Texas Teachers Observation Hours – What are they? How do I complete them? How many hours do I need?
What are they?
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires all new teachers to observe classroom activities prior to earning a teaching position in a classroom of their own. The intent of the Texas teachers observations hours is to provide new teachers the opportunity to learn more about the teaching profession by watching quality teaching.
This is a good thing. Think about it…
Can you imagine walking into your own classroom, that you have been hired to teach, and never once seen the first day of school or what a tenured teacher does? Though this requirement might seem like a chore, it is a great aid to help you frame your expectations for your own class. It’s really quite helpful to make you a better teacher and effective day one.
How do I complete them?
Ideally, the way you complete these hours is by going to a school, sitting in an actual classroom, and observing an effective teacher. If you can schedule time to be in an actual school, do it. It is worth the effort and time to make it to an actual school. You can talk to the teacher afterwards. You can meet the administrator (an added bonus if you want a job in that job) and you can see students’ response to the teacher.
That being said, it simply might not be possible to complete all 30 hours in a classroom, and that is okay. There are other ways in which you can obtain these hours. Programs like iteachTEXAS have a partnership with The Teaching Channel to provide curated videos of highly effective teachers that can count towards your required Texas Teachers observation hours.
How many observation hours do I need?
The Texas teacher observation hours requirement is 30 hours. The TEA requires all new teachers acquire 30 hours of observation hours prior to earning your Intern license. Currently, these hours are self-reported. Your certification program, once enrolled, can provide you an observational log to complete.
If you are interest in becoming a Texas teachers, see our previous post here: “How To Be a Texas Teacher”
Are you looking for a reputable program for more info? iteachTEXAS provides a great walkthrough of the steps needed to earn certification here.