If you look into the near future of education in Virginia, you will see that more stringent standards and processes for teacher evaluation may soon be in place. The “40% Solution” that is being reviewed is designed to align successful student performance with classroom observation, teacher evaluation and ultimately the evaluations for building principals. As building administrators prepare for the possible developments and changes in the process of formative assessments, it is helpful to read about techniques used to help in assisting classroom teachers during the evaluation process. School divisions in our nation use a variety of formats for formative evaluation and some effective actions to consider from one school are listed below.
In a recent article in the Huffington Post, an on-line news source, one practicing teacher outlined the five steps for evaluation employed by her department leader which she feels lead to her success as a teacher. Many of these practices are ones you may already be using in your school now.
1. My evaluator has strong content knowledge and credibility, so her feedback is useful, relevant, and actionable.
2. My evaluator pops into my classroom at least 10 times a year for 10-20 minutes, unannounced, announced or invited.
3. During her observations, my evaluator looks at student work and talks with students to guage understanding.
4. The main way my evaluator gives feedback is through short, verbal conversations very soon after each observation.
5. My evaluator aims, above all, to be useful.
If you would like to review this article, you may access it at www.huffingtonpost.com/teach-plus/5-teacher-evaluation-must_be_1446778.html
