61. From "Gotcha" to Growth: Rethinking Teacher Observations, an interview with Craig Randall

When most teachers hear the word ‘observation,’ it doesn’t exactly bring a sense of excitement or growth. It brings pressure and performance, and for many teachers, the feeling of being judged rather than supported.

But what if observations could actually do what they were originally intended to do: help teachers grow, reflect, and feel more confident in their practice?

In this conversation, I’m joined by Craig Randall, who specializes in trust-based observation models that aim to shift evaluations from a ‘gotcha’ moment into something far more meaningful and human-centered. We’re talking about why traditional evaluation systems often miss the mark, how trust completely changes what happens in a classroom, and what teachers can do (even within imperfect systems) to make observations feel a little less performative and a lot more productive.

Craig Randall is the developer and author of Trust-Based Observations, an Amazon number-one bestseller in five countries. Craig has spent the last 30-plus years in education working as a counselor, coach, teacher, and principal.

Craig spends the majority of his time training school leaders in Trust-Based Observations (TBO), building mastery, and transforming the world of teacher observations to a model of trust and support that fosters growth mindsets, cultures of trust, and creates collective teacher efficacy in action. 

To connect with Craig and learn more about his book and resources for Trust-Based Observations, check out the links below:

Website: https://trustbased.com/

X: https://x.com/TrustbasedCraig

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trustbasedcraig/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craig.randall.7311

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trustbasedcraig/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/trustbasedcraig.bsky.social