The Road to Lesson Observation as a Tool to School Improvement

Abstract

This chapter will discuss the effectiveness of lesson observations on teaching and learning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) schools, given the micro and macro variables that come into play. At the micro level, there are various nuances of culture, policy, and local supervision on the school grounds. At the macro level, lesson observations can be subject to governmental oversight and worldwide educational trends that follow best practices and international assessment benchmarks. The chapter will begin with perspectives from multiple lenses on the best practices of lesson observations. These practices will then be evaluated against rubrics that are commonly used in schools around the world and in the UAE context, which are constructed almost universally around school culture, subject matter and curriculum, and general policy. The authors will conclude with recommendations for effective lesson observations that improve educational quality.