After looking over the VA Guidelinesfor Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria forTeachers and the Greene article (from Forbes) what are your thoughts on teacher evaluation?
The VA Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards, describe current teacher evaluation as ineffective, Current teacher evaluation only distinguishes between satisfactory and unsatisfactory teaching, it does not provide enough feedback to continue improvement among satisfactory teachers. I think this is a clear reflection of over reliance on standardized testing scores for rating teacher performance.
I always thought that teacher evaluations were kind of weird. Especially when the teacher was told beforehand that someone would come to the classroom because once they knew this, there was going to be someone who would change the way that they acted and taught. On the other hand, if it is a random evaluation and someone just randomly comes in, the students tend to get excited, making it harder for the teacher to continue to teach.
I think teacher evaluations are unnecessary unless there is a reason such as a teacher being reported by a student for misconduct. I think teachers being aware of evaluations before they actually happen is beneficial because who would want to be unprepared in front of their boss, in no profession would anyone not act a little differently in front of their boss. I think they can benefit teachers in ways because everyone likes confirmation that they're doing their job well but sometimes I think it can have the opposite effect.
I have always had a hard time understanding the process and idea of teacher evaluations. After reading the article I feel like these evaluations are simply inaccurate and can be biased. it comes down to satisfactory and unsatisfactory teaching. this idea basically groups teachers Into one or the other groups which is not always accounting for the teachers not really in the cern group but on the outside of it.
I think that in some ways teacher evaluations can play a part in maintaining an effective classroom and active learning environment but it doesn't seem crucial for a student's education. The evaluations may ensure that the teacher is doing what they are supposed to and it may benefit the students' learning experience but it seems redundant. The issues with the current evaluation system stood out to me because it focuses too much on paperwork routines and not only actually improving lessons. The problems with the system are concerning because if the teachers are being evaluated but the evaluations aren’t making much of an impact, are they even necessary?
Ive never understood why teacher evaluations are a thing, especially in highschool teachers who were getting evaluated almost begged their students to be well behaved which at the time i thought it was silly, but now i kind of understand how they are intended to make sure the kids are learning what they need to, instead during those classes my classmates would often doze off because we did not feel engaged in the lesson. I preferred the teacher to add their own spin to the lesson rather then read off of a paper.
I think that the idea of teacher evaluations comes from a place of wanting to make sure students are getting a good education, but the reality of most teacher evaluations is that they don't produce accurate data. I think it's really hard to evaluate teachers especially if there is a new person coming into the classroom because for one it could make the teacher more nervous and that could throw them off while they are teacher throughout the day, it could also effect the behavior of the students if there is a new person in the classroom that is not usually there. I also think it is hard to evaluate a teacher from just one or even a couple days observing them because they are teaching five days a week every week and they may have different lesson plans or activities depending on the day.
I think teacher evaluations aren't necessarily a bad thing but the over frequency of them can be kind of demeaning. I would definitely understand if multiple students or a good majority are failing a class with the teacher I would definitely understand having to sit in a class and see how the teacher if functioning while teaching. When it gets to the point of nitpicking and weekly or even daily evaluations it gets very frustrating I would assume especially since they seem that they have no trust in said teacher and handling a class. You want to make sure that teachers are doing and following the standards of learning and you want to make sure that the students are safe, happy and comfortable in the environment with the teacher since that is most important, but if you recognize a teacher is doing their part in and doing it well then the number of evaluations should drop but not be non-existent it's good to check up on them see how they're doing see, how the students are doing and go from there.
Teacher evaluations suck. They make it hard for the teachers to teach as normal because it can be a bit of a distraction. Then there is things like when they have other teachers evaluate each other which they do not get paid for like I feel like that is someone higher ups job. My mom gets forced to evaluate her coworkers which takes time away from the work she has to do. Overall I don’t imagine it is effective for anyone involved the teachers and the students.
