Stimulating professional learning through teacher evaluation: An impossible task for the school leader? (original) (raw)
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This article reports on a series of empirical studies that investigated the extent to which teacher evaluation policies and procedures promote teachers’ inquiry into the relationship between their teaching and their students’ learning. Four possible explanations for the weak focus on student learning in teacher evaluation are discussed. They relate to the alignment between school evaluation practice and a national policy which gives minimal emphasis to student outcomes, to the lack of an inquiry stance, to the compliance-driven approach taken to teacher evaluation, and to the overemphasis on norms of professional collegiality. We argue for an alternative approach to teacher evaluation that promotes teachers’ capacity to inquire into and strengthen the relationship between their teaching and their students’ learning in order to achieve the key purpose of evaluation—to improve teaching and learning.
This publication describes teacher evaluation models that support teacher development. Chapter 1, "The Need to Support Teachers' Professional Growth," discusses the importance of a collegial school environment and where most of the support will occur. Chapter 2, "Types of Teacher Evaluation," describes formative and summative evaluation. Chapter 3, "SERVE's Formative Teacher Evaluation Program," describes SERVE's program, then offers an overview of formative teacher evaluation approaches, commonalities among five formative evaluation approaches, and the kind of differences that formative teacher evaluation approaches can make. Chapter 4, "What Did Educators Have to Say About Participation in Formative Teacher Evaluation Approaches?" discusses why teachers and administrators made the change to formative evaluation, noting characteristics of participating teachers, impact on principals, impact on teachers, impact on students, and bar...
2017
Many teacher evaluation systems in use today were developed over 100 years ago and reflect what educators believed about teaching, which included only a few observable behaviors. Furthermore, many teachers find the evaluative process ineffective for professional improvement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the teacher evaluation process, and how international teachers perceive the impact of school leadership practices for effective teacher evaluation. This study's theoretical framework focused on the attributes found within transformational and transactional leadership practices, and how these affect the evaluation process. The research study provided evidence that teachers want transformational school leaders who are experienced and knowledgeable, and trustworthy. They also want school administrators to have effective communication skills, provide recognition to teachers, and provide specific feedback for improvement. Additionally, they explained that effective teacher evaluations promote self-reflection to improve their professional practice.
Teacher Leadership: An Assessment Framework for an Emerging Area of Professional Practice
2010
Abstract This paper examines various definitions and frameworks that have been used to justify the emergence of a new category for the teacher professional: teacher leader. The emergence of this new professional category may lead to greater retention levels, and improved knowledge management and transfer within the teaching profession. Various key dimensions of this profession are examined, allowing us to highlight some key personal skills that would appear requisite for the teacher leader.
2017
Title of Dissertation: TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHER EVALUATION USING THE TEACHER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AND FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO TEACHER QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, AND INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT OVER TIME Alexander C. Jaffurs, Doctor of Education, 2017 Dissertation Directed by: Patricia M. Richardson, Ph.D Department of Education The primary purpose of teacher evaluation is to improve teaching practice, which results in increased student achievement. In practice, however, evaluation systems have been generally used as sorting mechanisms for identifying the lowest performing teachers for selective termination. The school system in this study, like others, aspires to have all of its teachers consistently performing at a highly effective level. The problem of practice faced by the school system is the inability of a large number of teachers rated “effective” to summarily improve their practice over time and move to the “highly effective” rating. In essence, how does a ...
CAN EFFECTIVE EVALUATION PRACTICES BE THE KEY ELEMENT TO SUCCEED TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL GROWTH?
Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 2022
The ultimate goal of this article is to present and understand the possibilities that arise through the evaluation of the educational project in the teacher's professional development, as well as the improvement of the school unit, which has emerged in recent years from modern international literature. The evaluation should be approached in the sense of improvement, emphasizing effective, but at the same time, alternative practices, which have multiple benefits to the levels of the teacher, the Principal, the school unit, and, by extension, the education system. In addition, it should focus on the essence of the process and, at the same time, promote the cultivation of evaluation culture as a process of improving the quality of the education provided. By focusing on promotion and utilizing alternative evaluation practices, educational systems can achieve effectiveness at all levels. In particular, through the adoption of alternative evaluation practices, such as mentoring, peer coaching, teaching observation, self-assessment of the teacher, and evaluation by the leader/external evaluator and/or by the students promoting continuous improvement. In the current time of uncertainty, alternative evaluation practices can be applied in a similar way through digital methods. The utilization of multiple resources for evaluation is the key to providing an effective evaluation system. Keywords: Evaluation Practices, Teacher’s Development, School Improvement.
2017
Many teacher evaluation systems in use today were developed in the early mid-1900s and reflect what educators believed about teaching at the time, which included only a few observable behaviors (Danielson & McGreal, 2000). Furthermore, many teachers find the evaluative process ineffective for professional improvement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the teacher evaluation process, and how international teachers perceive the impact of school leadership practices for effective teacher evaluation. This study’s theoretical framework focused on the attributes found within transformational and transactional leadership practices, and how these affect the evaluation process. The research study provided evidence that teachers want transformational school leaders who are experienced and knowledgeable, and trustworthy. They also want school administrators to have effective communication skills, provide recognition to teachers, and provide specific feedback for improveme...
Enhancing the Professionalization of Teachers through Effective Leadership Training
1990
Effective leadership techniques are needed by professional teachers both in the classroom and in interactions with other professionals. Issues related to appropriate leadership styles and leadership training are discussed and include: (1) leadership styles; (2) characteristics of a leader; (3) how leadership characteristics are developed; (4) what followers want from their leaders; (5) myths about leaders; (6) the role of stress; and (7) ways to select an appropriate leadership style for a specific situation. Selected instruments (not included) were administered concerning the following: (1) identifying what good leadership is; (2) identifying one's leadership characteristics; (3) identifying one's specific leadership situation; (4) identifying one's stress level and how this influences one's leadership abilities; (5) how to select a specific situational leadership style; and (6) improvement checklists. A review of the research yielded the following list of leadership qualities: