GCN-G2 - Administrator's Handbook for Teacher Evaluation

SECTION G Guidelines: Personnel


Principal’s Handbook For Teacher Evaluation

The following handbook has been developed for administrators to use as a guide for evaluating teachers at their respective schools.  It contains ideas and examples for you to refer to as you work through the process of evaluating staff members.  Please feel free to use the material that best assists you in evaluating your staff in accordance to the divisional policy. The evaluation process is based on the research of Danielson (2013).

Skills required by administrators to carry out teacher performance evaluations.

Thoughts on classroom evaluation.

There are a number of issues to consider with regard to the fairness of the classroom evaluation itself.  A teacher should be evaluated on the basis of his or her observed performance over a period of time.  This means that each visit to the classroom must be of reasonable length and sufficient to make and record useful observations.  It also means that the total time spent in all visits to a teacher’s class must be sufficient to permit reasonable conclusions regarding the teacher’s performance.  More time should be built into an evaluation in certain circumstances.  These include circumstances where a teacher is working with a new class or subject area, or where interruptions such as fire alarms or illness, prevent proper conditions for an evaluation.

There may also be matters, which require further investigation by an evaluator.  For instance, where unsatisfactory classroom management is evident, the evaluator may wish to inquire as to whether the children in question present problems in other classes as well.  This investigation can serve to explain the teacher’s problems or refute the excuse of a “bad day”.  The classroom visit has obvious limits as an evaluation tool since it only reveals the lesson as a final product.  It cannot reveal the elements of planning and the reasoning behind the instruction decisions made by the teacher.  An evaluator should combine his or her observations in the classroom with data gained at the pre-conference and from other sources as outlined in the Professional Staff Evaluation Document Appendices and be prepared to ask follow-up questions of the teacher to tie up any loose ends which become evident in the classroom.

Formative or Summative Evaluation?

Teachers working under a term contract with the division will be evaluated twice each school year using the formative form. This evaluation must be completed by November 15 and again April 15 each year.

Teachers working under a general contract will be evaluated using the summative form.

Where is Your Working Space?

This evaluation process is intended for teachers who are meeting or exceeding professional expectations. Careful thought needs to be made in deciding where and how the principal and the teacher will work on documents and where they will archive their work. It is acceptable to use Google Apps for Education as your working space and for archival purposes. It is the responsibility of the principal and teacher to use appropriate passwords and other security measures to protect the integrity and privacy of their own work. A final copy of documents needs to be digitally or physically signed and submitted to the superintendent’s department.

Document Flow Considerations

Formative Evaluation

The Prairie Spirit School Division has in place a policy for evaluating the teaching practices of new teachers and teachers working under a term contract.  This portion of the evaluation policy is designed to provide early feedback to the teacher. The evaluation process should be applied consistently and fairly.  The purpose of this system is, among other things, to foster excellence in teaching, improve the quality of instruction, acknowledge effective teaching strategies and assist the teacher in self-evaluation (reflection).

It is important that this policy be carefully followed by principals and others responsible for its implementation.  This is to provide a consistent and non-arbitrary application of the process to all teachers.

Important Dates for Formative Evaluation

          

As a guideline, you must make sure that the following steps are taken in order to meet both academic and legal obligations:

It is the responsibility of the principal to implement this process at the school level.  While the established guidelines must be adhered to, factors within each school may require flexibility from the principal and his or her staff to properly complete teacher evaluations.  These factors may include the size of the school, the grade levels taught, academic streams, class subjects, the experience and skill of the staff, labour relations and staff morale, board policies, collective agreements and past performance of the school’s teachers.

Summative Evaluation

The Prairie Spirit School Division has in place a policy for evaluating the teaching practices of its teachers.  This portion of the evaluation policy is designed to assist the vast majority of teachers whose performance meets or exceeds expectations.  The evaluation process should be applied consistently and fairly.  The purpose of this system is, among other things, to foster excellence in teaching, improve the quality of instruction, acknowledge effective teaching strategies and assist the teacher in self-evaluation and professional growth.

The procedure for implementing the policy is outlined in the policy document.  It is important that this policy be carefully followed by principals and others responsible for its implementation.  This is to provide a consistent and non-arbitrary application of the process to all teachers.

Important Dates for Summative Evaluation

As a guideline, you must make sure that the following steps are taken in order to meet both academic and legal obligations:

It is the responsibility of the principal to implement this process at the school level.  While the established guidelines must be adhered to, factors within each school may require flexibility from the principal and his or her staff to properly complete teacher evaluations.  These factors may include the size of the school, the grade levels taught, academic streams, class subjects, the experience and skill of the staff, labour relations and staff morale, board policies, collective agreements and past performance of the school’s teachers.