The VA Guidelines emphasize a balanced approach that includes multiple performance measures, such as student academic progress, and observation of classroom practice, and stakeholder feedback. This multifaceted approach aims to provide a fair and constructive evaluation that not only assesses teacher effectiveness but also encourages professional growth.
On the other hand, the Greene article from Forbes might discuss the practical challenges and implications of such evaluation systems in the real world. It could highlight the importance of ensuring that these systems are implemented with fidelity and are truly reflective of a teacher's impact on student learning.
Despite the claims many admin and higher-ups make about evaluations they rarely benefit anyone but then the people at the top. As mentioned in the article(s) these evaluations are unpredictable with some even occurring without the instructor's knowledge! Not only that but the results given cannot possibly give any information of value as they are only rated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. After reading it seems that these evaluations rather than helping teachers' development instead gives an in for admin to fire teachers based on a ten-minute snippet of a situation some have never even been in. And while people may argue that it serves as a check on teachers, I argue how could it help teachers if it compares them based on a flawed system administered by admin who usually have little teaching experience themselves.
After looking at the guidelines, I think they were created with good intentions of course, but they are poorly executed. For one, the frequency of evaluations seems unnecessary. An evaluation halfway through the year and at the end seems good. Also the fact that teaching methods have to be researched based off a groups of kids that are different than the group they are teaching doesn't seem right. If a teacher has an unorthodox way of teaching that works for their kids and results in the material resonating with them, their performance should not be deemed ineffective simply because it's not a researched method.
I think teacher evaluations are important when needed however, it can be really stressful for a teacher to have to do that especially when they may not even need to do that evaluation in the first place. Teachers take time very seriously and I think they could be using this time to do something else rather than being forced to do an evaluation. I do think they can be essential for some teachers either having issues with their class or just needing that confirmation that they are doing well.
I think teacher evaluations are necessary because teachers deserve to know how they can improve their practices, and students deserve to have teachers that are up to high quality standards. However, I understand that they are unfair in some ways and dont always work effectively. I think changes could be made to eliminate bias and make the evaluations more accurate and helpful for teachers. I think it would also make sense to get input from the students themselves because they're the entire reason you're getting teacher evaluations in the first place. I think it's cool how in college we have the opportunity to do course evaluations for our professors, and maybe they could start doing something like that in secondary schools. It probably won't be fully accurate information because some students might not give their full honesty, but it would at least be something.
I actually talked to my teacher that I interviewed about teacher evaluations. The administrators usually have their own ideas of what they think a teacher should do and how their classroom should function. Often times a teacher doesn't follow their ideas and can get reprimanded for it. I just think teacher evaluations are kind of dumb since it doesn't show what a classroom actually looks like every day, especially when students act better behaved when being evaluated.
I think teacher evaluations are necessary for mostly the teachers so that they can learn what they need to improve on or what really works for their students, however, I do not see many benefits for the students if these evaluations are being made by people other than the students. Students should be the evaluators and I think a midway and end of year admin evaluation would be ok but other than that I do not see a large significance for the students because they will also most likely act up or be on their best behavior due to frequent evaluations which isn’t going to show a realistic outcome
Based on the guidelines I read, my thoughts on teacher evaluations are that they were made because they wanted something that would be able to be a system to grade teachers based on whether they were following the way the county wanted them to teach. Yet I think evolutions don't accurately grade the teacher because many teachers have different ways of teaching based on what works for their classroom and the students they have for the class that current year.
The Greene article specifically talks about Common Core - which are national standards by which students 'should' reach - and it's lack of success. I wouldn't necessarily call it a failure, but maybe there are some aspects that we can use moving forward as we unlock our understanding of how education systems function. We get so caught up in judgement, that we leave little room for reflection which is what I think this country needs. In reality, we tend to be harder on ourselves then others, so i'd be curious to see how evaluations would shift if we focused more on how we felt about our performance in congruence with test scores and outside opinion. I'm also curious how we compare federal and state evaluations. For example, say I got a high review according to VA standards but fell behind on the national scale, what does that mean and to what degree do these results affect my career? I mean if I'm being honest, the demand for teachers are so high right now that I don't really believe evaluations actually mean anything...except that you won't get a raise. No one is getting a raise these days, so nothing really matters. Just teach your heart out and the rest will work itself out.
