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Who should you ask to observe you? When thinking about who to invite to observe your teaching, I always suggest starting with someone you trust, but also someone who’s genuinely curious about teaching. A good observer isn’t just there to give you advice, they ask thoughtful question, they’re open to learning from what they see, and they’re able to reflect with you rather than jumping to conclusions. Sometimes it’s also helpful to think beyond your department.
For example, I teach in the humanities, but I once observed a colleague teaching a large STEM lecture course with over 100 students. The way they use technology to foster engagement was completely different from what I was used to in my course, and even though my classes are much smaller, that experience helped me rethink how I invite participation and how I leverage technology to do so. Finally, you might consider asking someone whose teaching you admire, especially if they’re working on a topic or approach that you would like to explore yourself. You can frame it as a learning opportunity by inviting them to come to your class too after you have implemented and adapted the topic or strategy that you observed from them. That way it turns observation into a shared conversation, not just a one-way review.
What about time? Faculty are busy, how do we fit this in? Time is a real concern. Faculty have full plates and adding one more thing, even if it’s valuable, can feel like just one thing too many. But here’s how I think about peer observation. It doesn’t have to be time intensive to be meaningful, and when we give ourselves space to step into a colleague’s classroom, even for a short while, it can actually feel like a break from our day-to-day tasks. I’ve done observations during busy seasons and what made them worth it wasn’t the written report, it was the conversations. Sometimes I’d simply jot down a few notes during the observation and then during the conversation later, but didn’t use them to write a report until later when I had more time and space to reflect. And if a report isn’t required for an observation because you just do it to learn from each other, it’s okay for the conversation to be the whole point. That can save time and still be incredibly valuable. At Ember Riddle, we have a teaching partner program where faculty record a class session and then share the recording with a peer. Each person watches on their own schedule and then meets for short focus conversation, sometimes just 30 minutes. That flexibility makes it easier to fit an observation into a busy schedule, while still offering all the benefits of observing each other’s teaching. And for me, that’s a reminder of why I care about teaching in the first place. A way to connect with colleagues and have meaningful and thoughtful conversation that reenergize us in a meaningful way.
What if there is no agreement on what good teaching looks like? It is actually pretty common for departments or even entire institutions not to have a shared definition of what good teaching looks like. I’ve been in that situation myself, and I’ve experienced observations where the feedback focused entirely on course content or on the reading list without engaging at all with how I was teaching. That kind of feedback just isn’t very helpful. It’s often not actionable, and it misses an opportunity for growth. I’ve also seen cases where peer feedback discouraged the use of innovative evidence-based strategies, like active learning in favor of more traditional lecture style. That can be frustrating, especially when those innovations are aligned with research and thoughtfully designed for student engagement. That’s why it’s so important to ground observation in a shared framework, but also to make space for faculty to contribute to shaping what that framework looks like. Different disciplines have different needs and values, and conversations about practice can help tailor broad principles to a specific context. With a critical teaching behaviors framework, for example, a department might look at an item like encourages participation by all students and ask, what does that look like in our courses? What do we already do and where might we grow? Those conversations don’t just support more useful observations, they help build a shared language for teaching. And when we take the time to define good teaching together and then ground that definition in evidence and dialogue, we don’t just improve the observation process, we strengthen our culture of teaching as a whole.
We’ve talked about what makes peer observation effective and discussed some practical strategies. However, challenges will inevitably be part of the process—whether it’s skepticism from colleagues, time constraints, or even just figuring out where to start. Let’s explore how to overcome these barriers and make peer observation work for you.
Some common concerns include:
- ‘I don’t know who to ask—what if my observer doesn’t understand my teaching approach?’
- ‘I don’t have time for this—I’m already stretched too thin.’
- ‘Our department doesn’t agree on what good teaching looks like—how can we provide meaningful feedback to each other?’
These challenges don’t have to stand in the way of an effective process.
Who should you ask to observe you?
Many faculty worry, “What if my observer doesn’t understand my teaching style?” or even, “What if their feedback isn’t relevant to what I do?” The key is to choose someone you trust—someone who will approach the process as a partner, not a critic. And remember, your observer doesn’t have to be from your department. In fact, cross-disciplinary observations can be incredibly valuable, particularly if you’re looking for feedback on student engagement, clarity, or course structure rather than content expertise.
If you’re still unsure, try starting small. Instead of a full observation, have a quick peer exchange—sit in on part of each other’s class and simply talk about what you notice. This builds trust and makes feedback feel more like a conversation than an evaluation.
What about time? Faculty are busy—how do we fit this in?
To keep the process efficient while ensuring valuable feedback, a structured tool—like the Critical Teaching Behaviors (CTB) peer observation tools referenced in the previous section—can guide reflection, report writing, and discussion.
If scheduling a live observation feels impossible, consider recording a class session instead. This way, your observer can watch it whenever it fits into their schedule. By allowing for
asynchronous review and focusing on guided reflection rather than a formal evaluation, this approach provides greater flexibility while still fostering meaningful professional growth. Additionally, instead of writing a formal report, you can agree to have a structured follow-up conversation to reflect on insights and determine an action plan for growth.
What if there’s no agreement on what ‘good teaching’ looks like?
Not every department has a shared definition of effective teaching, but a shared understanding is an important basis for making peer observations valuable. When faculty agree on core teaching principles, observations lead to more consistent, fair, and constructive feedback. If your department hasn’t set up a framework yet, this is an opportunity to start the conversation.
Rather than leaving teaching quality open to interpretation, work with your colleagues to define a common language that reflects both research on effective teaching and the realities of your specific context. Start by identifying core teaching principles that matter across courses—such as student engagement, clarity, and assessment practices—and use those as a foundation for discussion.
One way to jumpstart this process is by using an existing framework, like the Critical Teaching Behaviors, as a starting point. Even if it doesn’t fit perfectly, it provides a structure for adapting and refining expectations, so they make sense for your institution or department.
However, if shifting a departmental definition feels out of reach, you can still ensure meaningful observations by setting a focused goal during your pre-observation conversation. Agree on one or two key areas to prioritize—such as increasing student engagement, improving classroom discussions, or refining clarity of instruction for formative assessments. This approach keeps feedback targeted and meaningful, even without a broad institutional consensus.
Discussions
Which of the scenarios listed most resonates with barriers you may encounter in trying to conduct peer observations and why? How will you overcome this barrier using the strategies and resources listed? Be sure to share additional strategies and resources so that we can learn together.
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.