The Pre-conference

A pre-conference to be held in advance of a classroom visit by the evaluator is a vital step in the process.  It allows the teacher to participate in his or her own evaluation.  It is also a forum for the continued communication, which is the hallmark of a formal evaluation process.  The overall goal of the pre-conference is to review the evaluation process with the teacher and agree upon any matters that require input from the teacher in question.

There are a number of considerations that should be discussed with the teacher in the pre-conference.  These include:

In addition, documentation of the matters considered and the conclusions reached at the pre-conference must be prepared.  A copy of this summary must be provided to the teacher for confirmation to avoid misunderstandings at the beginning of the process.  The results of this conference should also be copied into the teacher’s personnel file and included in the final evaluation report.

Useful suggestions for principals to lead effective principal-teacher conferences:

Components of a Pre-observation Conference

Before the Lesson

…..teacher and observer discuss/clarify (in any sequence):

During the lesson the observer records whatever data was agreed upon in the pre-conference.

Possible Methods of Data Collection

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation

Component 1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy

Documentation: teachers provide evidence of their evolving knowledge of content and pedagogy by developing instructional plans and participating in professional growth activities. (examples: - preparing lessons based on recently accepted views of best practice e.g. using a process approach to teach writing)

Taking graduate-level courses in a discipline or in general teaching techniques.

Taking an active role in adapting the new content standards and curriculum frameworks to their teaching.

Component 1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of Students

Documentation: Completing the Knowledge of Students and Resources Sheet.

Also evident in the learning experiences teachers create for their students.

Component 1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes

Documentation: Teachers state their instructional goals and describe how the goals relate to curriculum guidelines and goals.  They can also explain how the goals are appropriate for their students.  The suitability of instructional goals for a diverse group of students is best observed during a classroom visit.

Component 1d:  Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources

Documentation:  Complete the Knowledge of Student Resources Sheet

Component 1e: Designing Coherent Instruction

Documentation:  This is demonstrated by designing a unit plan encompassing several weeks.  That time span enables teachers to demonstrate their skill in organizing and sequencing activities to engage students in learning, in using a variety of materials and groups appropriately.  This planning skill is best demonstrated through the Three-Week Unit Plan and The Instruction Plan for a Single Lesson.

Component 1f:  Designing Student Assessments

Documentation:  Use the Instruction Plan for a Single Lesson

Domain 2:  The Classroom Environment

Component 2a: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

Documentation:  Demonstrate skill in establishing an environment of respect and rapport through their words and actions in the classroom.

Component 2b:  Establishing a Culture for Learning

Documentation:  Found primarily in the classroom itself, where it is evident from the look of the room (which shows the student work), nature of the interactions, and tone of the conversations. Teacher’s instructional goals and activities, described in the Instructional Plan for a Single Lesson.

Component 2c:  Managing Classroom Procedures

Documentation:  Evidence is obtained through classroom observation and teacher explanation.

Component 2d:  Managing Student Behavior

Documentation:  This skill must be observed in the classroom.  Standards of conduct must be frequently inferred because they may not be apparent in a smooth running classroom.  Student behavior indicates that a teacher has established standards at the beginning of the year and has maintained them consistently.  Articulation is fine but implementation is critical.

Component 2e:  Organizing Physical Space

Documentation:  Must be observed.  Although teacher may explain how they enhance environment and use it as a resource for learning but implementation is essential.

Domain 3:  Instruction

Component 3a:  Communicating with Students

Documentation:  This is derived primarily from classroom observation.

Component 3b:  Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

Documentation:  The skill of questioning and discussion techniques is seen almost exclusively in classroom observation.  It is possible to use the Instruction Plan for a Single Lesson (p42) to find the initial questions to be used.

Component 3c:  Engaging Students in Learning

Documentation:  The best method for witnessing this is through observation.  Other possible methods include an Instructional Artifact Sheet, a videotape of a class and examples of student work.

Component 3d:  Using Assessment in Instruction

Documentation:  Feedback can be witnessed during a classroom observation but it is generally documented in other ways. Examples would be a teacher portfolio containing examples of student work with teacher or peer comments.

Component 3e:  Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness

Documentation:  This can best be observed in a classroom.  It must be noted that there are many lessons in which no such opportunities arise.  This does not mean a sign of rigidity; rather it may reflect a lack of opportunity.

Domain 4:  Professional Responsibilities

Component 4a:  Reflecting on Teaching

Documentation:  This can be documented by completing a sheet similar to the Reflection Sheet.  It may also be demonstrated through professional conversation with colleagues.

Component 4b:  Maintaining Accurate Records

Documentation:  This information is derived from portfolio items such as a grade book, skills worksheet, and results of student assessments and records of non-instructional duties.

Component 4c:  Communicating with Families

Documentation:  Can be documented by maintaining a Family Contact log (p49) that provides information about contacts with families of students.  Other items to consider are things like a class newsletter and notes set home.

Component 4d:  Participating in the Professional Community

Documentation:  This can be done by completing a log to record activities in this area.

