The goal of the Peer Observation Program (POP) is to provide an opportunity for faculty peers to hold reflective conversations about teaching, to pursue the values of the Seattle Community College District, and to ensure its vision.
2009-10 Peer Observer Training – Please mark your calendars
New and experienced Peer Observers must attend Peer Observer training by contract. If you do have experience, you have something to contribute to the training!
Monday, November 16 @ Seattle Central | 2:30 - 4:30 | Room BE4151
Wednesday, November 18 @ North | 3:30 - 5:30 | Room ED2843A
Thursday, November 19 @ South | 2:00 - 4:00 | UNI 100
Tuesday, December 1 @ Central | 3:00 - 5:00 | Room BE4151
You are welcome to attend training at any of these times and locations.
Questions? Contact the Faculty Development Coordinator - Karen Michaelsen
The Peer Observation Program Protocol establishes specific conditions and prescribed roles to ensure that conversations among colleagues occur in respectful, inclusive and democratic ways.
View / Download Peer Observers Program Protocol (.doc) document
View the contract language in the Agreement (Articles 6.7 and A.6. on pgs. 26 and 65) http://wa.aft.org/aftseattle/index.cfm?action=article&articleID=8fe78dd8-7351-47ea-aed4-5f2d7c9d0ee0
Peer Observers Questions and Answers (provided courtesy of YOUR faculty Union – the AFT Seattle Community Colleges, Local 1789) November 2008
Q: What is a peer observer?
A: In our last Agreement, we negotiated a new section and a new role for faculty peers. Peer Observers receive a $500 stipend per year for observing up to 5 other faculty. Faculty Development created a wonderful peer observation protocol that is truly about faculty helping one another – both peer observer and observee participate in the process; it is not evaluative.
Q: Who can be a peer observer?
A: Full time and priority hire faculty are eligible to be peer observers.
Q: How do I become a peer observer?
A: At the end of each Winter quarter, the district office will send out to each campus their allotted number of peer observers. There is a total of 125, of whom up to 50 can be priority hire part time faculty. During Spring quarter, the Vice President of Instruction and the Faculty Senate President meet to determine the distribution of peer observers to each division. Unit administrators notify faculty of the opportunity and give 30 days for faculty to indicate interest. Faculty in the division select the observers before the end of Spring quarter.
Q: What am I required to do as a peer observer?
A: Once you have been selected, you are required to attend the training. After the training, and throughout the year, you will observe up to five other faculty. This will vary by program, number of faculty, comprehensiveness of the evaluation, etc. but the intent was to try to complete three to five observations in the year.
Q: If it is $500 for up to five observations, does that mean I will receive $100 per observation?
A: No, the stipend is a fixed amount for up to five observations.
Q: Who picks the people to be observed?
A: In Agreement Management we are discussing the specific protocols on how faculty to be observed will be selected – if you have suggestions, please email them to Lynne Dodson.
Q: When will I be paid and how?
A: At the training, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance. Turn that into your Unit Administrator who will generate an Employment Notification Service Record Change (ENSRC) form. You should see a line on your paystub that says “Stipend” and the amount of $500. The Agreement says you will be paid by the end of Fall quarter. The AFT Seattle believes we should abide by the Agreement. We have heard rumors that faculty will be paid later, but no written documentation to this effect, and no requests to re-bargain this language have come to us at this point. We would consider it a contract violation if faculty were not paid by the end of Fall quarter.
Update: This applies to you if you are a peer observer this year (2008-2009)….
If you attended one of the peer observer trainings, you should have turned in your certificate to your dean. This will generate the first part of your payment which is $300 and should come on your March 10 pay period. The remaining $200 will be paid at the end of Spring quarter.
Q: If I was a peer observer last year, can I be one again?
A: Certainly – each term of a peer observer is one year, but we don’t have limits on the number of terms! And training is required each year you are a peer observer.
Q: What is the benefit?
A: The peer observer protocol was developed with a clear intent – to improve teaching through faculty to faculty support. The process is unique; it is in many ways a new paradigm – one that assumes competence, a desire to improve, and the value of peer support. Plus, it is a little extra money.