Sandy Valley Local Schools
Resident Educator Program
REs and mentors are required, by the ODE, to meet weekly. Possible topics for those meetings include (but are not limited to) building procedures, student achievement, discipline, and differentiation. A Collaborative Log must be filled out monthly, all meeting hours should be logged using a time sheet. The RE should also retain a copy of these logs.
What are Reciprocal / Exemplary Observations?
Reciprocal Observations
Reciprocal observations are shared professional observations that may occur between REs and mentors, between veteran teachers and REs, between REs and REs, between administrators and staff, etc. They may be experienced in real time or via electronic devices. This spirit of reciprocity exists in all observation formats. It is the understanding that both the observer and the one being observed gain insights into the complexities of teaching and best practices. Reciprocal observations formalize this philosophy by providing opportunities for professionals to share the same experience, to establish common language and common understandings of teacher standards and common qualities of effective teacher performance. Reciprocal observations provide opportunities for the observers to participate comfortably in deep and difficult professional conversations about the art and science of teaching since they are not the subject of the conversation.
Exemplary Observations
"Teacher to teacher modeling has the greatest impact on teacher improvement." (Douglas Reeves) Exemplary teacher observations bring the deepest change in instructional practices and have the greatest impact on increased student achievement. They should occur as frequently as possible throughout the life of a teacher. Observation of Exemplary Teacher by Resident Educator and Exemplary Teacher Observation: Reflective Conversations are tools that may be used to document exemplary teacher observations.
