2010 rx for success
DESCRIPTION
Dr. Voltz's presentation on teacher remediation and teacher evaluation.TRANSCRIPT
Successful Remediation of the Unsatisfactory Teacher
Administrator Academy #1011
Goals for this academy
“Think of Students First”
To be able to know, describe and inform teachers what is effective instruction
“Fundamental Fairness”
What to do with Unsatisfactory
Teachers
Successfully terminate
poor teachers
NJ Governor message was as much to school leaders as to teachers.
"We have done a spectacularly lousy job
when it comes to teacher evaluation," he said
Learn how to use technology to
enhance classroom walkthroughs and teacher evaluation
Administrators will be far more effective when their classroom evaluation visits
are:■Unannounced, so they see everyday reality;
■Short, frequent, and systematic, so every teacher is visited at least 10 times a year and all aspects of instruction are sampled;
■Followed each time by a short, face-to-face conversations in which the principal and teacher focus on curriculum, methods, and results (struggling teachers would get more intensive supervision and support and an improvement plan);
■ Summed up in end-of-year evaluations with two dimensions: a rubric that gives detailed ratings at four levels — highly effective, effective, improvement necessary, and does not meet standards — and a report on each teacher team’s September-to-May student learning gains measured by high-quality during-the-year assessments.
Schools experimenting with these ideas are making dramatic progress. Let’s follow their lead, bring out the best in principals and teachers, and give all our kids the education they deserve.
If some of the slide printing is too
small you can view online at
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The presentation is constantly being
updated. View the online version for most accurate.
Performance Counts Act
Stand for Children In Illinois
• A great teacher and principal for every student• Schools with the flexibility and resources to meet
individual learning needs• College and career ready graduation standards• Assessments that measure critical thinking and
problem solving• Data systems that tell us if students are on track and
principals and teachers are helping their students adequately progress.
• Support for struggling students and intervention in chronically low-performing schools
• Expanded learning time, a rich curriculum, and teacher planning and collaboration.
Stand for Children In Illinois - Survey
• Four out of five of you believe it should be easier for principals to let ineffective teachers go – even if they have tenure.
• Three quarters of you believe that we should base tenure on how effective a teacher is at getting students to grow academically – not just on seniority.
• Not only do you support these changes, you believe they will dramatically improve Illinois schools.
• Nine out of 10 of you believe that school districts and teacher’s unions should have to engage in fact-finding before teachers can go on strike. That means spending more time trying to find a solution before a strike can happen – which has a big impact on families.
• Nine out of 10 of you also believe a strike should be used only as an absolute last resort.
Possible Outcomes
• Easier way to dismiss tenured teachers.
• Stand Group put $1M into last fall elections
• Group raised $2.6M before law changes
• Mirrored after Colorado law
Administrators need to do more...
• We need to evaluate teachers better.
• Need accountability systems
• Pressure will be on administrators
Pension Details
• Age 67 for full benefits
• Capping salaries to determine benefits at $106,800 with growth of 1/2 CPI-U
• Effective January 1, 2011
• Legislation is flawed
TRS on Pensions• The Chicago Tribune published a front-
page story that uses selective facts to say that Teachers' Retirement System is "$40 billion short of what's needed to cover future benefits.”
• The story is misleading because it never explains that the $40 billion "shortfall" is a long-term deficit that never comes due at one point in time. The "shortfall" is the unfunded portion of the System's total liability of $77 billion.
• TRS will have enough money to pay pensions this year and for many decades to come. TRS has carried an unfunded liability since 1953 and has always paid retired teachers on time. We have never missed a pension check. This story is old news.
• The main problem with the story is that it confuses the total TRS "mortgage" - $77 billion - with the "mortgage payment" - what the System needs in any one year to meet its pension and benefits obligation. This year that amount is $4.1 billion. Like any homeowner, we can't pay the mortgage off at one time, but we can make the mortgage payment.In fiscal year 2010 the TRS "mortgage payment" was $3.9 billion and our total revenue was $6.8 billion. We had more than enough money to cover those expenditures.The total liability never comes due because active teachers cannot collect their pension. Only retired teachers can collect a pension. For the total liability to come due at one point in time all teachers would have to be retired and school districts would have to be out of business.
