It’s not about the “gotcha”
No, CLASS observers aren’t out to get you. An observer is not in your classroom to judge you or try to catch you in a bad moment. An observation is just about seeing what the average day is like for the average student in your classroom. Observations can sometimes seem very mysterious—that can make anyone nervous!—but knowledge is power. You can find out more about what observations are all about here.
CLASS is designed to be strengths based
The CLASS isn’t just about being observed; it’s about what you do after your observation. When your coach discusses your observation with you, they should start with what you are already doing well in the classroom. If you are like me, you may not even have known that little thing you were doing was creating a real difference in your students’ lives. Sometimes what you are doing naturally has a real name, defined by the CLASS tool, and is really helping the children in your classroom. So after an observation, start there—with what's going well. What did I do really well? How can I do that more often and for longer periods of time throughout the day? Use your strengths as your safe base while you try new things that may not feel so comfortable, but are really leading to improvement for your students.
It’s customizable—for YOU!
No one wants to be put in a box and have to conform to someone else (well ... maybe some SOME of us want to be put in a box). Everyone wants things to be tailored for them! The cool thing is that the CLASS is not one-size-fits-all. What you might be great at, another teacher may not even be aware of, or another teacher may need some extra support in. With the CLASS, you can use your observation information to find out where you are strong, and areas where you may need extra support—and it’s totally individualized for your needs. An observation makes it easy for you to focus in on the areas that you want to focus on.
Video, video, video!
One of the best parts of the CLASS is that we have hundreds of videos you can watch in our CLASS Video Library. We know that watching video leads to real improvement in the classroom. Our Video Library is full of short clips (about 20 seconds to 2 minutes) that show exemplary moments—in a real classroom with real teachers like you! We also have text with each clip to help you focus on the interactions that really highlight the CLASS tool. Click here to see some examples of what you would find in the Video Library.
And most importantly … we have a lot of resources to help you on your CLASS journey!
Improving interactions in your classroom really is a journey, and the good news is we are here to support you every step of the way! We have tons of free resources for everything you need. From webinars to e-books, videos to blogs, you will find exactly what you are looking for.
