Who Grades the Graders?

[groovedaddy]

While we had mixed feelings about President Obama’s plans for reworking the No Child Left Behind Act, he got it right when he called on the states to create credible systems for evaluating teachers and principals. But emulating the small number of schools that already have those systems will not be easy. It will mean creating a new school culture and redefining not just the roles of teachers, but the roles of principals and superintendents.

That message comes through in a study from the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank that has recently been zeroing in on this aspect of school policy. The study, by the researchers Morgaen Donaldson and Heather Peske, takes an illuminating look at the evaluation systems used in schools in three high- performing charter networks that educate mainly poor and minority children.

Charter schools run on public money but are often exempt from union contracts that can influence how and when teacher evaluations are done. In many conventional schools, for example, tenured teachers are evaluated only once every three or four years. Evaluations typically consist of one or two short classroom visits. Nearly every teacher passes, even at failing schools, and an overwhelming majority get top ratings.

The charter networks have developed a “culture of accountability,” in which every teacher receives a major evaluation every year. Beyond that, teachers get frequent observations — sometimes even weekly — accompanied by detailed feedback throughout the academic year. Student test scores factor into the evaluation, but the teachers are also rated on planning, presentation and whether or not they reach disparate groups of students by exploring material from different vantage points.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/opinion/21sun2.html?th&emc=th

[tonysam]

1. NYT is increasingly a right-wing rag when it comes to education

It is as if Eli Broad or Bill Gates were writing the editorials.

[FBaggins]

2. I'm not sure that that's the best way to put that.

I think that even much of the Democratic party is turning against the position of a majority of teachers.

[mzteris]

3. Not sure I understand that title -

I mean - I "understand" it - but it really makes no sense.

Ever other job in this country has accountability. Is it difficult to "evaluate" some? Sure. But that doesn't mean they get a pass. What's wrong with accountability? Yes, some in here keep saying "but the principal doesn't LIKE me!" - Well, guess what - there are PLENTY of BOSSES out there in the non-education world where people have to put up with bosses who don't "Like them". Who give out crappy reviews because you like the rival football team. Yeah, it sucks. But again, I'm not sure why it is that people believe that teachers should be exempt from evaluations?

Properly written and administered - an eval can be a very effective tool in improving education. They're not meant to be "punitive" - but an aide in improving skill. Here's where you're doing - good, great, okay, here's where you might need a little help - have you thought about doing it this way, or that? Maybe another....

I think that is one of the things you're seeing from "Average Americans" - Dems as well as pubs. They (we) aren't "anti-teacher" when we call for some measure, some indicator of the skill level of the people teaching our children.

I'm not sure why it's interpreted as some kind of PERSONAL INSULT to some on here to say that SOME - yes - SOME teachers suck. Whether they teach in a traditional, charter, private, religious, homeschool, etc - you name it. And for some reason, they get their back up over that "some" and choose to interpret the poster as saying - not only ALL - but YOU YOU YOU and get all bent out of shape and defensive.

When I say "some teachers" are bad, notice that also implies that the rest of that "whole" minus the "some" is "NOT BAD" - as in good. Hell, some are even great!

Can't we work together to figure out what makes a teacher "good" or "great". What criteria should be used to determine if a teacher is "bad" or merely needs more training?

If they could cut out the defensivenessa nd let's work on figuring out what works and what doesn't and how to help teachers teach and children learn to the best of both's abiities - then THAT's what I seek. That's what I want. I spend so much time defending pure junk insult, and we spend so much time trading barbed insults and name-calling - well hey! What about we all act like ADULTS and assume that people's positions on any given topic is not one geared just to piss you off - but an honestly held belief.

Why do you feel that way? Upon what do you base your opinion? What's your experience in this? Is your source credible? Has it been duplicated, verified? - - - Not as some "gotcha" bullshit, but as a way to garner valid information to move forward.

It does get so tiresome. I spend way more time debunking the - ah - junk - than I do getting to actually debate the merits and methods. FGS I just want some adult conversation on the subject!