Teaching Visit Guidelines
Before the Peer Visit
- Schedule peer visits in the first half of the quarter.
- Make sure you have the assignments, lesson plans, and readings
for the classes you will visit in advance.
During the Peer Visit.
Here are some tips for getting the visits off to a smooth start
:
- Sit in the middle of the table if possible; do not sit next
to the instructor or directly opposite her or him (i.e., at
the other end of a seminar table).
- Introduce yourself to the people sitting near you and interact
with them in a relaxed fashion.
- If small group work is part of the lesson, join a group.
During the class, you should observe as closely as possible,
noting the following:
- How does the class begin and end?
- How much time does each activity take?
- Who speaks and doesn’t speak?
- How much does the instructor speak, and who responds most
often to the instructor?
- What does body language suggest about the dynamics of the
class (if anything)?
- What questions do students and/or teacher ask?
After the Peer Visit
As soon as possible after the class, sit down and address the
following questions:
- What were the major goals of the class?
- What goals got accomplished?
- How was the class organized?
- What seemed to be unclear or confusing, if anything?
- What did students seem to connect best with, and why?
- What types of questions seemed to lead to the best discussion?
- Was a writing activity part of the class? If not, could one
have been?
- What did you take from the visit that you can use in your
own teaching?
When you and your partner have visited each other’s classes,
schedule a time to meet together to discuss what you have learned.
You can use this information when you write the self-reflective
summary of your course evaluations.
