"Students are naturally inclined to watch one another, to make suggestions and support their peers, to avoid mistakes, to copy what works and modify what doesn't, and to learn from one another," writes Rob Traver in this article. To prove his point, Traver brings readers into three classrooms where teachers tap into students' intrinsic…

One of the failings of teacher evaluation systems in the United States has been their reliance on the school principal alone as the person expected to observe teachers, mentor those who struggle, document concerns and processes, and make the final call on whether to recommend dismissal. Given the enormous scope of their duties, it's simply…

Peer review of teachers is controversial for several reasons. Some say peer reviewers encroach on the rightful domain of the principal as instructional leader. Others argue that, because peer evaluators are fellow teachers, they may be biased or unwilling to make hard decisions. Many teachers find the prospect of peer evaluation unsettling because…

In 2008-09, Colegio Ingles had a watershed year in terms of teachers learning to enhance one another's skills. Beneath a deceptively congenial surface, teachers at this Mexican preK-9th grade school were avoiding professional confrontations and rarely observed one another's classes or shared teaching solutions and innovations. That same year, the…

Reynolds describes the formal peer critique process students engage in for all major projects in her classes. Each student presents his or her project to the entire class and receives detailed suggestions and criticism from peers. Such critiques prepare students for the kind of frank exchange of feedback on the quality of work they will need to…

Peer assistance and review (PAR) reduces the burden on principals, the isolation of the classroom teacher, and sometimes even the antagonism and hostility between labor and management by involving teachers in the formal evaluation of other teachers and making them responsible for employment recommendations. Coaches who have been identified for…

Teachers have a different attitude toward supervision when they have participated in a program of peer supervision. (Author)

Outlines how the Writing Response Groups function. This is a cooperative learning atmosphere where trained student peers respond to other students' writing with the Praise-Question-Polish technique. Includes references. (MD)

A form of simulation, "Reflective Teaching," is a carefully structured form of peer teaching that requires a group of interested teachers willing to teach in the presence of each other. (Author/MLF)

In this successful 10-year-old Salt Lake City, Utah, personnel evaluation program, every employee is entitled to and guaranteed the protection of due process--shortcomings are identified, assistance provided, and peers involved in employment decisions. Employees who cannot provide satisfactory service or learn the necessary skills are dismissed.…

Authors review the clinical supervision model and present a case study of its use in peer supervision. Findings reveal the underlying assumptions of the model are incongruent with school context. (MD)

Unions are increasingly advocating for teaching as an occupation and for public education as an American institution. New and improved unionism is replacing teachers as industrial workers with teachers as knowledge workers empowered to devise educational solutions from the classroom up. Unions' new vision will be organized around quality,…

Instructional rubrics can help students to improve their writing skills and become self-regulated writers. Clear, accessible instructional rubrics give students repeated practice with planning, revising, and editing. It is also noted that using rubrics for self-assessment and peer assessment will help the students navigate the writing process in…

The video camera can help build communities of teachers who continuously engage in studying their craft. Videotaped classroom sessions, accompanied by peer coaching, enable teachers to direct and manage their own professional growth. Includes two references. (MLH)