Reflective Peer Observations as a Management Tool for Teacher Professional Development

Headteachers, in their management practice, can exercise a variety of tools to encourage teacher professional development. Peer observation is regarded one of the effective ways of educators’ professional growth. The dissertation is structured as a case study, which explores the relationship between peer observation and the depth and quality of teachers’ professional reflection. For the first time in Russian and foreign educational practice, various forms of refleсtive peer review are analysed (traditional peer observation, collaborative peer observation, peer observation based on Kolb’s experiential learning theory, peer observation focused on the reflective practice of the observer, and curatorial methodology.) As a result of the analysis, we designed a localised peer observation model, equipped it with methods of effectiveness evaluation, as well as outlined the instructions for its implementation. This model is replicable and can be used by headteachers of Russian schools as a tool for in-school teacher professional development. The approbation of the model allowed us to make the following observations: - the proposed system of reflective peer observation can be used to determine the level of school teachers’ self-reflection in order to select the most appropriate way of their further professional growth; - reflective peer observation is most effective as a professional development tool for beginner teachers and those with relatively little work experience, who have basic skills of professional reflection and realise the need for professional development; - reflective peer observation is a resource-intensive tool which requires strict control by the organiser, who can be assisted by a peer coach, an experienced teacher with a high level of professional reflection.