Teacher Luiz writes about peer teaching, monitoring and the 'emotional' side learning

Two Saturdays ago I had the chance to take part in a very special exercise: Peer Teaching . The objective of the exercise was for us to observe, identify and evaluate ways in which we interact with our students with a view to maximizing student-centeredness and refining rapport. It is my belief that peer observation plays an essential role in every teacher's development, as it allows a great deal of sharing, thereby promoting mutual growth. That being said, the chance to see a fellow teacher in action with your own students is nothing short of spectacular. It brought me a feeling of unbounded enthusiasm which I daresay greatly stimulated me in my relentless pursuit of classroom excellence.

We divided the lesson into 4 sections. I was to teach two of them and my colleague was to cover the other two. The way she conducted elicitation and the brisk pace of the activity she proposed gave the class a much needed uplift during that early Saturday morning. The way she looked students in the eyes and would truly expect to get intelligent satisfactory answers, even though it had been previously noted that they were "weak" for their level made a lasting impression on me. By the end of the activity, which consisted of students coming up with charity organizations and then comparing them to the ones in the book, everyone was clearly engaged in the lesson and emotionally involved.

I particularly enjoyed seeing how the teacher carried out monitoring of the activity. She would bend down in a motherly fashion and listen unobtrusively without ever towering over students or cutting across them to make corrections. Also, the breaking down and planning of instructions made it possible for students to quickly grasp what they were being asked to do. Another feature that really caught my attention was her ability to cater for the livelier, more participative students as well as the shier, quieter learners.

Overall, this exercise made me more aware of intrinsic aspects of the Cultura Inglesa lesson in that it involved active participation and instant feedback from my mentor. Students did indeed play an active and collaborative role in the learning process and there was an atmosphere of trust and respect which undoubtedly contributed to more effective learning.

by Luiz Carlos Junior