Teacher Evaluation Analysis & Assessments of Performance in Teaching
The impact teachers have on student achievement must be noted and prioritized. Teachers help students learn, but they have a much larger scope of responsibility. Parents and school boards trust them to help students develop good study habits, think and reason, collaborate and do teamwork, as well as grow mentally and emotionally in safe environments. These contribute to the outcomes we see in test scores.
Therefore, it is important that a teacher takes seriously their own personal and professional growth by getting regular feedback in order to self-regulate their own learning and teaching practice.
“ We are entering a new era of teacher evaluations. The expectation is that all teachers can increase their expertise from year to year and thereby produce gains in student achievement, with a powerful cumulative effect.” (Marzano, 2011)
The Marzano Causal Teacher Evaluation Model is founded on three distinct premises:
1. The purpose of a teacher evaluation model is to measure teacher effectiveness and to advance teacher performance over time.
2. Effective teaching is the leading indicator for improving student performance.
3. The most effective evaluation model will show measurable correlations between the model’s individual strategies and teacher development.
“ We are entering a new era of teacher evaluations. The expectation is that all teachers can increase their expertise from year to year and thereby produce gains in student achievement, with a powerful cumulative effect.” (Marzano, 2011)
The Marzano Causal Teacher Evaluation Model is founded on three distinct premises:
1. The purpose of a teacher evaluation model is to measure teacher effectiveness and to advance teacher performance over time.
2. Effective teaching is the leading indicator for improving student performance.
3. The most effective evaluation model will show measurable correlations between the model’s individual strategies and teacher development.
New approaches to teacher evaluation in schools include various federally funded systems and even The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project has provided an additional $45 million to strengthen approaches to teacher evaluation in several pilot districts (NEA, 2010). The truth is that teacher evaluations are a living breathing evaluation system that lacks a shared vision of teacher effectiveness (NEA, 2010). The fact remains that teacher evaluations have been poorly designed, sporadic, and unable to provide much useful information on teaching effectiveness (NEA et. al 2010).
At AMICUS International School, teacher evaluations happen twice a year. A teacher gets observed by the principal and vice-principal who have a check list and side notes for the teacher. The ranking at the bottom of the page states, distinguished, proficient, basic, and unsatisfactory. The comments on the right explain the assessment of the teachers work on the left. The following examples show my assessments when I taught grades 2 and 4 at the school in 2016 and 2017.
At AMICUS International School, teacher evaluations happen twice a year. A teacher gets observed by the principal and vice-principal who have a check list and side notes for the teacher. The ranking at the bottom of the page states, distinguished, proficient, basic, and unsatisfactory. The comments on the right explain the assessment of the teachers work on the left. The following examples show my assessments when I taught grades 2 and 4 at the school in 2016 and 2017.
One can see clearly that a teacher evaluation explains the objectives the observer or person evaluating is looking for in the lesson. I did not have a pre-observation meeting, but I had an observation and a post-observation meeting. The pre-observation meeting is optional and helps teachers write their lesson plans for the observation. It is a good chance to ask what the observer is looking for in the criteria. I think we should be judged on how we handle the students and classroom environment. Second, the overall tone of the lesson and comfort level of students should be evaluated. It is crucial for a teacher to show their humanness in the classroom so as to promote learning. Showing that you are vulnerable teaches students to drop their guards and become motivated to learn.
The teacher evaluation video (https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/preparing-for-formal-observations) taught me about being even more self-reflective and open to constructive criticism. I like what the evaluating person had to say, " I have never observed a perfect lesson and I have never taught a perfect lesson". The GOAL should ALWAYS be to teach better the next time!
Resources
NEA 2010. National Education Association. Teacher Evaluation. retrieved March 6th 2018 from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzYfzjQoASL_eGdtNFdsbXRIRDQ/view
Teaching Channel Video, retrieved March 6th from: (https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/preparing-for-formal-observations)
Rand. 2017. Tests and the Teacher. retrieved March 7th 2018 from: www.rand.org
