Adorning classroom doorknobs throughout campus are red signs that on one side read, “Open for Observation,” and on the other, “Be Mindful.” The door tags serve as “open” or “closed” signs signaling to teachers whether or not the class is available for observation. They are part of the Take 15 Teacher Observation Program, the newest initiative from Project X, CA’s on campus professional development program.

“Take 15 encourages teachers to come in, take an available seat and observe the class for as little as 15 minutes,” says Middle School English and social studies teacher Eric Augustin.

 

According to Augustin, who leads Project X with Upper School history teacher Paul Kim and fifth grade teacher Mary Singer, Take 15 is a flexible way to promote the practice of observing teachers, providing feedback and then incorporating best practices into the classroom.

 

“Analyzing a class demands a level of humility, honesty and scrutiny that also compels teachers to carefully consider every aspect of their own teaching,” says Augustin.

 

The program works like this: After teachers observe a class, they get points -- 1 point for a 15-minute visit within their division, 2 points for a 15-minute visit in another division, and 4 points for any full class observation. After each visit, they complete an observation form commenting on prompts like “the most awesome moment of the class was”; “ideas I’m going to steal”; and “what I wondered during my visit.” Teachers then submit their observations along with their total points, and are put in the running for a prize.

 

So far, the program, which began in November of this school year, has seen 16 faculty and staff participants who have accumulated a total of 102 points. More importantly, teachers have observed methods that can improve their classrooms.

 

Some of those observations include, “I loved how you had students reflect on their behavior,” and “I loved the debrief at the end of class on what has gotten easier and what you still need to work on.”

 

Professional development is a priority at Colorado Academy, illustrated by a $245,000 annual budget that sees teachers attending conferences, workshops and more every year.

 

Project X seeks to bring that professional development onto campus, where teachers can utilize in-house expertise on their own schedule. Through the program, teachers have gone on “Subject Tours” to observe the continuum of how students learn a subject throughout every division at CA, as well as “Student Tours” where they shadowed a student for a day, completing their homework in advance and attending their classes.

“Our mission is to inspire students to think, create and innovate in order to create lifelong learners,” says Augustin. “Programs like Project X and Take 15 encourage teachers to do the same.”