Middle and High School Teachers' Perceptions of Classroom Observation Practice Paper submitted to Hawaii International Conference on Education 2010 http://www.hiceducation.org/ William Marr Dowling College, NY USA wtm2@dowling.edu Paula Mays Dowling College, NY USA pjm7@dowling.edu Brian Zahn Dowling College, NY USA bmz1@dowling.edu Kenneth A Card Jr. Ed.D. Elsa Sofia Morote Ed.D. Dowling College, NY USA morotee@dowling.edu Abstract This study compared middle and high school teachers’ perceptions toward existing classroom observation practices. Teachers’ attitudes regarding classroom observation practices were analyzed on four dimensions: instructional improvement, purpose, professional trust, and reflective thinking. The participants were from five school districts in Long Island, New York. A survey instrument that included 37 items was delivered to 90 high school teachers and 72 middle school teachers. The results indicated that middle school teachers experienced more instructional improvement, purpose, and reflective thinking during the observation process. However, in the area of trust, no difference between middle and high schools was found. Purpose Identifying a purpose to the observation process is an important aspect to middle school reform. Support and encouragement to grow professionally is an advantage that middle school teachers use. In middle schools, the observation process is meaningful and used as a professional development technique. Rather than being perceived as simply a task that needs to be completed, the middle school teachers in this study take advantage of the observation process and use it as a development opportunity. The ability for middle school teachers to engage in reflective thinking during the observation practice is advantageous to their growth and development. It also reinforces the fact that middle school teachers are more likely to engage in collaborative and collegial discussions with their observers and supervisors. School improvement practices must include the ability for teachers to reflect on their work. This includes examining not only instructional techniques, but also the work produced by the students. Middle schools have been successful in their reform efforts because of their teachers’ ability to self reflect and monitor their practices.