Educational Leadership

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Permalink Reply by Laurelle Wilson on January 22, 2014 at 4:11pm

The new teacher evaluation process in my school district is an enormous change from the previous evaluation system that was in place. Teachers, and administrators, are now facing a more rigorous accountability piece than ever before. In years past, many teachers were not truly evaluated at all. With the new process, all teachers, veteran teachers as well as new teachers are expected to meet the high level standards for teaching and learning. As an administrator, the time and effort to complete the evaluations is extensive. Administrators are held accountable for the teachers as well, with their evaluations dependent on what teachers are doing in the classroom in meeting the needs of students. Administrators are responsible for using the evaluation process to provide feedback and plan professional development so that teachers are meeting the needs of students to reach high levels of achievement.

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Ganley on January 22, 2014 at 4:58pm

Thank you so much for your response, Laurelle!  I agree that the new evaluation process will raise standards of all teachers and even administrators.  It's too bad that it takes up so much of the administrators time.  I wonder is an other area of education will suffer because of the time administrators are spending on evaluations?  Also, someone told me  the evaluation process will make good teacher better because they are open to professional growth but it won't really help ineffective teachers because they aren't open to growth.  What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Laurelle Wilson on January 22, 2014 at 5:13pm

I agree to a certain extent. Ineffective teachers will either work to improve their practice or decide to change professions. It is possible that ineffective teachers just never had their problem areas identified but through the evaluation system they now will have the opportunity to improve their practice since deficiencies will be identified and followed up with professional development...IF the evaluation system works how it is meant to...as a means of improving teaching and learning.

In regards to the time factor, it will definitely take administrators away from other areas of need, but overall, I see the evaluation process as a key part of improving the education system. Administrators will have to be organized and efficient throughout the process for it to work effectively.

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Ganley on January 22, 2014 at 5:18pm

Yes.  You make some excellent points!  It's so refreshing to hear such positive opinions!

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Permalink Reply by Carole Anderson on August 25, 2014 at 3:17pm

Hi Everyone,

I am just finishing up my 092 so I can't respond to this question as an administrator quite yet, but as an administrative intern this past year and as a New Haven Public School teacher (we are going into 4th year of teacher evaluations TEVAL) I feel I can reply to this question. From an administrator standpoint I feel that the new evaluations are extremely time consuming and require an immense amount of organizational skills and superb time management capabilities. This evaluation system reminds administrators that their main job is as the instructional leader in the school, therefor they now have a framework to act more as a coach to assist teachers in further development to promote learning opportunities and developmental strategies that will benefit each teacher to meet their individual needs so that the adult learning will then further the student learning. This evaluation system is a tremendous asset when it is done properly and used as a coaching like model for administrators to have the mindset that every teacher can improve and not to use the evaluation system as an "I got you" tool to come down on teachers they do not like. It is also beneficial for teachers who are evaluated high in districts such as New Haven because those teachers then have the opportunity to develop further in teacher leadership roles as curriculum facilitators and teacher facilitators to assist their peers as additional support and coaches.
As a teacher I also find the evaluation system helpful. Although it creates a lot of additional paperwork for you to fill out and data to collect, it really helps you monitor your progress and identify your weaknesses. Once you are able to figure out where you need additional support, you put it in writing and discuss with your administrator to figure out how to have your needs met. This obviously benefits the teacher as well as the students, therefor benefiting the administrator (as the instructional leader of the school.)

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Permalink Reply by Oscar Marin on January 22, 2014 at 5:05pm

Although I don't belong to Connecticut, but that's surely gonna help in long run. We too have a quality assessments at our school and we find that people strive hard to be better performer in those assessments and I think in this way they are not only improving upon themselves but also the school too. So it's good initiative.

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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Ganley on January 22, 2014 at 5:19pm

That's so good to hear, Oscar.  Thanks for replying.  What state or where do you teach?

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Permalink Reply by Dorothy Hastings on January 26, 2014 at 6:10am

The essence of effective leaders is how they think of and treat the people they are responsible for. Leaders are supposed to provide those things necessary to allow their people to be successful.Leaders have to convey a sense of one-ness, that we are all in this together. When people sense that they are important, that their contributions have meaning, good things happen overall.
 
 

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