Videotape and Discuss Lessons
At Price Lab School, we spent more than two years participating in training through the Center for Authentic Intellectual Work (http://centerforaiw.com). Each teacher in our school videotaped himself or herself teaching a lesson, and teachers shared these videos in small focus groups. The group watched the lesson and provided the instructor with feedback. Although it's not always easy watching yourself teaching or getting feedback from colleagues, it gave us time to have constructive conversations about the quality of instruction, teacher assignments, and student work. Ultimately, these discussions led to changes in instruction and student assessments (both formative and summative). I believe that feedback from other teachers, who know the complexities of teaching, is one of the best ways to improve instruction.
—Amy Lockhart, Teacher
Malcolm Price Laboratory School
Cedar Falls, Iowa