I have always thought that teacher evaluations are not helpful. I feel like they construct more criticism than good. I understand that a a teacher we have to reach certain goals and standards. Although coming into the class when an admin is not normally in there offers distraction and brings a very tense energy into the room. As a student I think it takes away from the lesson. As a teacher i think it may cause nerves and show that the teacher works well with her group of students but not while being watched by a hawk. I think overall teachers should not have to go uder this pressure. I do not think enough suppourt and evidence comes from it!
I think it’s good to have standards for teachers. Making sure that teachers are meeting those standards via evaluations plays a part in making sure teachers are doing at least the bare minimum, but I also believe that there needs to be more flexibility when evaluating teachers because teachers don’t all teach the same. I also think they’re beneficial to teachers when it comes to growth and learning to change with the changing generations and education standards. One issue I have is that the person who evaluates the teacher is not always in their classroom, and may only see a few lessons out of many, so a teacher might not cover all eight of the performance standards (professional knowledge, instructional planning, instructional delivery, etc.) perfectly in one lesson, it’s not possible. I think students should have more of a say in evaluations since they are the ones around the teacher the most, and I believe there should be more than one adult evaluator because people interpret these standards differently.
I think that teacher evaluations can be important but not always necessary. I think that most teachers are in their classrooms doing their best to teach their students and get all the information out to their students. I think that there are better ways to give teachers constructive criticism, hearing the things they need to do better is good but I think that evaluations can be anxiety-inducing for teachers. I think that overall evaluations need to be changed but they can still happen.
Teacher evaluation should encompass both performance assessment and support for professional development. It's essential that teachers receive constructive feedback and have access to resources aimed at enhancing their teaching methods. Conversely, standardized evaluation models might overlook the varied teaching styles and environments. Thus, evaluation systems should be adaptable to cater to the specific requirements and situations of individual teachers and educational institutions.
I thought the evaluation process, though likely with good intentions in mind, feels unproductive for the classroom. A teacher should prove their teaching abilities through the overall success in their classroom and I feel should only be observed if a problem arises. Teachers who are truly problematic could simply perform for the teacher evaluators and show a non-natural version of their class.
I feel like the concept of a teacher "evaluation" makes sense and is necessary but I think the process of how it's actually used in schools is often biased, inaccurate, and done incorrectly. Teaching is complex and detailed so evaluating it as satisfactory or unsatisfactory is far too vague to actually be fully factual or beneficial to teachers and admin. A teacher should be able to prove their teaching skills in different forms and I believe it needs much reconstruction.
I think that teacher evaluations can be important and worth the time and attention to make sure that the kids are learning and getting the materials they need. I think that the process of evaluating a teacher isn't the best because the inaccuracy but I think that their are things that need to be fixed. I think that their needs to be more evaluating a teachers skill not the methods.
I believe teacher evaluations have great potential in maintaining teaching standards that support improvement. Feedback to new teachers especially can enhance their practices. Unfortunately, there are aspects to teacher evaluations that seem unfair. Virginia guidelines for evaluations don't seem to captivate one's teaching skills. Listening to student feedback should be included because a student's education is crucial. Being able to engage your students can be very difficult and if a teacher can captivate that skill it should be recognized. Instead of shunning teachers using constructive criticism should be the way to go. I really think watching a teacher over a few days won't capture a teachers skill of maintaining student engagement and their skills.