• The story says that Illinois teacher pensions "get higher benefits, on average, than government retirees in most pension plans." The national average benefit is $30,642. The average TRS benefit is $40,798. While factually correct, that is true in part because retired teachers don't receive Social Security. Illinois teaches contribute more to their retirements than most teachers in other states. No one can consider $40,798 as an "extravagant" pension. It's very misleading.The TRS unfunded liability was created by state officials who since the 1950s decided not to give TRS all of the money required to cover current and future pension obligations. As a result, TRS has never been given the opportunity to function as it was designed to function. A system that has been properly funded can expect to have investment earnings pay for 60 percent to 65 percent of benefits. It is estimated that the state has held back as much as $14 billion in funding from TRS over the years. Because TRS has not had this money to invest, the difference has to be made up with higher contributions from taxpayers. Although TRS has exceeded its investment target over the last 25 years, investment income only pays for 49 percent of TRS benefits.
Can a state default on payments?
What will public demand?
Pension Reform
2% = $7BFY 12 Pension =
$6.2B
Collective Bargaining
Strike
Health Insurance
Guaranteed COLA
The next slide is really a Prezi.
If you want to view online go to
http://bit.ly/Voltz50Plan
Please write a question on the post-it-note that you would like addressed today.
If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got, and you'll always feel what you always felt.
2009 Urban Institute book.Its conclusion: Firing the least effective 6 to 10 percent of teachers would catapult American kids from near the bottom of the international pack in academic achievement to the top ranks.
NASSP Statement• States and districts should include multiple measures of
performance.
• Evidence of a teacher’s knowledge of subject matter;
• Skill in planning, delivering, monitoring, and assessing students’ learning;
• Skill in developing and maintaining positive relationships with students, parents, and colleagues;
• Knowledge and skill in pedagogical methods to meet the needs of students with an array of learning styles and needs;
• Commitment to students’ learning to their utmost potential
Thomas FriedmanOne of the more unusual and sobering press conferences I participated in last year was the release of a report by a group of top retired generals and admirals. Here was the stunning conclusion of their report: 75 percent of young Americans, between the ages of 17 to 24, are unable to enlist in the military today because they have failed to graduate from high school, have a criminal record, or are physically unfit.” America’s youth are now tied for ninth in the world in college attainment.
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Do you need some inspiration to act courageously?
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Change is coming!
The Widget Effect
Being an effective evaluator is hard!
Watch you thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your
actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become your
character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
What makes a great leader?
From Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business Review
• Intelligence
• Toughness
• Determination
• Vision
Value added
• A growing number of school districts have adopted a system called value-added modeling
• The system calculates the value teachers add to their students’ achievement, based on changes in test scores from year to year and how the students perform compared with others in their grade.
• William L. Sanders, a senior research manager for a North Carolina company, SAS, that does value-added estimates for districts in North Carolina, Tennessee and other states, said that “if you use rigorous, robust methods and surround them with safeguards, you can reliably distinguish highly effective teachers from average teachers and from ineffective teachers.”
What do principals actually do?
• Wallace Foundation Study
• 66.7% on management functions
• Student discipline, student supervision, employee discipline, office work/prep, building management, dealing with parents, attending management meetings
• 29.7% on instruction
• Working with students, observing teachers, conducting classroom visits, providing feedback to teachers, talking to parents about student learning, teaching/modeling, participating in professional development, planning curriculum, assessment
Management Functions
•Student discipline
•Student supervision
•Employee Discipline
•Office work/prep
•Building management
•Dealing with parents
•Attending management meetings
Instruction• Working with students
• Observing teachers
• Conducting classroom visits
• Providing feedback to teachers
• Talking to parents about student learning
• Teaching/modeling
• Participating in professional development
• Planning curriculum
• Assessment
Teachers Want• Specific feedback on the observation
and also what they need to do to improve
• A professional relationship with the coach/administrator that builds trust and confidence over time
Reference
Parini, J. (2005). The art of teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.
Research says...
• 1/2 students in school are not paying attention
• Reading textbooks is very important to academic success
• 83% of students like to discuss controversial topics in school
Students think school is boring...
