How Observation Copilot is saving principals hours on observations
THE Journal recently highlighted Edthena’s Observation Copilot, an AI-powered tool designed to help principals transform classroom observation notes into framework-aligned teacher feedback.
The article explores how this new platform helps school leaders instantly turn observation evidence into actionable, timely feedback that drives teacher growth.
Here are a few key takeaways from the article:
1. Dramatic time savings without compromising quality. For many principals, the observation process doesn’t end when they leave the classroom. The administrative work of writing up formal feedback can take hours, and this time delay reduces the impact of the observation itself. This tool changes that equation significantly.
As Adam Oakley, a principal in Spokane Public Schools, shared after piloting the tool, “A typical observation takes me two to three hours to complete the write-up. But, using Observation Copilot, I’m down to about 20 to 30 minutes!”
This efficiency gain means principals can provide feedback while observations are still fresh in everyone’s mind, making the coaching conversation more relevant and impactful.
2. Automatic framework alignment. One of the most valuable features of the tool is its ability to align principals’ observational evidence with their district’s chosen instructional framework.
Rather than manually mapping notes to framework components, principals can focus on capturing what they see in the classroom. The AI then creates a structured draft that connects their observations to the appropriate framework standards, ensuring consistency and rigor across all feedback.
3. Immediate feedback creation in the classroom. Traditional observation workflows often mean teachers wait days or even weeks for formal feedback. The tool enables a different approach.
As Edthena CEO Adam Geller explained, “With Observation Copilot, instead of spending hours manually turning unstructured notes into formal feedback, principals can create their first draft before leaving the classroom.” This immediacy helps maintain the momentum of professional growth and makes coaching conversations more productive.
4. Built-in next steps for teacher growth. Beyond organizing evidence, Observation Copilot provides suggestions for instructionally relevant next steps tailored to each teacher. This feature ensures that every observation leads to actionable growth opportunities rather than simply documenting what happened.
Principals can review, edit, and customize these suggestions before sharing them through their existing systems, maintaining full control over the final feedback while benefiting from AI-generated recommendations.
By handling the administrative heavy lifting, the tool allows school leaders to focus on building strong coaching relationships and driving meaningful instructional improvement.
Free for principals
Observation Copilot is currently available free to all users.
Ready to transform your observation workflow? Learn more about Observation Copilot and start streamlining your feedback process today.
Read the full article here.