Component 4e:  Growing and Developing Professionally

Documentation:  This can be documented by completing and maintaining some sort of Professional Development log.

Component 4f:  Showing Professionalism

Documentation:  Teachers display their professional ethics in daily interactions with students and colleagues.

Helpful Forms

The forms are located in the shared folder and are available for use as needed. Other forms may be used at the discretion of the principal.

Classroom Observation

Classroom observation is the best setting in which to witness essential aspects of teaching. e.g. the interaction between teacher and students and among students.  A trained observer can note how the teacher structures the physical environment, how the teacher engages students in learning and how he or she establishes and maintains standards of conduct.

Thoughts on classroom visits

There are a number of issues to consider with regard to the fairness of the classroom evaluation itself.  A teacher should be evaluated on the basis of his or her observed performance over a period of times and on the additional data as outlined in The Professional Staff Evaluation Document (Appendix 1).  This means that each visit to the classroom must be of reasonable length, sufficient to make and record useful observations. It also means that the total time spent in all visits to a teacher’s class must be sufficient to permit reasonable conclusions regarding the teacher’s performance.  More time should be built into an evaluation in certain circumstances.  These include circumstances where a teacher is working with a new class or subject area, where the teacher is new to the school or where interruptions, such as fire alarms or illness, prevent proper conditions for an evaluation.

There may also be matters, which require investigation by an evaluator.  For instance; where poor classroom management is evident in an evaluation, the evaluator may wish to inquire as to whether the children in question present problems in other classes as well.  This investigation can serve to explain the teacher’s problems or refute the excuse of a “bad day”.  The classroom visit has obvious limits as an evaluation tool since it only reveals the lesson as a final product.  It cannot reveal the elements of planning and the reasoning behind the instruction decisions made by the teacher.  An evaluator should combine his or her observations in the classroom with information gained at the pre-conference and be prepared to ask follow-up questions of the teacher to tie up any loose ends, which become evident in the classroom.

Tips for classroom visits

The Post-conference

The post-conference shall be scheduled before the classroom visits occur and take place within three teaching days following the observation.  This will allow the participants to recall the classroom visit while the details are fresh in their minds.  Also, it will allow the teacher to prepare his or her thoughts for the meeting and reflect on his or her performance in advance.  This will make other goals of the post-conference easier to accomplish.  The post-conference must occur in advance of the preparation of the final report.  This allows the teacher to contribute to the content of the report, building fairness into the process.  Also, the teacher will be more likely to feel as though he or she has been dealt with fairly upon receiving the report.

A post-conference with the teacher following a classroom visit can serve a number of purposes.  It permits the evaluator to communicate his or her thoughts and concerns to the teacher for the first time.  Observations made in the classroom should be discussed in light of the pre-conference and self-evaluation (reflection).  The contents of a draft report can be discussed so that the teacher will understand the conclusions to appear in the final report.  The evaluator and teacher can also discuss weak areas of performance and develop attainable goals for improvement.  To this end, the principal can begin to meet his or her duty by offering various forms of assistance and agreeing upon a reasonable amount of time for improvement.  What constitutes a reasonable period of time will vary in each circumstance, but a period of some weeks or a few months offers a reasonable guideline.  The post-conference will also permit the teacher and evaluator to ask any questions which arose during the classroom visit, and the teacher should be invited to ask questions.

As always, the evaluator must accurately document the results of the post-conference.  The teacher must receive a copy of the results and acknowledge receipt of the copy.  The conclusions/recommendations reached in the post-conference should also appear in a summative report and a copy should be placed in the teacher’s personnel file.

Questions for Post-Observation Conferences

After the lesson

…the teacher reflects…the evaluator follows the lead of the teacher

As it is relevant or when the teacher asks for it, the evaluator shares data and asks related questions.

The Summative Report

The most important element in documenting teacher performance is the written summative report.  This report should be representative of the entire evaluation process.  In other words, the report should be open, honest, constructive, clearly worded, focused on its objectives and fair.  The document should form  a summary of the process from the beginning, listing the conclusions reached by the evaluator and teacher at each step.  In most cases this report should be an affirmation of a teacher’s competence and professional growth.  This summative report is the main document from which a teacher will gage his or her performance.  Therefore, the report must provide a reference point for the teacher’s strengths, weaknesses and goals for the future.

There are a number of factors to consider in preparing the summative report:

The principal should ensure that the teacher has been permitted to sign a copy of the report, indicating his or her acknowledgement of its contents and that it has been discussed with the evaluator.  The signature need not indicate the teacher’s agreement with the report’s conclusions.

Appeal Procedure

If a teacher wishes to appeal the formal evaluation report, the teacher will first discuss the report with the evaluator. Failing a satisfactory resolution to the above:


Guideline Number:  GCN-G2Guideline Title:       Administrator's Handbook for Teacher Evaluation
Adoption Date:    Amendment Date(s):   Legal Reference: 
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