Teacher evaluations don’t have to be stressful. That’s why the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines is introducing flexible classroom observations starting in School Year 2025–2026. These changes aim to help teachers focus on real teaching, reduce anxiety, and get better support.

Let’s look at how these new observation methods work—and why they’re a big step toward easier and fairer evaluations.

Why Change the Evaluation System?

Teachers shared that traditional observations made them nervous. They were expected to show too many teaching skills in one lesson. Some even had to “perform” instead of teaching naturally.

Other problems included:

• Inconsistent feedback from observers
• Pressure to show all required skills at once
• Too many documents to prepare

To fix this, DepEd updated its rules to make evaluations more supportive and teacher-centered.

Who Are These Guidelines For?

These new guidelines apply to:

• All public school teachers (Teacher I to VII, Master Teachers I to V)
• Teachers in the ALS, SPED, Science, and Madrasah programs
• Starting SY 2025–2026 and beyond

Your Flexible Options for Classroom Observations

Teachers can now choose from two main options for evaluation:

Option 1: In-Person + Short Observations

• 1 full-period in-person observation
• 4 short observations (10–15 minutes each)
• The lesson must be authentic—not staged
• Short observations can include:
  • Walkthroughs
  • Instructional rounds
  • Short video recordings

Option 2: Video-Based Full Observations

• 2 full-period video recordings
• 4 short observations
• No observer present during recording
• Videos must show actual lessons, be unedited, and cover the whole session
• No need to buy equipment—use what’s available
• Must follow data privacy and consent rules

What Are Short Observations?

Short observations are meant for growth, not grading. They help teachers improve without the stress of being rated.

Types of Short Observations:

Method	Time	Observer	Purpose
Micro Walkthroughs	5–10 mins	School heads	Targeted support and feedback
Instructional Rounds	10–15 mins	Peer teachers	Shared learning and reflection
Short Video Observations	10–15 mins	No observer (recorded)	Self-review or mentoring

All short observations are non-rated.

Supportive Feedback That Helps Teachers Grow

Feedback from these observations must be:

• Positive and specific
• Focused on strengths and next steps
• Shared with the teacher’s agreement
• Used in coaching, mentoring, or group learning (LAC)

New Ways to Show Teaching Skills

Teachers also don’t have to rely only on class observations. They can now show their skills using documents like:

• Lesson plans
• Student activities and outputs
• Teacher reflections
• Teaching materials

DepEd allows the use of AI platforms to review these documents. But:

• AI must support—not replace—human judgment
• AI feedback should be checked and explained by school leaders
• All privacy rules must be followed

Teachers Can Choose Which Skills to Show

There are 37 PPST indicators that show teacher performance. Teachers can now:

• Choose which indicators to show each year
• Spread them out across 3 school years
• Match them with their real teaching needs

Must-Show Skills (Within 3 Years)

These 6 indicators are required:

1. Teaching content knowledge
2. Literacy and numeracy strategies
3. Critical and creative thinking strategies
4. Managing student behavior
5. Lesson planning
6. Assessment strategies

Already Completed Your Observations?

If you’ve finished your required observations for SY 2025–2026, you’re all set. Your results will still count.

If not, you can now use these flexible options instead of repeating the traditional process.

DepEd’s updates show a clear message: supporting teachers helps improve learning for everyone.