Source: International Center for Leadership in Education
Do you ask students what they
think of school?
Do you involve students in school
improvement?
When you involve student/learners
you become “future focused.”
Source: International Center for Leadership in Education
School leadership is second only to
classroom teaching as an influence on
pupil learning.Source: International Center for Leadership in Education
School leaders improve teaching and learning indirectly and
most powerfully through their influence
on staff motivation and working conditions.
Source: International Center for Leadership in Education
“Without substantive conversations about real classroom practice, not
much transfer, reflection or application to teaching
practice will occur.”(Hord & Summers, 2008, p. 104)
"It is our job to know what is effective teaching practices and to hold
teachers accountable."Dr. Mike Schmoker
Success depends on...
• “The Teacher Effect makes all other differences pale in comparison.” William Sanders
• “Five years of effective teaching can completely close the gap between low-income students and others.” Marzano: Kain & Hanushek
Think-Pair-Share
Do all your teachers?
Check for understanding?
•Teach the adopted district curriculum?
•Utilize common assessments on a regular basis?
•Provide remediation based on data?
•Engage students?
•Teach bell to bell?
•Have students read, write, and discuss?
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Would you train teachers to learn how to pass out papers?
No Opt Out
Student does not know answer, teacher goes to another student. First
student is called on again to state answer.
Do you believe teachers can improve
by watching other excellent teachers?
Classroom Walkthroughs
Gather data points on teacher performance and discuss with all teachers.
Look for active engaged student learning.
Look for teachers who require students to read, discuss, and write about what they have read.
Checking for understanding is very important.
Have a common core curriculum and common quarterly assessments.
Doug Reeves• Classroom walkthroughs can be valuable
if they
• Are not judgmental
• Have the fingerprints of local teachers and administrators all over them
• Provide timely and effective feedback to teachers
• Are used primarily for improving teaching and learning
Formative Assessment
Other strategies for school
improvement• Peer Coaching
• Mentoring
• Action Research
• Data-driven Decision Making
• Group Analysis of Student Work
Doug Reeves
“There are no silver bullets in education, but writing – particularly nonfiction writing – is about as close as you can get to a single strategy that has significant and positive effects in nearly every other area of the curriculum.”
Bill Gates urges school budget
overhauls
He suggests they end teacher pay increases based on seniority and on master's degrees, which he says are unrelated to teachers' ability to raise student achievement. He also urges an end to efforts to reduce class sizes. Instead, he suggests rewarding the most effective teachers with higher pay for taking on larger classes or teaching in needy schools.
Secretary Duncan“The New Normal: Doing More With
Less”
Do not slash instructional timespent on task, eliminate the arts and foreign languages,
abandon promising reforms, and lay offtalented, young teachers.
It is our job to train teachers via professional development
Just Do It!
92.6% = Superior7% = Satisfactory
0.4% = Unsatisfactory
Four Ratings
Excellent
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
Student performance data will be a
significant factor in teacher or principal
evaluations
What does this mean?
How would you do it?
Implementation Dates
9/2012 for bottom 5% schools and some CPS
9/2015 for lowest 20%
9/2016 for everybody else
9/2012 for all principals
State responsibility…
ISBE RequirementsDefine methods to measure student growth
Define “significant factor”
Control for
Special education
ESL
Student attendance
Student mobility
Establish minimum requirements for teacher and principal evaluation instruments and procedures
Establish model evaluations plans that include 50% student growth
Will teacher tenure as we know it today be around in the near
future?
http://thehiddencostsoftenure.com/
Tenure frustrate drive for teacher
accountability Scott Reeder
-Of Illinois’ 876 school districts only 61, or 7 percent, have ever attempted to fire a tenured faculty member since the teacher evaluation reforms were imposed 18 years ago.
Of those 61 school districts, only 38 were successful in actually firing a teacher.
Of an estimated 95,500 tenured educators now employed in the state an average of only seven have their dismissals approved each year by a state hearing officer. Of those seven, only two on average are fired for poor job performance. The remainder is dismissed for issues of misconduct.
