Leadership Matters February 2014

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their own performance. The evaluator then returns to see if the performance has in fact changed and improved. The real accountability is in changing the performance, not rating the teacher. Components of a well -executed teacher evaluation include:  The evaluator carefully and accurately collects the facts about what is

occurring in the classroom during the observation. I encourage evaluators to look for FFT Domain/ Component 3c “Engaging Students in Learning”

first. They should be recording evidence of what the students are learning as a top priority of gathering evidence.  Next, the evaluator needs to know what an excellent teacher would do. This is where the FFT rubric is essential for describing what is expected. In addition to the FFT, both evaluators and teachers need to read and study about the Danielson work. A great resource is Danielson’s book “Implementing the Framework for Teaching in Enhancing Professional Practice.”  Next, the evaluator must direct the teacher regarding what the teacher needs to do to get better. I suggest that evaluators use “coaching” techniques for teachers who are at the Proficient Plus or better rating level. For those teachers rated lower than Proficient Plus, the evaluator will need to direct or

tell the teacher what they specifically need to do to get a better rating. At the Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory level, the evaluator should state emphatically exactly what the teacher must do to get better. The evaluator also must ensure that the teacher knows how to do what you are directing them to do.

The issue of using student growth in the teacher evaluation process will be required to be a significant part of the performance based teacher evaluation process for all teachers by 2016. Most school districts are just now starting to learn more about this process and there is still much to be discovered. As a member of the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC) since 2010 I can tell you that using student growth for teacher evaluation will be a very complicated and controversial

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