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Teacher Evaluation

Leadership for Innovative Omani Schools in the 21st Century

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Responsibilities of Principals in the U.S.

1. Identify good, prospective teachers

2. Hire them

3. Support their development

4. Support the development of the team of teachers

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1. Planning and Preparation

• Knowing student backgrounds

• Planning appropriate outcomes, teaching methods, assessment strategies

2. The Classroom Environment

• Creating a safe, fair, comfortable environment for learning

Four Domains of Skills for Effective Teaching1

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Four Domains of Skills for Effective Teaching1 (continued)

3. Instruction

• Making content understandable

• Checking for understanding

• Encouraging students to extend thinking

4. Professional Responsibilities

• Reflect on teaching

• Guild professional relationships

• Communicate with parents

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Purposes of Evaluation

Formative: Provide feedback to make improvements

• Identify areas of growth for specific teacher

• Identify staff development needs for school

Summative: Provide feedback to make judgments about worth or success

• Make decisions about transferring or releasing teacher

• Make decisions about awards

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Dimensions of Teacher Evaluation2

Formative Summative

Purpose Improve Administrative decisions

Type of data Detailed, diagnostic

Bottom line

Method Either or both qualitative and quantitative

Multi-method both qualitative and quantitative

Source(s) Few or many Many

Administration Informal Formal, systematic

Sept. 1991, Thomas, a., University of Tennessee

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Dimensions of Teacher Evaluation2

Formative Summative

Sample Targeted Representative

Frequency Periodic Infrequent

Time required Minimal More time

Shared with Teacher only or persons specified by teacher

Decision makers & teacher

Sept. 1991, Thomas, A. University of Tennessee

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Guiding Principles of an Educator Evaluation System3

The system should:

• Conform to national rules and regulations.

• Reflect best practices.

• When applicable, provide adequate information for remediation, or dismissal.

• Include all categories of personnel.

• Be supported by assessment of other educational components that influence student achievement

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Guiding Principles of an Educator Evaluation System3 (continued)

The system should:

• Meet professional standards for sound evaluation, including propriety (ethical and legal), utility (useable and effective), feasibility (practical, efficient, and cost-effective), and accuracy (valid and reliable).2

–Be understood, credible, valued, and used.

– Include formative, summative, and monitoring functions.

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Guiding Principles of an Educator Evaluation System3 (continued)

• Meet professional standards for sound evaluation

–Based on multiple and variable data sources if for summative function.

– Support fairness and promote equality of opportunity and the rights of students, educators and the institution.

–Be evaluated, validated, refined and updated.

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Types of Teacher Evaluation Models

• Individualistic, hierarchical

–Clinical supervision

• Formal observation with pre-conference, observation, reporting, post-conference and follow-up

– Peer supervision

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Types of Teacher Evaluation Models (continued)

• Mixed model (some hierarchy, some collaborative)

• Collaborative, participatory team–Learning communities

• Lesson study• Circles

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Review of Principles of Adult Learning

Motivation:

• Want useful skill or knowledge

• Need to retain self esteem

Curriculum:

• Interested in application

• Prefer self-directed learning

• Seek knowledge from others

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Review of Principles of Adult Learning (continued)

Learning Experience:

• Learn from dialogue with respected peers

• Prefer active, problem oriented learning

• Seek knowledge from others

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Clinical Supervision

• Is a series of cycles

• Conducted for instructional improvement

• Is goal oriented

• Assumes a professional working relationship between teacher and supervisor

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Clinical Supervision (continued)

• Requires a high degree of mutual trust

• Is systematic but requires flexibility

• Assumes supervisor has necessary knowledge of instruction and learning and human interaction skills

• Assumes teachers are professionals who desire help if offered in collegial way

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Steps in Clinical Supervision

1. Establish teacher-supervisor relationship

2. Pre-observation conference

3. Observation of class

4. Analyzing and interpreting observation

5. Post-observation conference

• Discuss data/information

• Review results of observation session and formulate plans

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Steps in Clinical Supervision (continued)

6. Collaboratively write instructional improvement plan

7. Renewed planning

• Discuss the activity, what was valuable and what changes in strategies are needed

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Pre-observation Conference4

1. Purpose of the observation

2. Focus of the observation

3. Goal of the lesson

4. Teaching strategies to be used to reach goal; lesson plan

5. Observation form

6. Time of observation

7. Time for post-observation conference

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Role of Supervisor (Peer) During Observation4

• Focus on the specific teaching objectives of the day

• Observe and record all information that addresses the behaviors discussed in the pre-observation conference

• Do not make value judgments. Record objective behaviors relevant to those discussed in pre-observation conference.