Dismissal doesn’t have to be difficult
Chet H. Elder
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You’re fired
is it possible to dismiss a tenured teacher?
dismissed employees
• Leave with a feeling of relief
• They end up with better paying jobs elsewhere
• A more satisfying career
• New sense of enthusiasm and contentment
say what you mean. mean what you say. but don’t
say it mean.
keep in mind that you’re taking this action to
improve the quality of education for kids.
important rules
• Keep the union informed
• Communicate, communicate, communicate
• Straightforward observation and evaluation reporting will guarantee that no teacher is ever shocked and surprised when he or she receive the final word.
actual evaluation
• Keep words to a minimum so they are easy to translate and defend.
• Do not confuse the teacher when you are at the “summative” position, be direct and easy to understand.
• Have a “Plan”
• Execute the “Plan”
insubordination
• Administrators cannot tolerate insubordination.
• Employees must follow orders.
• Employees must follow school policy.
Is behavior teaching related?
Is behavior
work rule
related?
Remedial
Non-Remedia
l
Three Progressive Steps
Possible Terminat
ion
Teacher Evaluati
onProcess
school reform
• Student test scores
• Principal is held accountable and will be fired under all four reform models.
• Must have competent teachers.
teacher tenure
• It takes the recommendation of the superintendent, via a recommendation by the building principal to place a teacher on tenure after 4 years of “successful” teaching experience.
• ...and whose fault is it we have incompetent tenured teachers?
“would i want my own son or daughter exposed to
this teacher.”
five easy calls
• Lateness
• Failure or refusal to report child abuse
• Violation of confidentiality
• Sexual harassment in the workplace
• Ethnic slurs, lying, stealing, cheating, and illegal acts
documentation
• “If it ain’t in writing, it don’t exist.”
• Document as soon as possible.
• Be clear, be concise, use simple language, use simple sentences.
• Communicate the problem in the first paragraph, then support with other information.
• Share file with teacher and union.
Consistency is critical
• Union will “burn” you for inconsistencies.
• When in doubt dismiss non-tenured teachers.
• Make sure all administrators know the “game plan.”
Carroll R. daugherty’sJust cause test
• Did the employer give the employee forewarning or foreknowledge of the possible or probably disciplinary consequences of the employee’s conduct?
• Was the employer’s rule or managerial order reasonably related to the orderly, efficient, and safe operation of the employer’s business?
• Did the employer, before administering discipline to an employee, make an effort to discover whether the employee did in fact violate or disobey a rule or rule of management?
• Was the employer’s investigation conducted fairly and objectively?
• At the investigation, did the “judge” obtain substantial evidence or proof that the employee was guilty as charged?
• Has the employer applied its rules, orders, and penalties to all employees in an even-handed manner and without discrimination?
• Was the degree of discipline administered by the employer in a particular case reasonably related to (1) the seriousness of the employee’s proven offense and (2) the record of the employee in his or her service with the employer?
• Do not miss these.
• Know
• Contract
• School Board Policy
• Administrative Procedures Manual
• Teacher Handbook
time limits & deadline dates
you are the expert!
• You have earned the Type 75 Certificate
• You have successfully completed the teacher evaluation required state workshop
• You have an advanced degree in Educational Leadership
• You are the school administrator
• “ Just Do it”
teaching function• If you expect teachers to put the daily objective(s)
on the board in student-centered language, look for it, measure it, note it, hold the teacher accountable for it.
• If you expect teachers to consistently and often to check for understanding then look for it, measure it, note it, hold the teacher accountable for it.
• If you expect student engagement then look for it, measure it, note it, hold the teacher accountable for it.
if a teacher offers to quit, say ok, get out a piece of paper right then and have
them write a letter of resignation.
if you cannot predict the non-tenure teacher to be excellent, do not put that
teacher on tenure.
It is hard to hide ineffective teachers
because they come in contact with students on a
daily basis.
Are the School Board &
Superintendent willing to…
Are the School Board & Superintendent willing to…
Hold teachers accountable?
Give principals adequate time to properly evaluate teachers?
Back administrators when the staff and community get upset?
If you can answer “Yes” to all three questions you are ready to proceed.
Does your teacher evaluation system actually help improve
instruction?
