Welcome to the English Department’s Observation Materials site. Observation assignments for Spring 2024 can be found on the pages “Spring 2024 Assignments (Sorted by Observer)” and “Spring 2024 Assignments (Sorted by Observee)“. Here is the Observation Report Template that we prefer faculty use to submit their reports, and here are Guidelines for Recommending Observees.

Observers should carefully review the page “For Observers” for guidelines to ensure observation reports are submitted according to the terms of our union contract. We also encourage observees to review the page “For Observees” to learn more about the observation process and familiarize themselves with their responsibilities during this process.

Important Deadlines for Spring 2024

• Class visits must be completed by Friday, April 5th, 2024.
• Observation reports must be submitted by Friday, April 19th, 2024.
  • Name the observation report [ObserveeLastName].SP24.docx/pdf. For example, your observation report for Jane Doe would be named Doe.SP24.docx (if a Word document) OR Doe.SP24.pdf (if a PDF document).
  • Email signed observation reports to qcenglishobservations@gmail.com as attachments. Please title the email the same as the submitted document. All submitted documents will automatically download to a folder. Messages sent to this address are not read, so if you have any questions, please email fyw@qc.cuny.edu.

As you once again go through this process, we hope that you keep in mind that:

• observations are a contractual requirement i.e. they are mandatory, not optional (unless an adjunct instructor has amassed 10 semesters of observations). For every full-timer, doing observations is required work in the department.
• observations as learning and teaching opportunities for both observer and observee i.e. we hope the observation experience will be genuinely meaningful, useful, and uplifting for both observer and observee.
• no single observation will be decisive for how the English Department views or understands an instructor i.e. the observation report is one component of a more holistic picture that considers the instructor’s participation in professional development, the instructor’s syllabus, student experiences in their courses, etc.
• the Department takes observation reports seriously and uses them, for example, in thinking about professional development, in conferencing with instructors, in assigning observers for the next semester, etc.
• not completing an observation has real consequences (that vary depending on the category/title of the observee) and creates unscheduled work for others.

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