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How should personnel be evaluated?

Written By: Amy Carroll

Teachers should be evaluated on different aspects of their teaching. They should be evaluated on the efforts and ability to establish and enforce rules for behaviors and procedures for maintaing order among the students for whom they are responsible. Teachers also need to be able to observe and evaluate student's performances, behavior, or social development, and physical health. The teacher should be able to prepare material and classrooms for class activities. Also, the teacher should be able to adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet the students varying needs and interest. The teacher needs to be able to plan and conduct activities for a balance program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with the opportunities to observe questions and investigate.

Here are some main focusing on how and why teachers should be evaluated the way there are or should be. These are just a few aspects to consider for an evaluation.

Is this a teacher who is willing to take a risk for his/her students even if they fail or is this teacher who does only what he/she is told to do? Is this a person who is willing to try to make a difference in child's life by taking on a more difficult class or by teaching only the "smart kids"? Is this a teacher who is willing to take responsibility and criticism from other personnel and parents because their class is having too much fun or will the teacher put the child to sleep everyday by reading the lesson to them?

All children learn in different ways. Knowledge of instruction in relation to a student's need: The international Reading Associations position statement (1999) says there is no single method or single combination of methods that can successfully teach all children. Rather is the ability of a teacher to put together many pieces that are based on the needs of the child (Adams, 1990).

In my experience, the way most children learn is by engaging in active activities. When you are physically doing something, you are more energized and excited about what it is you are doing. If a teacher simply sits in the front of a classroom everyday and reads the lesson out loud to the students, they will get bored. Their mind will wonder, they will not pay attention, and they will not learn. You have to occupy the mind of a child to keep their attention and reading to them all day won't. If the teacher has an active assignment, the children feel as if they are actually doing something. The will become more excited about the class and this will make them want to learn.

In order to have an interactive class, the teacher needs to be willing to accept responsibility and criticism on this way of teaching. "The kids were being too loud", "Sally spilt glue on the carpet", "My child has marker on her pants" are all complaints the teacher may be addressed with. More than likely, someone will always complain. Hopefully the teacher will then be able to show the person complaining why it is important to teach in this manner and what the child has learned by being in this environment.

A teacher should also be evaluated on the children in the classroom, what they have learned, and how the teacher has made an impact on child's life. A good teacher will always be remembered. There are children who come from abusive families. The children come to school and act out what they have seen or been out through at home. Will this teacher, like most, label this child as a bad kid and keep punishing the child, or will this teacher take the time to try to help this child by raising their self confidence which they don't receive at their home. Instead of always telling Little Jimmy what it is that he has done wrong; tell him what it is that he has done right. "Good job" can go a long way in the mind of a child. A child who has felt he could do nothing right now has and will continue to try. It builds their self confidence and gives them a positive attention that they are not use to getting. A teacher can truly turn a child's life around. Any teacher can teach intelligent students but it takes and exceptional teacher to teach disruptive or challenged students.

"Teacher evaluation that captures the multiple teacher roles in changing the educational environment. Teachers themselves should also be engaged in the process of generating such criteria, if they are to accept them as a means for measuring their professional effectiveness".

Susan Carroll, a teacher of twelve years at South Hill Elementary School in Mecklenburg County, VA believes that the way she is evaluated is the most appropriate and effective method. In Mecklenburg County, they have what is called a “24/7 walk through”. A 24/7 Walk Through is where at anytime the members of the school bored or principle of the school can walk through any classroom at anytime and expect to see certain things. They must at all times have the objectives for the day on the chalk bored for everyone to see. They must have their lessons plans prepared and on their desk. The lesson plans must be turned in every other week. They have to comply and meet the criteria of the Standards of Learning. The children’s work should be exhibited in the classroom. There should also be a class schedule including the changing of classes for students to see. When any member of the county walks through a classroom, whether it is a parent, principle, or member of the school bored, should see theses things in a classroom.

Susan Carroll recently had a 24/7 Walk Through and received some very positive feedback from the principle. She stated that “Positive feedback from the principle makes the teachers want to do more. This is a very effective way. The 24/7 Walk Through helps to keep focus and everyone knows what they are doing at all times.”

She also states “School should be fun. It is up to us to make it fun. Not only will the children grasp the concept quicker, they will enjoy learning. We want children to enjoy learning!”

What have the students learned? What impact has the teacher made on the students? Is the teacher willing to accept responsibility and criticism from other personnel and parents in order for a child to achieve the desired amount of knowledge? Is the someone willing to take on more difficult task such as a disruptive class? These are just a few of the issues that should be addressed when evaluating a teacher.

Sidebar "Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life, those the art of living well". Aristotle

Resources

Educational Research v. 48 no. 1 (March 2006) p 1 – 20

Bureau of Labor Statistics 2004 wage data and 2004-2014 employment projections.

Adams, M. J. (1990). Beginning to read: Thinking and learning about print. Cambridge, MA: MIT.

Internet: http://www.odu.edu/edu/dwallen/eci301new/lecture12.htm

Carroll, Susan Personal Interview September 20, 2006. Teacher with 12 years of experience at South Hill Elementary School

Questions

1.	What is the name of the process of evaluation used in Mecklenburg County, VA? a.	24/7 Work Up b.	24/7 Walk Through c.	7/11 process of elimination d.	11/24 Walk Through Answer: b

2.	What is the best method of teaching? a.	Reading b.	Writing c.	Active learning d.	All of the Above Answer: d

3.	Who evaluates teachers? a.	Principles b.	Parents c.	Members of the School Board d.	All of the Above Answer: d

4.	When a child physically engages in an activity, it makes them: a.	tired b.	energized c.	moody d.	frustrated Answer: b

5.	Whys should objectives and class schedules be listed for everyone to see? a.	So everyone knows what they are doing at all times. b.	So a faculty member or school board member can complete an evaluation. c.	So parents can keep track of what their child is doing d.	All of the Above

Answer: d

Essay Question In what areas should teachers be evaluated? Teachers should be evaluated on different aspects of their teaching. They should be evaluated on the efforts and ability to establish and enforce rules for behaviors and procedures for maintaing order among the students for whom they are responsible. Teachers also need to be able to observe and evaluate student's performances, behavior, or social development, and physical health. The teacher should be able to prepare material and classrooms for class activities. Also, the teacher should be able to adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet the students varying needs and interest. The teacher needs to be able to plan and conduct activities for a balance program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with the opportunities to observe questions and investigate.

Here are some main focusing on how and why teachers should be evaluated the way there are or should be. These are just a few aspects to consider for an evaluation.

Is this a teacher who is willing to take a risk for his/her students even if they fail or is this teacher who does only what he/she is told to do? Is this a person who is willing to try to make a difference in child's life by taking on a more difficult class or by teaching only the "smart kids"? Is this a teacher who is willing to take responsibility and criticism from other personnel and parents because their class is having too much fun or will the teacher put the child to sleep everyday by reading the lesson to them?