S2 E29 | Why Lesson Observations Destroy Teacher Trust and How to Fix this!

Lesson observations are one of the most daunting aspects of teaching.

When done poorly, they can destroy morale, create performative lessons, and erode trust within a school.

But when done well, observations can become one of the most powerful professional development tools a school has.

In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I’m joined by Craig Randall from Trust Based Observations to unpack how lesson observations should actually work and why so many systems get it wrong.

We explore the difference between observations designed to judge and observations designed to learn. Craig explains how trust is built slowly through repeated observations and why one-off high stakes observations rarely give an accurate picture of teaching.

Instead of creating pressure for teachers to perform a “perfect lesson”, the Trust Based Observations model focuses on building professional trust, improving teaching through dialogue, and supporting teachers rather than evaluating them.

We also discuss the fears many teachers have when being observed and the challenges leaders face when trying to observe staff in a way that builds trust rather than anxiety.

If lesson observations in your school feel stressful, performative, or unfair, this conversation will give you a completely different perspective on how they can work.

What we cover in this episode

• Why traditional lesson observations often damage trust in schools
• The problem with judging teachers based on one or two observed lessons
• Why teaching cannot be accurately evaluated through snapshots
• The psychology of trust and the “marbles in the jar” analogy
• Why the first several observations should focus only on positive feedback
• When and how constructive feedback should be introduced
• Why feedback should focus on just one improvement at a time
• How observations can shift from evaluation to professional learning
• The different concerns of the person observing vs the teacher being observed

The key idea behind Trust Based Observations is simple: observations should be about learning, not judging.

When schools focus on building trust first, observations become a powerful tool for professional growth rather than a source of anxiety.

Guest

Craig Randall
Founder of Trust Based Observations

Learn more about the approach here:
https://trustbased.com/ 

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