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= **Welcome to the EDN566 Class Wiki on Teacher Evaluation** = =**Twenty six graduate students enrolled in a Teacher Evaluation and Supervision course at the University of North Carolina Wilmington contributed to the ideas below.** **Expand and edit the following as you see fit. ** = =**Effective teacher evaluation practices should lead to instructional improvement, increased student learning, and professional and personal growth of both evaluatee and evaluator.** = =**The DOs of teacher evaluation:** = =1. Make evaluation an expected part of daily life for teachers to avoid anxiety during observations and conferences.= =2. Stick to appointments you make with teachers for observations to the best of your ability!= =﻿3. Discuss with teachers specific areas about which they NEED feedback and focus on those areas.= =4. Provide prompt, personalized feedback and include positive comments along with areas for improvement.= =5. Reference teachers' professional development plans and provide feedback that will support their goals for growth.= =**6. Poor teacher evaluation practices can diminish instructional abilities of the teacher and then lead to a lack of student learning.** = =7. Be sure to give praise for all of the positive things that you observe.= =8. Remember that evaluation is designed to improve teaching practice.= =9. Support, support, and more support. Remember, many teachers work 70 hours a week and should be appreciated for their efforts. Work to maintain a positive feeling tone throughout the evaluation process so they know you are there to help and you value what they do.= =10. Use positive body language and tone of voice.= =11. Make sure that you watch the students during the observation to see how they are learning and if they are engaged.= ** 12. Do focus on the quality of work in which teacher engages students. ** ** 13. Do focus on the climate that the teacher has created in the classroom. (Is the classroom student-centered? Is the classroom environment conducive to student learning? Is the environment nurturing?) ** ** 14. Do focus on the student level of engagement. ** ** 15. Do look for evidence of solid lesson planning. ** ** 16. Do analyze the student-teacher relationships/interactions. (Does the teacher call on boys more than girls? Does the teacher speak to every student in the class during the period?) ** ** 17. Do make sure that lessons are aligned to state and national curriculum standards. ** ** 18. Do keep your appointment. ** ** 19. Do make sure that lessons are differientiated to help all students ** ** 20. If there is good teaching you will see it reflected in the students. Watch them. ** ** 21. Do get involved in the lesson. Become a student. (unless it seems to be too much of a distraction) ** ** 22. Do observe and on a consistent basis. Know what your teachers are capable of. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 23. Do know your observation tool. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 24. Do make the observation your priority. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 25. Be prepared to offer professional development in consistenly weaker areas to validate your observations. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 26. Do give the teacher a chance to reflect on the observation before making your own assumptions. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 27. Do have a pre-conference if at all possible. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 28. **** Actively listen to your faculty, staff, and all stakeholders. Too often people don't clarify people's meanings, and sometimes they are thinking more about what they want to say next rather than actively engaged in the conversation. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 29. Focus on the types of questions that are asked and the responses they elicit ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 30. Choose observation tools that are appropriate for the type of observation being conducted ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 31. Be a good, active listener. ** <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** 32. Don't turn into a control freak. Work with the teacher in an amicable and understanding manner to support their growth which will in effect support the growth of the students. **
 * <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">33. Use a coaching/supportive approach...teachers will be much more receptive to suggestions for improvement, if they know you're supporting them and not being critical of them. **
 * <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">34. Keep and open mind and be willing to learn from the teacher. The teacher may have new and different instructional practices from what you (as the observer) are used to, but that doesn't mean they're "wrong". **
 * <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">35. Always evaluate a teacher based on his/her own professional development and growth goals and how those goals are helping them to work towards promoting the success of all students. **
 * <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">36. Take into account what the students say about the teacher but filter it and listen to only the valid information. Try asking students what they like about the class or the teacher to get some input. **
 * <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">36. Use ****<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">input from from other parties including parents. **
 * <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">37. Use caution when soliciting information from outside sources. **
 * <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-indent: -0.25in;">38. Be Professional at all times, even when there is a personal relationship invovled. **

=<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**The DON'Ts of teacher evaluation:** = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**1. Try to talk to teachers frequently about their practices and ideas in order to validate them as a professional: DON'T make evaluations the only time you ever talk to teachers.** = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**2. Don't text on your cell phone during observations. Pretend the person sitting in front of you is the most important person in the world and treat him/her that way.** = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**3. Don't expect more from your teachers than you would be willing to put in to it if you were in their shoes.** = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Don't provide feedback in a non-private setting (school hallway, teacher lounge, parking lot, etc.). = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Don't focus only on negatives. = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Don't limit yourself to one type of evaluation (use class snapshots in addition to required evaluations) = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7. Don't make evaluations the only time that you go into the teacher's classroom. Go in to do model lessons, team teach, tutor kids, help with presentations or technology. Be there in a supportive role as well. = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8. Don't wait until the end of the school year to review an observation and then ask the teacher to back date the signature page. = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">9. Don't fake an observation. EVER. It makes it impossible for the teacher to respect you from that point forward, and they WILL discuss it with their colleagues. = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10. Try not to assume that teachers will understand implications about their teaching. Build a relationship from the beginning where you can be direct and honest so that teachers will understand your thoughts and ideas completely. = =<span style="color: #362121; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">11. Do not be condescending or sarcastic towards teachers during or after an observation. For example, "Like I really //need// to observe you since you're //the best//" is totally inappropriate.= =12. Don't tell other teachers about your observations of another teacher. It is confidential and should be kept so to maintain the trust, integrity, and professionalism of you and your teachers.= = ** 13. Don’t be closed-minded about the lesson. Perhaps there are glitches in the lesson because the teacher is trying something innovative and is still working out the “kinks” in the lesson, keep in mind available resources and possible substitutions. ** = = ** 14. Don’t offer empty feedback. For example: "Well, that was fabulous." What was, be specific, the preparation, questioning. . .etc. ** = = ** 15. Don’t offer suggestions that you can’t support with professional development. ** = = ** 16. Don’t be unclear about what you expect to see. ** = = ** 17. Don't have them sign the evaluation without good, clear feedback. ** = = ** 18. Don't assume you know it all. ** = =19. Don't be stoic. Embrace the "crazy" and you might see magic.= =20. Don't criticize. Encourage= =**21. Don't forget what it was like to be in their shoes**.= =**22. Explain your goals and objectives of the observations. The new forms are complicated and cumbersome at first. Many teachers, both veteran and new, could be confused about the wording of the evaluation tool.**= =23. Don't arbitrarily assign a rating or performance level that you can't support with data or that is based on a preconceived opinion.= =24. Keep personalities out of the process. If you are not able to be open-minded then a change needs to occur in the process.= =﻿25. Don't allow one incident or mistake to completely condemn the teacher, everyone is human, but discuss it in an open manner without being accusatory and try to make it a learning experience.= =**26. Don't rush through a post-conference...this is often the most important part of the evaluation process.**= =**27. Don't rush through observations just to "get them done". You can't expect a teacher to improve their practices, if you're not willing to lead them in that process.**= =28. Don't evaluate a teacher based solely on what is observed during one lesson. A pre and post conference are imperative to ensure that the observer is able to see how that one particular lesson fits into the big picture of the goals and objectives of that particular class.= =**29. Don't jump to conclusions - make sure to discuss things you see with the teacher you are evaluating.**=