The media headlines stated this week started out with ‘Blue Monday’ in contrast I was really upbeat, it’s today i’m blue thanks to my monthly visit and the constant grey skyline i’m being greeted with on a daily basis. Anyway moan over.
Today we started late in the afternoon where our tutor Lindsay gave an in depth look into the OB1 (observee) and OB2 (observer) observations we are required to conduct. This breaks down as:
One observation of a peer (in class teaching and provide my thoughts and then respond to my peers thoughts on my initial thoughts)
One observation BY a peer (in class whilst i’m teaching and then provide feedback to my peer’s thoughts of my teaching)
One observation by your tutor (n class whilst i’m teaching and then provide feedback to my tutor’s thoughts of my teaching)
Luckily I felt equipped for this session as Rahul my assigned tutor went through this during our tutorial. The supporting text taken from Macfarlane 2004 paper about the fictional research lecturer quizzing her class and then upon receiving the student responses is quite surprised by the not so nice reviews, then tackling her defensive kneejerk reaction such as maybe making some of those not so nice comments magically disappear is all to familiar for many of us. I have received like many of me peers unpleasant feedback such as ‘Ruth has favourites, she’s unclear’ but as hard as it was for me to hear, it was necessary for me, in order for me to develop within this academic industry sector, and ultimately be the best at it for the benefit of those young people I come into contact with.
Unfortunately I had to leave slightly early at 3.15pm (as our class finished at 4pm) but i’m excited to be peer reviewed. Its an opportunity to learn, digest, develop and grow as an academic lecturer.