Peter Loehr, writing for the Illinois School Board Journal contends that “Too often, evaluation is an annual or semiannual administrative activity that has negligible positive effect for the school district and the vast majority of teachers and principals.”
Why?
One Superintendent’s Expectations of
PrincipalsVisit one classroom at least 80% of the days school is in session
Formal evaluation
Drop ins
Visit student work
Ask for invitations to see special presentations in classrooms
Be actively and collaboratively involved with the Illinois School Improvement Plan Process
Be willing to pull the plug on questionable non-tenured teachers.
Great Teacher – Bad Employee
Just because the teacher has good methodology does not mean they are good for the organization
Non-Tenure Decisions
When in doubt dismiss…
“If you cannot predict that the teacher will rate excellent, do not put the teacher on tenure.”
Do you want your own child having this teacher? If not dismiss…
Get rid of the poor or questionable non-tenured teacher in first year if possible.
Business card situation...
Is this hard to do? Of course it is. We all
have feelings but who are you looking out
for? Students or adults.
Teacher Evaluation ProcessPrincipal evaluates whole unit of instruction.
At all grade levels
Evaluation normally lasts five to seven days
Some principals meet with the teacher daily following each observation.
Teachers receive daily feedback from principal.
Feedback contains suggestions for improvement.
Advantages of Whole Unit
Principal is present from beginning to end. Principal must make this a priority
Principal is not a factor for classroom climate (student discipline).
Principal sees all aspects of instruction with assessment being very important.
Principal develops an on-going communication system with teachers about instructional strategies and curriculum improvement.
Disadvantages of One Observation
Anybody should be able to teach one class if he/she knows the principal is coming.
The public, parents and students know that the teacher can “con” the principal in this process.
It is very important to make the correct decision for non-tenure teachers and two thirty-minute observations is not enough.
Does your school district consider
teacher evaluation an important part of
a principal’s responsibilities?
Think-Pair-Share
How can Principals do this?
Principals have to learn to handle routine things routinely.
Discipline
Student attendance
Parent concerns
Supervision duty
Attending extracurricular events
Scheduling
“I can evaluate teaching performance by just walking down the school hallway and listening and looking in at what is going on in the classroom.” (Anonymous Principal)
Remember you are the boss not the
buddy.
Reflective QuestionsWhy does it seem everybody in the community knows who the bad teachers are except for the administrators?
Not really true but…
Why does the community have these perceptions?
Teacher tenure law
They never hear of tenure teacher dismissals
IASA Podcasts
Helping Struggling Teachers
The first stage of teacher remediation is to try to help the teacher improve.
In times of teacher shortage administrators need to be proactive in helping struggling teachers.
Teacher induction programs
Mentor programs
Teacher assistance programs prior to formal teacher remediation programs.
Educators are
criticized because…
Traditional Teacher Evaluation Is Perceived To
Be IneffectivePrincipals need the time to conduct an evaluation cycle like the one outlined in this presentation.
Principals need to know when the superintendent and board of education will support his/her commitment to make difficult decisions on poor and marginal teachers.
Principals need to hear from board members about comments they hear in the community about teachers not doing a good job.
Principals need to establish credibility
Principals need to be careful of socializing with teachers because it will be hard to later discipline teachers.
Principals need to make detailed notes of conferences with parents, students, etc… about teacher behaviors.
Principals need to share all information with identified teacher in writing.
Principals need to include union representation when teacher is in any kind of trouble.
Principal Perceived Problems With Teacher
EvaluationRecent research indicates that principals identify several problems with evaluating low-performing teachers in their school districts. The barriers they identify are largely interconnected:
lack of time to work with the teacher
unduly burdensome evaluation procedures
lack of support from the central office or school board
the psychological discomfort of confronting a teacher and
the inevitable disruption of the social fabric of the building when the teacher begins to seek support.
How Boards and Superintendents Can Help
PrincipalsCommunicate your values
Leaders must "express and extend" what they value in order to effect change
Protect principals' time
Help principals gain confidence
Provide training
Remove contract handcuffs
Provide social and emotional support
Remember that principals will receive little observable support from their own school staffs if they take on the task of intensive supervision of a teacher.
