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Clinical Field Experience A: Informal Observations

Rebekah Pierce

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EAD-530: Improving Teacher Performance and Self-efficacy

Michael Sollitto

October 4, 2023
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Observation Process and Experience

After discussing informal observations with my principal mentor, Mrs. Sells, I have

learned several strategies that she uses to complete them. At our school, we call them classroom

walk-throughs. Mrs. Sells said she has delegated this task to our Instructional Facilitator (IF) and

our Guidance Counselor to help her complete them. So each person takes two grade levels they

walk through per week. For example, last week, Mrs. Sells did walk-throughs for grades

Kindergarten and first grades. Our IF did second and third grade and our guidance counselor did

fourth and fifth grades. This week, they switched grade levels so the same evaluator isn’t doing

the same grade level every time. However, they only completed three walk-throughs last week

because of behaviors they had to deal with as well as off-campus activities required by the

district. Mrs. Sells said her goal is to complete a minimum of five classroom visits each week.

Mrs. Sells has made a google form for each evaluator to fill out when doing a walk-

through. The evaluation form is broken down into two groups, instructional and behavior. Once

the form is completed, the evaluator emails a copy to the teacher with feedback and a possible

coaching point. This form is based on look-fors from our district as well as goals for our School

Improvement Plan.

Mrs. Sells was kind enough to add me as an evaluator on the observation tool to use for

these informal observations. The first classroom I observed was a kindergarten classroom which

had around 17 students. Mrs. Hill was in a small group instruction doing Letterland Blending

sounds with students. Students were engaged and following directions to learn new words. Other

students were working independently and seemed to be actively engaged. To have only been in

school for 35 days, it is evident these students have learned the different centers and Mrs. Hill's

expectations. They know the processes and what they should be doing. The tool was user-
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friendly and easy to understand. I forwarded this observation to Mrs. Hill and thanked her for

letting me observe her classroom.

The second observation was done in a third grade classroom. Mrs. Lynch was teaching

the double plus 1 strategy for the number 3 in multiplication. Students were working on a

worksheet and then a few students showed examples on the board. Mrs. Lynch saw some

students still struggling with this strategy, so she reminded them they would still be working on

this the next two days. I forwarded this to Mrs. Lynch and also thanked her for allowing me to

observe.

PSEL Standard 6 & Future Implications

Administrators should always encourage their teachers to strive for excellence in all they

do. Informal evaluations are an easy way to give positive and constructive feedback to help

teachers grow in their craft. The Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) states

that leaders should “deliver actionable feedback about instruction and other professional practice

through valid, research-anchored systems of supervision and evaluation to support the

development of teachers’ and staff members’ knowledge, skills, and practice” (National Policy

Board for Educational Administration, 2015). When I become an administrator, I hope to be able

to give teachers effective feedback that they can use to help grow as a teacher. I will start with a

positive comment first, and make sure they feel cared for and appreciated. Teaching can be hard,

especially in the world we are in today, so I hope to give them coaching points that are well

received and incorporated into their classrooms.

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Reference

National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). Professional standards for

educational leaders (PSEL).

http://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-Standards-for-Education

al-Leaders_2015.pdf