Random thoughts about Teacher Profiling as a learning experience

I am part way down the journey to becoming a Teacher Profiler. Part of the reason people seem willing to be profiled seems to be that they want to improve their profesional teaching skills. This is voluntary learning in action - no course needed, no book, just a trained observer willing to spend 40 minutes in your classroom and tell you what they have seen afterwards.

It is an interesting experience to be in different teacher's classrooms. We have never really had a system that allowed such observation before. What does go on in classrooms? They are a public place for students enrolled in them, and usually not for anyone else. This is a form of practical privacy really. The potential for the abuse of power is incredible for the Teacher. The student is not without influence but in most classrooms, the teacher sets the standards for learning, treatment of the truth, attitudes and behaviour.

Blogging about this topic with other Teachers should reveal some interesting ideas and comments. Blogs can be sort of like classrooms too - only interested people read what you have written and participate in the discussion - they sort of 'enroll' themselves....it's another form of learning.