How could you improve your
teacher evaluations?
Snowball Process-
Pair group members and ask them to record ideas on a particular topic. Then have the pairs find another pair to continue the collaboration. Ask each combined group to make a record of their shared dialogue. Continue until there are
large enough groups then share out the information.
Communication from principal to superintendent
and school board is critical in the teacher remediation
process.
When should principals communicate to their
supervisor?When behavior will result in discipline action against the teacher.
Principal should share with the superintendent copies of all formal documentation regarding a poor teaching performance or other unacceptable teacher behavior.
Principal should involve the teachers’ union if formal discipline is taken against the teacher.
The school board must be kept up-to-date on all teacher discipline and possible “unsatisfactory” rating.
The principal must be able to do the
following:Know and recognize effective teaching strategies.
Know and recognize effective teacher evaluation instruments.
Be able to make an “educated” final decision on a tenured teacher’s employment.
Proper Evaluation Process
Job
Description
Evaluation
Steps
Evaluation
Instrument
Induction &
MentoringStaff
Development
Remediation Strategies
Faculty Evaluation Plan
Each school district needs to determine its own standards.Possible important standards:
1. Ensure that instruction and student learning extends from opening bell to ending bell.
2. Ensure that his or her curriculum links with state standards with instruction.
3. Teach to all students and have high expectations for behavior and learning for all students.
4. Actively write and implement strategies in the school improvement plan to demonstrate accountability in improving his or her students’ test results.
Classroom observation form…
beginning of lesson
What is actually observed.
This half of the paper is what the evaluator actually observes.
Analysis and SuggestionsBeginning of lesson
Begins lesson promptly Review Statement of student
centered objectives Measures student knowledge Prepares appropriate
materials
Actual suggestions for improvement will be stated here for observations.
Actual Classroom Observation
2:10 p.m. Students are talking
What is a force?
Push and pull
What is work?
Use force, energy is needed
When you apply force to an object, what happens?
Force is used to move an object
Next unit is machines
What machines have you used this morning?
Toaster, stove, microwave, car, bus, alarm, fan, clock, bike, TV, computer, toilet, light, super-nintendo
• Simple machines have none or one working part
Yes – begins lesson promptlyYes – reviewsNo – gave no student objectivesYes – measures student knowledgeYes – prepares appropriate materials
Teacher calls on students who have hands raised
Calls on Natalie but she offers no answer and teacher goes to another student, next time use the “wait” concept and stay with student and give clues until student answers.
Anecdotal Notes Analysis & Suggestions
Classroom observation form…
middle of lesson
What is actually observed.
This half of the paper is what the evaluator actually observes.
Analysis and SuggestionsMiddle of lesson
Teaches to objectives Uses guided practice Re-teaches when appropriate Uses independent practice Varies teaching technique Actively engages all students Involves students equitably Demonstrates appropriate proximity Demonstrates knowledge of subject matter Uses proper transition between activities
Actual suggestions for improvement will be
stated here for observations.
Actual Classroom Observation
Simple machine has no or few moving partsAmanda – can I write all items that are simple machines in my home for extra credit.Teacher asks students to get out supplies for assignment in class.Several students do not have supplies.Teacher becomes aggravated at students for not having materials and goes up to one girl’s box of crayons and dumps the crayons on the floor and tells the girl that she had previously been told to better organize her box and to start over now to organize.
Yes - Teaches to objectives No - Uses guided practice No - Re-teaches when appropriate No - Uses independent practice No - Varies teaching technique Yes - Actively engages all students Yes - Involves students equitably No - Demonstrates appropriate proximity No - Demonstrates knowledge of subject
matter No - Uses proper transition between
activities
Student makes comment and teacher ignores. Teacher could have offered to all class or could have re-directed student to task on hand.
You should never embarrass a student in front of all the other students. This was not the only student with an unorganized crayon box. You should have taught organizational skills earlier
Anecdotal Notes Analysis & Suggestions
Classroom observation form…
end of lesson
What is actually observed.
This half of the paper is what the evaluator actually observes.
