Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Teacher Evaluation

Someone asked me today what I thought about teacher evaluation.  I decided to blog about it.  Here's what I think.

1.  Teachers are hired to serve children well.
2.  School systems establish vision, goals and protocol.
3.  Teachers are educated to teach well.  Teaching well includes the following:
  • Knowing your students well.
  • Knowing your content well.
  • Creating structures that facilitate optimal learning for all.
  • Communication.  Response.
4.  Optimal teacher evaluation systems include the following:
  • System vision, goals.
  • Teacher strengths.
  • Teacher/system growth goals.
  • Plan for achieving goals.
  • Assessment related to plan's success.
  • Future goals, efforts.
In summary, the evaluation process for teachers should be a process that helps teachers continue to grow as professionals in line with an educational system's vision and goals.  The evaluation system should include acknowledgement of a teacher's strengths as well as focus on a combined teacher/system area of desired growth and goals as well as a plan for achieving those goals.  Finally, the evaluation should acknowledge the teacher's growth, plan success, and future desired areas of study and development.

It should be a fluid, developmental process based on what's best for student achievement and education.