• Scripting is common technique.

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• Any personal comments or questions that arise for observer should be recorded separately from observation data notes.

• Observer should not intervene in the teacher's lesson (except in case of safety)

Role of Supervisor (Peer) during Observation4

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Common Problems in Evaluation Ratings of Teachers

• Rater may use self as “ideal”

• Rater may reflect how they like the person rather than how well they teach

• Rater may be influenced by how others view the person rather than how well they teach

• Rater may not spend enough time observing or may not observe often enough

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Observer’s Role in Post-observation Conference4

• Ask teacher to reflect on class observed

• Share observation data with teacher; describe without interpreting

• Discuss congruencies and discrepancies between perceptions of teacher and observer. Be sure to point out positive behaviors.

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Observer’s Role in Post-observation Conference4 (continued)

• Ask teacher to make suggestions about changes

• Observer offer suggestions or alternatives

• From all suggestions, reach agreement about which strategies to use in future

• Summarize the conference

• Set appointment for next conference

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Approaches to Conferencing4

1. Non-directive approach

• Teacher makes decisions, analyzes class and makes suggestions for improvement; supervisor (or peer) listens, clarifies, and encourages

2. Collaborative approach

• Shared presenting, problem-solving, negotiating and planning

3. Directive approach

• Supervisor (or peer)

– Directs with discussion– Provides suggestions– Reinforces success– Determines plan of action

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Mentoring5

Mentoring:

is a mutually agreeable relationship between a mentor (the experienced, skilled teacher) that is intended to be an on-going relationship for more than a year to assist in the professional development of the person needing or wanting assistance.

A mentor:

advises, guides, provides feedback, and develops instructional strategies with the teacher wanting assistance. In addition, the mentor provides information about the procedures, policies, culture, and people unique to the school.

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Characteristics of Peer Mentoring

• Formal or informal

• Focuses on more than teaching (includes learning about the school resources, culture, procedures)

• Based on specific needs of teacher being mentored

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Characteristics of Peer Mentoring (continued)

• Usually includes

–Observation of each other’s classes (meeting before and after to discuss)

–Meetings as a pair to discuss other problems and issues

–Meetings of “pairs” to discuss common problems and issues

• Pair can be retained for 2-3 years

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Responsibility of Principal in Peer Mentoring6

• Let teacher help decide on peer

• Require that a record is submitted of how and in what way time was used

• Provide necessary resources and support

• Request that “evaluative” information not be forwarded to principal

• Require a professional growth log from teacher

• Meet with team at least once a year

• Meet with peer and teacher individually once a year

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Characteristics of Informal Walk-throughs7

• Collaborative professional development

• Short 5-15 minute classroom visits

• Instruction is observed

• Discussions held with students about what they are doing and learning

• Feedback provided to teachers

• Data gathered to inform curricular decisions

• Usually involves summarizing observations and sharing with all teachers for decision making

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Walk-throughs7

• A means to examine instructional practice.

• Provides opportunity for reflection and inquiry about what occurs in classrooms.

• Affirms teachers’ instructional efforts.

• Identifies what works well and areas for modification.

• Provides more frequent, constructive interaction between teachers and principal.

• Allows for examination of instructional efforts over a longer period of time.

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Walk-throughs7 (continued)

• Provides opportunity for sharing of strategies among teachers.

• Provides more than a snapshot view of teachers at work.

• Easy to complete; requires minimal time.

• NOT formal

• NOT for administrative decisions; for school improvement

• Observation notes are NOT retained by observer

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Lesson Study Steps8

1. Group of teachers identify a problem of interest/a learning goal

2. Teachers meet to plan a lesson

3. Lesson taught

4. Lesson evaluated and group reflects

5. Lesson revised

6. Revise lesson taught

7. Teachers evaluate and reflect again

8. Teachers share with all teachers in school and other schools

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Possible Sources of Ethical Issues in Teaching

In-class

• Classroom policies

• Student behaviors

• Teaching style

Evaluations and individual students

• Assessments

• Recommendation letters

• Biased treatment

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Possible Sources of Ethical Issues in Teaching (continued)

Responsibilities to students and colleagues

• Colleagues that do not get along

• Updated class plans

• Knowledge of subject

• Confidentiality

• Use of school resources