Analysis and SuggestionsEnd of lesson
Assesses student progress Summarizes main points Provides appropriate homework Utilizes full period for instruction Uses consistent and equitable
praise Maintains rapport and respect
with students
Actual suggestions for improvement will be stated here for observations.
Actual Classroom Observation
No - Assesses student progress Yes - Summarizes main points No - Provides appropriate homework Yes - Utilizes full period for instruction No - Uses consistent and equitable praise No - Maintains rapport and respect with
students
This student consistently interrupts you, corrects your teaching and you cannot control her behavior. You need to have a personal conference with her and explain your expectations and hold her accountable and apply consisted discipline for infractions.
You could have made this unit much more interesting by bringing in simple machines, by demonstrating the use of a lever, pull nail from wood, etc…
Anecdotal Notes Analysis & Suggestions
•What is a machine?
•What is a simple machine?
•What is a moving part?
•Tess – I didn’t know you had a screwdriver in your kitchen.
•What did you learn today?
•Simple machine
•3 parts to a lever
•Asks several different students what they learned in calls.
•For extra credit you need to make a lever from this handout.
•This will not work with paper, you will have to use cardboard.
•Reminds students to take science papers home tonight.
Fist to Five –
Do you like the T-Square Scripting Technique?
Tips
You can place tenure teachers on yearly or more frequent evaluation cycles
If assessment is the problem then collect all tests and evaluate the materials
If discipline is the problem then document problems
If lesson plan development is a problem review lesson plans on a weekly basis
When considering how far to go with a
teacher… Does the principal have enough time available to
participate in process?
What input will the school attorney have?
Should you use the services of a consultant?
What about timing in the school year?
What will be the role of the union?
Will the consulting teacher come from inside the school district or outside?
Do you feel the teacher can remediate his/her deficiencies?
In the end, will all this make a difference?
Veteran Teachers
Proceed to a “goal orientated” process if teacher has had two consecutive “excellent” evaluations from same administrator.
Allows new principal to develop own rating with all teachers.
Potential Activities To Improve Teacher Performance
Could require observation of master teachers in or out of the district
Have “Excellent” teacher observe poor or average teachers and offer suggestions for improvement
Require poor teacher to enroll in courses, workshops or seminars
Require teacher performance to be videotaped Self appraisal Appraisal by other ‘Excellent” teacher
Require practice of specific teaching methodsRequire teacher to read references or view
videotapesRequire teacher to submit lesson plans, grade
book, homework assignments, tests or other materials
Questions you might hear
This teacher has been evaluated for years as excellent.
This teacher has taught for “X” number of years, why are you just discovering his/her unsatisfactory status now?
This will destroy the teacher.
This will upset the teachers’ union.
Is the school board willing to...
Support the administrative recommendation to dismiss a tenured teacher?
Spend substantial sums of money on attorney fees, consultant fees, and eventually “buy out” for the teacher?
Put the tenured teacher through an extremely emotional situation?
Do what is best for STUDENTS?
Page 65 of handout
If the administration decides to evaluate the
teacher as unsatisfactory then the
district needs legal advice…
Rx For SuccessSix months prior to issuance of UNSATISFACTORY
RATING
CAREFUL REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
Collective Bargaining Agreement
Board Policies & Practices
Four weeks prior to issuance of UNSATISFACTORY RATING
Consulting Teacher
Outside
EvaluatorConsult with Union
Board Attorney
Evaluation Plan
Board Approval Amend Plan
Within 30 calendar days after UNSATISFACTORY RATING is
reduced to writing
Development and Initiation of Remediation Plan
Board Approval
Consulting Teacher
Qualified Administrator
Teacher
STOP
Get House
in Order
THE SPANGLER DECISIONMARCH 19, 2002
1st Dist. App. Ct–2nd Div., specifically held:
1. A school board possesses ONLY an investigatory/charging function in tenure dismissal case.
2. The hearing officer possesses the authority to decide all issues with respect to a dismissal decision, including the gravity and seriousness of the charges.
POINTS TO PONDER QUALIFICATIONS OF HEARING
OFFICERS Most Hearing Officers are practicing arbitrators. As such, they may have little if any legal training. Tenure dismissal cases are a combination of factual as well as legal issues. Consequently, Hearing Officers will be called upon to make many interpretations of court decisions as well as statutory interpretations - a task unfamiliar to most Hearing Officers.
