The Adult Learning Program of Jamaica Plain Community Centers uses an annual peer observation and feedback process for teachers' professional development. We developed our process for this, including our document, Elements of Quality Teaching, and all the forms, over a series of staff retreats:

• Each teacher fills out a Teacher Self-Reflection Form where they describe their areas of relative strength and weakness, using our Elements of Quality Teaching document.
• Each teacher fills out a Peer Matching Form where they describe their areas of expertise someone observing them might learn from, what they would like to learn by observing, and whether they prefer to observe someone in a level close to theirs or something different.
• The director matches pairs. Some teachers observe and are observed by the same person (A–B), others are part of two different pairs (A–B, C–A, B–D). It gets complicated!
• Staff meeting time or a non-instructional night is used for pairs to meet, pre-observation, to discuss the self-reflection of the observee and what they each hope to gain. They use a Classroom Observation Form to decide what aspects the observer will pay specific attention to. The observer takes notes of that meeting.
• The director schedules observation sessions. Each observer sits in for a whole three-hour class, and takes notes. The observer's class has a sub.
• Pairs meet again after the observation. The observer writes up the Classroom Observation Form to share feedback with observee.

Lee Haller is the director of the Adult Learning Program of Jamaica Plain Community Centers. She has worked in the ABE field since 1992. She can be reached at: lhaller@jpccalp.org