The VA Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards, describe current teacher evaluation as ineffective, Current teacher evaluation only distinguishes between satisfactory and unsatisfactory teaching, it does not provide enough feedback to continue improvement among satisfactory teachers. I think this is a clear reflection of over reliance on standardized testing scores for rating teacher performance.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that teacher evaluations were kind of weird. Especially when the teacher was told beforehand that someone would come to the classroom because once they knew this, there was going to be someone who would change the way that they acted and taught. On the other hand, if it is a random evaluation and someone just randomly comes in, the students tend to get excited, making it harder for the teacher to continue to teach.
ReplyDeleteI think teacher evaluations are unnecessary unless there is a reason such as a teacher being reported by a student for misconduct. I think teachers being aware of evaluations before they actually happen is beneficial because who would want to be unprepared in front of their boss, in no profession would anyone not act a little differently in front of their boss. I think they can benefit teachers in ways because everyone likes confirmation that they're doing their job well but sometimes I think it can have the opposite effect.
ReplyDeleteI have always had a hard time understanding the process and idea of teacher evaluations. After reading the article I feel like these evaluations are simply inaccurate and can be biased. it comes down to satisfactory and unsatisfactory teaching. this idea basically groups teachers Into one or the other groups which is not always accounting for the teachers not really in the cern group but on the outside of it.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI think that in some ways teacher evaluations can play a part in maintaining an effective classroom and active learning environment but it doesn't seem crucial for a student's education. The evaluations may ensure that the teacher is doing what they are supposed to and it may benefit the students' learning experience but it seems redundant. The issues with the current evaluation system stood out to me because it focuses too much on paperwork routines and not only actually improving lessons. The problems with the system are concerning because if the teachers are being evaluated but the evaluations aren’t making much of an impact, are they even necessary?
Ive never understood why teacher evaluations are a thing, especially in highschool teachers who were getting evaluated almost begged their students to be well behaved which at the time i thought it was silly, but now i kind of understand how they are intended to make sure the kids are learning what they need to, instead during those classes my classmates would often doze off because we did not feel engaged in the lesson. I preferred the teacher to add their own spin to the lesson rather then read off of a paper.
ReplyDeleteI think that the idea of teacher evaluations comes from a place of wanting to make sure students are getting a good education, but the reality of most teacher evaluations is that they don't produce accurate data. I think it's really hard to evaluate teachers especially if there is a new person coming into the classroom because for one it could make the teacher more nervous and that could throw them off while they are teacher throughout the day, it could also effect the behavior of the students if there is a new person in the classroom that is not usually there. I also think it is hard to evaluate a teacher from just one or even a couple days observing them because they are teaching five days a week every week and they may have different lesson plans or activities depending on the day.
ReplyDeleteI think teacher evaluations aren't necessarily a bad thing but the over frequency of them can be kind of demeaning. I would definitely understand if multiple students or a good majority are failing a class with the teacher I would definitely understand having to sit in a class and see how the teacher if functioning while teaching. When it gets to the point of nitpicking and weekly or even daily evaluations it gets very frustrating I would assume especially since they seem that they have no trust in said teacher and handling a class. You want to make sure that teachers are doing and following the standards of learning and you want to make sure that the students are safe, happy and comfortable in the environment with the teacher since that is most important, but if you recognize a teacher is doing their part in and doing it well then the number of evaluations should drop but not be non-existent it's good to check up on them see how they're doing see, how the students are doing and go from there.
ReplyDeleteTeacher evaluations suck. They make it hard for the teachers to teach as normal because it can be a bit of a distraction. Then there is things like when they have other teachers evaluate each other which they do not get paid for like I feel like that is someone higher ups job. My mom gets forced to evaluate her coworkers which takes time away from the work she has to do. Overall I don’t imagine it is effective for anyone involved the teachers and the students.
