The Teaching Observation Partnership

The TOP program at UMaine is a small, low-stakes interdisciplinary group of faculty who are genuinely curious about their own teaching, not evaluating it. In this program you will be provided opportunities to practice observing teaching, partner with experienced observers, and then engage in two rounds of peer observation and feedback. Through the process, we reflect, discuss and learn in community. The final meeting will empower you with ways to document this work through self reflection and reporting. Graduate from the are invited to join our growing mentor community

Departments discussing changing their teaching evaluation criteria benefit by having faculty learning how to engage in formative observations and constructive feedback of teaching as well as explore tools and approaches available.

Questions? Email karen.pelletreau@maine.edu

Six Fridays from 12:00-1:30pm starting September 11th. In-person.

Register to join the partnership!

How TOP Works

The Teaching Observation Partnership follows a repeating cycle: faculty practice observing, then pair up to observe and be observed, reflecting and discussing at every step. Once a full cycle is complete, participants can repeat it with a new partner, or move into mentoring future TOP faculty.

1. Practice

Hone your observation skills with videos, and discuss how to observe with peers.

2. Observe in Pairs

Observe a community classroom with an experienced classroom observer or mentor.

3. Discuss and Reflect

Debrief with your observation mentor on your experience, what you observed, and how to improve the process.

4. Observe a Peer

Meet with your observee, review feedback goals, and observe their classroom following the observation guide.

5. Reflect and Discuss

Reflect after the observation, prepare targeted feedback, and debrief with your observee.

6. Repeat and Switch

Repeat the observation process with assigned peers, and switch roles to be observed as well. This step loops back to Observe a Peer, above, as the partnership continues.

7. Build Your Portfolio

Document your work in your teaching portfolio or promotion and tenure documents.

8. Become a Mentor

Pay it forward, and serve as a mentor for future TOP faculty.

Fall Meeting Schedule

September 11th – Meeting One: Goal Setting
September 25th – Meeting Two: Practicing
October 9th – Meeting Three: Establishing Partners
October 23rd – Optional meet up time for observation feedback
November 6th – Meeting Four: Providing Feedback on Teaching
November 20th – Optional meet up time for observation feedback
December 4th – Meeting Five: Observing Inside and Outside the Classroom
December 18th – Meeting Six: Tying it Together by Documenting your Practice (and lunch!)

Due to the nature of this program, in-person participation is required.

  • What faculty are saying

    It’s fun. It provides fresh views on teaching. It’s a good way to meet people outside the department. It’s a great way to explore ideas you may have about how to change up your teaching. Seeing people teach in other departments allowed me to focus on the teaching independent of the topic.

  • What faculty are saying

    If our goal is to educate students well, we need to know whether what we’re doing works—and the best way to learn is from each other.

The program is scaffolded to build your comfort with formative observations.

✔Learn together
You’ll begin by observing recorded classrooms together as a group, sharing your observations, and learning the process.You’ll begin by observing recorded classrooms together as a group, sharing your observations, and learning the process.
✔Shift to a mentor
Your first “real” observation of a classroom will be with an experienced TOP mentor* and reflecting on the experience together.
✔ Choose what you want feedback on
You’ll use our Dimensions of Teaching tool to identify what you want to grow or gain insight on related to student engagement in your classroom and/or your use of high impact practices.
✔ Engage in peer observations
You’ll complete 2-3 peer-to-peer class observations as both an observer and observee (based on scheduling), exchanging formative feedback with your observation partner. Over the semester, we will try to partner you with different peers. 
✔ Connect in community
We meet bi-weekly to debrief observations, share ideas, surface challenges, and support each other’s growth.
✔ Receive a $300 stipend
Participants who complete the program receive a stipend in recognition of the time invested.

Fall Semester

TOP Fall Focus
(Topic changes annually.)

spring semester

TOP in Active Learning Classrooms
(Topic repeats annually.)

Additional time is required for observations and associated meetings.  
Space is limited to keep the group small and supportive.
Acceptance is first-come, first-served.

What are observation mentors?
Observation mentors are faculty who have completed our observation-based learning communities (TOP, Teaching in ALCs). They help grow capacity for formative course observations.

Why become a mentor?
Most faculty new to observations need to be oriented to the process and protocols through a low-stakes practice opportunity. Mentoring also keeps you involved in observations, reflection and your own educational development!

What will be asked of you?
Mentoring happens in our Community Classrooms (see below), which represent diverse disciplines, classroom styles, and pedagogies.
You will:
– Partner with a new observee currently enrolled in an observation-based learning community
– Observe a class together.
– Discuss the observation process to help prepare them for future observations. (There are no required meetings with the instructional faculty being observed.) 

The details:
Before the semester starts, you will receive a Google calendar invite with all Community Classrooms.
– Add your name to any classes you’re available to observe with a mentee.
– Coordinate with your mentee to schedule an observation and follow-up discussion.
– You can mentor multiple observers if you choose. Based on scheduling, you may not be asked to mentor at all.

What are Community Classrooms?
Even though many of us spend much of our professional lives thinking about and engaging in teaching, it is actually not common to observe others teach. Observing and being observed as instructors is one of the most powerful ways to improve your teaching mindset and skills. Community Classrooms (CCs) are classrooms where faculty open their doors to support our Teaching Observation Partnership (TOP) programs.

Why Participate?
Because class observations are not commonplace, many faculty feel uncertain about the process, leading to lower quality feedback and reduced learning. Community Classrooms help address this by providing a low-stakes environment for new observers to learn along side a mentor.


Your Role in a Community Classroom
As a Community Classroom instructor, you agree to:

– Allow observers to observe one of your classes, at times in pairs, likely during the first month of the semester.
– Reply to emails from interested faculty with logistics (days and times you are available to be observed) and relevant course documents (e.g., syllabus, assignments).
You will never be observed without your permission.

How much time will it require?
Because all you are being asked to do is open your doors to an observation, the time required is that involved in the emailing and coordination –less than 15 minutes!

Important Note: We aim to select a small subset of classrooms that offer diverse experiences for observers. Decisions are based on availability of times, days, and features and have NO reflection on teaching quality.

YES, Add my name to the CC List!

– Anyone open to growing their teaching practice through observation and feedback who will be teaching a course (online or in-person)
– Instructors looking to grow their community and expand their teaching repertoire
– Those who enjoy trying new strategies—or want to rekindle that curiosity

Questions? Want to talk it through before committing?
Contact: karen.pelletreau@maine.edu