Teacher Evaluations

As something of a refurbished librarian turned computer skills teacher, the process of teacher evaluations will be relatively new to me. I embrace it gingerly and with a sense of trepidation! But in learning more about this process, it has become clear that this really  is - or should be - much more a part of the learning process for teachers - an opportunity to gain insight and reflect on what we are doing, and how well it is working. Or not.

Although i have been teaching for a several years, I have had only one observation that I can recall. Presumably, I have not had others because  I am primarily a librarian. Teaching IT skills was something I was asked to do to fill in since we are a small school, and could not afford additional teachers. But having been forged in the fire, I have learned quite a bit and have developed approaches to teaching that seem to have worked for me, for the most part.

In the coming weeks and months, however, as I step into my Clinical Practice, I will be experience a number of observations. In reflecting on the materials provided for this topic, I have analyzed some current teacher evaluation systems, and I’ve identified some  elements which I  think would be important points of focus during my evaluations.

The National Educators Association (NEA) has highlighted six key principles that must serve as the foundation for developing or reforming any teacher assessment and evaluation system (Teacher Assessment and Evaluation, NEA, 2010):

1. Safe and open collaboration is necessary.
2. Measures of teacher performance should be based on multiple ratings and clear teaching standards.
3. Evaluation systems must be integrated with curricular standards, professional development activities, targeted support, and human capital decisions.
4. Validated evaluation measures are essential.
5. Teachers’ input in determining performance and learning outcomes should be part of the evaluation process.
6. Assessment and evaluation systems need to be jointly created or designed, with local teacher association involvement.

They go on to define effective teaching by providing numerous examples definitions of effective teachers and teaching, and outlining their ten principles that “describe the essential knowledge, skills, and support that teachers must have in order to be effective.”

They go on to discuss Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC): Model Core Teaching Standards which outlines their are ten model core teaching standards:.

1. Learner Development.
2. Learning Differences.
3. Learning Environments.
4. Content Knowledge.
5. Application of Content.
6. Assessment.
7. Planning for Instruction.
8. Instructional Strategies.
9. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice.
10. Leadership and Collaboration.

In fact there is a lot that is similar between the two systems. As we can see there is some overlap in these principles, such as the emphasis on collaboration, standards based assessment of the teacher, and the emphasis on integration of evaluation with curricular standards, and the emphasis on teacher content knowledge, clear and actionable feedback based on comprehensive, transparent standards, and the use of instructional strategies.

From my perspective the most important points of evaluation for teachers are:

1. Evaluation and observation process that is a collaborative activity where the mentor and student teacher are able to work side by dies to develop the strengths of each individual teacher. Learning should also include peers and go beyond the mentor trainee relationship.
2. Common, clearly stated standards must be shared prior to evaluation, and should be  very clearly stated, between the mentor and the teacher candidate. When the standards as clear, it is much more likely that they will be met.
3. Teachers’ input in determining performance and learning outcomes should be part of the evaluation process.
4. Assessment and evaluation systems need to be jointly created or designed, with local teacher association involvement.
5. Planning for Instruction and Instructional Strategies should be the meat of the evaluation process, as well as the most important points for collaborative learning.

All in all, there are many ways one may look at teacher evaluation. But what is most important is that the teacher is reflective. It is essential that the teacher trainee have very clear standards that they will be evaluated on. And finally, is vital that the teacher trainee receive good, clear, honest and routine feedback in order to foster deeper understanding and growth. For as is said by the NEA in their report Teacher Evaluation and Assessment: Ready, Set, Go  “it is important to ‘resist pressures to reduce the definition of effective teaching to a single score obtained on an observation instrument or through a value-added model’ Comprehensive evaluation systems must contain many lenses for looking at teachers’ abilities to promote student learning.”