This post is excerpted from the recent Education Week article “Why Video Is Essential for All Educators in the Teacher-Feedback Process” by Dr. Michael Moody, CEO of Insight ADVANCE, and Jason Stricker, CEO of Insight Education Group.
When it comes to assessing and improving job performance, all educators can learn from professional athletes. Why? Because reviewing video gives coaches and athletes the same thing that educators want and need: relevant, actionable feedback that improves practices and leads to growth.
1. Teachers get objectivity and ‘bite-sized’ feedback.
Video takes the angst out of evaluation because it gives teachers and their observers a common, objective piece of evidence on which to base their conversation. Video can also help deliver “bite-size” feedback on specific skills like introducing a topic or transitioning from one topic to another.
2. Instructional coaches get concrete context.
Watching videos of a range of teachers in a variety of subject areas provides instructional coaches with concrete examples of strong practice and poor practice. Then, when it comes to coaching individual teachers, having an “instant replay” of what happened in class provides an objective launch pad for helping teachers to improve their practice.
3. Principals and observers get calibration and flexibility.
Having observers watch and score the same videos, then asking them why they scored them that way, is an efficient way to make sure that all observers are applying the same standards in their observations. With video, observers can do their work outside of the typical school day.
4. District leaders get inspiration for teacher professional development.
Watching videos from around the district guides district leaders to highlight common pain points, which can, in turn, drive professional development for teachers, principals, and instructional coaches.
In short, just as athletes have relied on video for decades to improve their practice, we believe that video is a powerful lever that can help all educators be better at their jobs.
To learn more, download Game Changer: Using video to achieve high performance in the classroom (Playbook for School & District Leaders) from Insight ADVANCE.