ReplyDeleteThe VA Guidelines emphasize a balanced approach that includes multiple performance measures, such as student academic progress, and observation of classroom practice, and stakeholder feedback. This multifaceted approach aims to provide a fair and constructive evaluation that not only assesses teacher effectiveness but also encourages professional growth.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the Greene article from Forbes might discuss the practical challenges and implications of such evaluation systems in the real world. It could highlight the importance of ensuring that these systems are implemented with fidelity and are truly reflective of a teacher's impact on student learning.
Despite the claims many admin and higher-ups make about evaluations they rarely benefit anyone but then the people at the top. As mentioned in the article(s) these evaluations are unpredictable with some even occurring without the instructor's knowledge! Not only that but the results given cannot possibly give any information of value as they are only rated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. After reading it seems that these evaluations rather than helping teachers' development instead gives an in for admin to fire teachers based on a ten-minute snippet of a situation some have never even been in. And while people may argue that it serves as a check on teachers, I argue how could it help teachers if it compares them based on a flawed system administered by admin who usually have little teaching experience themselves.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the guidelines, I think they were created with good intentions of course, but they are poorly executed. For one, the frequency of evaluations seems unnecessary. An evaluation halfway through the year and at the end seems good. Also the fact that teaching methods have to be researched based off a groups of kids that are different than the group they are teaching doesn't seem right. If a teacher has an unorthodox way of teaching that works for their kids and results in the material resonating with them, their performance should not be deemed ineffective simply because it's not a researched method.
ReplyDeleteI think teacher evaluations are important when needed however, it can be really stressful for a teacher to have to do that especially when they may not even need to do that evaluation in the first place. Teachers take time very seriously and I think they could be using this time to do something else rather than being forced to do an evaluation. I do think they can be essential for some teachers either having issues with their class or just needing that confirmation that they are doing well.
ReplyDeleteI think teacher evaluations are necessary because teachers deserve to know how they can improve their practices, and students deserve to have teachers that are up to high quality standards. However, I understand that they are unfair in some ways and dont always work effectively. I think changes could be made to eliminate bias and make the evaluations more accurate and helpful for teachers. I think it would also make sense to get input from the students themselves because they're the entire reason you're getting teacher evaluations in the first place. I think it's cool how in college we have the opportunity to do course evaluations for our professors, and maybe they could start doing something like that in secondary schools. It probably won't be fully accurate information because some students might not give their full honesty, but it would at least be something.
ReplyDeleteI actually talked to my teacher that I interviewed about teacher evaluations. The administrators usually have their own ideas of what they think a teacher should do and how their classroom should function. Often times a teacher doesn't follow their ideas and can get reprimanded for it. I just think teacher evaluations are kind of dumb since it doesn't show what a classroom actually looks like every day, especially when students act better behaved when being evaluated.
ReplyDeleteI think teacher evaluations are necessary for mostly the teachers so that they can learn what they need to improve on or what really works for their students, however, I do not see many benefits for the students if these evaluations are being made by people other than the students. Students should be the evaluators and I think a midway and end of year admin evaluation would be ok but other than that I do not see a large significance for the students because they will also most likely act up or be on their best behavior due to frequent evaluations which isn’t going to show a realistic outcome
ReplyDeleteBased on the guidelines I read, my thoughts on teacher evaluations are that they were made because they wanted something that would be able to be a system to grade teachers based on whether they were following the way the county wanted them to teach. Yet I think evolutions don't accurately grade the teacher because many teachers have different ways of teaching based on what works for their classroom and the students they have for the class that current year.
ReplyDeleteThe Greene article specifically talks about Common Core - which are national standards by which students 'should' reach - and it's lack of success. I wouldn't necessarily call it a failure, but maybe there are some aspects that we can use moving forward as we unlock our understanding of how education systems function. We get so caught up in judgement, that we leave little room for reflection which is what I think this country needs. In reality, we tend to be harder on ourselves then others, so i'd be curious to see how evaluations would shift if we focused more on how we felt about our performance in congruence with test scores and outside opinion. I'm also curious how we compare federal and state evaluations. For example, say I got a high review according to VA standards but fell behind on the national scale, what does that mean and to what degree do these results affect my career? I mean if I'm being honest, the demand for teachers are so high right now that I don't really believe evaluations actually mean anything...except that you won't get a raise. No one is getting a raise these days, so nothing really matters. Just teach your heart out and the rest will work itself out.
