-john-c-maxwell-quotes/#9PWYZjgpMN