ReplyDeletechels
DeleteI have always thought that teacher evaluations are not helpful. I feel like they construct more criticism than good. I understand that a a teacher we have to reach certain goals and standards. Although coming into the class when an admin is not normally in there offers distraction and brings a very tense energy into the room. As a student I think it takes away from the lesson. As a teacher i think it may cause nerves and show that the teacher works well with her group of students but not while being watched by a hawk. I think overall teachers should not have to go uder this pressure. I do not think enough suppourt and evidence comes from it!
ReplyDeleteHannah Falls
ReplyDeleteI think it’s good to have standards for teachers. Making sure that teachers are meeting those standards via evaluations plays a part in making sure teachers are doing at least the bare minimum, but I also believe that there needs to be more flexibility when evaluating teachers because teachers don’t all teach the same. I also think they’re beneficial to teachers when it comes to growth and learning to change with the changing generations and education standards. One issue I have is that the person who evaluates the teacher is not always in their classroom, and may only see a few lessons out of many, so a teacher might not cover all eight of the performance standards (professional knowledge, instructional planning, instructional delivery, etc.) perfectly in one lesson, it’s not possible. I think students should have more of a say in evaluations since they are the ones around the teacher the most, and I believe there should be more than one adult evaluator because people interpret these standards differently.
I think that teacher evaluations can be important but not always necessary. I think that most teachers are in their classrooms doing their best to teach their students and get all the information out to their students. I think that there are better ways to give teachers constructive criticism, hearing the things they need to do better is good but I think that evaluations can be anxiety-inducing for teachers. I think that overall evaluations need to be changed but they can still happen.
ReplyDeleteTeacher evaluation should encompass both performance assessment and support for professional development. It's essential that teachers receive constructive feedback and have access to resources aimed at enhancing their teaching methods. Conversely, standardized evaluation models might overlook the varied teaching styles and environments. Thus, evaluation systems should be adaptable to cater to the specific requirements and situations of individual teachers and educational institutions.
ReplyDeleteI thought the evaluation process, though likely with good intentions in mind, feels unproductive for the classroom. A teacher should prove their teaching abilities through the overall success in their classroom and I feel should only be observed if a problem arises. Teachers who are truly problematic could simply perform for the teacher evaluators and show a non-natural version of their class.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the concept of a teacher "evaluation" makes sense and is necessary but I think the process of how it's actually used in schools is often biased, inaccurate, and done incorrectly. Teaching is complex and detailed so evaluating it as satisfactory or unsatisfactory is far too vague to actually be fully factual or beneficial to teachers and admin. A teacher should be able to prove their teaching skills in different forms and I believe it needs much reconstruction.
ReplyDelete- allison bruehs
DeleteI think that teacher evaluations can be important and worth the time and attention to make sure that the kids are learning and getting the materials they need. I think that the process of evaluating a teacher isn't the best because the inaccuracy but I think that their are things that need to be fixed. I think that their needs to be more evaluating a teachers skill not the methods.
ReplyDeleteI believe teacher evaluations have great potential in maintaining teaching standards that support improvement. Feedback to new teachers especially can enhance their practices. Unfortunately, there are aspects to teacher evaluations that seem unfair. Virginia guidelines for evaluations don't seem to captivate one's teaching skills. Listening to student feedback should be included because a student's education is crucial. Being able to engage your students can be very difficult and if a teacher can captivate that skill it should be recognized. Instead of shunning teachers using constructive criticism should be the way to go. I really think watching a teacher over a few days won't capture a teachers skill of maintaining student engagement and their skills.
ReplyDeleteIliana
Delete