POINTS TO PONDER
BIAS OF HEARING OFFICERS Because Hearing Officers are by trade mainly private sector arbitrators, they seldom decide dismissal cases. Typically arbitrators are called upon to decide discipline issues which are far less complicated. Dismissal in the private sector is viewed by arbitrators as “industrial capital punishment.”
POINTS TO PONDERLACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF
EDUCATIONAL THEORY, TEACHING METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATION PHILOSOPHY AND
TECHNIQUES Hearing Officers will have to be educated during the hearing process on these very important concepts.
POINTS TO PONDER
EVIDENCE PROBLEMS The State Board Rules and Regulations do not require Hearing Officers to follow the rules of evidence as would be the case in a courtroom. Consequently, there is no way to predict what evidence will be allowed or disallowed. Generally, arbitrators let everything remotely related to the issues into the record.
POINTS TO PONDER
IMPORTANCE OF FUNDAMENTAL FAIRNESS AND DOCUMENTATION Experience tells us that demonstrating fundamental fairness towards the effected teacher is an absolute must. Proper documentation is essential to this end.
Fundamental Fairness Doctrine
Concept of 90 school daysHave to prove to hearing officer
that you have given teacher “fundamental fairness”
Puts administration under the gun to demonstrate “fairness” in 90 days
Procedure for actual dismissal
After 90 day remediation process if evaluator decides on “unsatisfactory” rating then the teacher is suspended without pay by the school board
Hearing is scheduled with hearing officer to make final decision
May take as long as two years If district is not successful then teacher
gets back pay with interest and position back
TO SETTLE OR NOT TO SETTLE?
Teacher is 48 years old and the teacher’s classroom is out of control with no education going on for the students. The Union is somewhat supportive of the teacher because of its duty of fair representation.
Costs of Winning 1. Administrator Time ?2. Expert Witness Fees $10,000-
$15,0003. Attorney Fees $75,000-
$135,000
Costs of Losing
1. Administrator Time ?
2. Expert Witness Fees $10,000-$15,000
3. Attorney Fees $75,000-$135,000
4. Back Pay with Interest $110,0005. Reinstatement to teaching position for
remainder of career $300,000+
Costs of Settlement 1. Administrator Time Minimal2. Settlement Amount $55,0003. Attorney Fees $13,000
After listening to the attorney, is the process
worth the effort?
What happens after termination?
Weathering a termination
Maintain a good relationship with the teachers’ union.
Give the teacher every opportunity to fix the problem.
Keep good records.Appoint a coordinator.Work with your insurance carrier.Don’t hesitate to act if children are
endangered.
Dealing with the aftermath
Community and press reactionBurden of protecting the teacher’s
confidentiality rests entirely with the employer.
Documentation RequiredEvaluationsRemediation PlanWritten notes of classroom observationsWritten summaries of pre-observation
and post-observation conferencesEvidence of participation in prescribed
remediation activitiesCopy of completed consulting teacher
logCopies of completed required
observations
The Bad News!
The Rest of the “Story”Evaluate all teachers on a regular
basis with daily observations by administrators.
Dismiss “questionable” non-tenure teachers.
Keep the “heat” on teachers who fail to improve.
Instead of going through the State of Illinois “Teacher Dismissal Process” make life “tough” on poor teachers. Force the poor teacher into resigning with
or without a buyout.
Teacher Evaluation Instrument
Overview of Revision Process
Lengthy process
Teacher’s Union and Administration working together
Survey Results
Teacher Evaluation Instrument
• Survey Results
• 67% of the BCSD teachers felt the teacher evaluation instrument helped teachers grow professionally.
Teacher Evaluation Instrument
Teacher identified the following problems with the tool:
1. Too subjective
2. Professional development is not associated with my evaluation.
3. Not enough praise is provided.
4. Not enough specific feedback is provided.
5. Goals not associated with evaluation.
Teacher Evaluation Instrument
(continued)
6. Student assessment data is not included.
7. Feedback provided is unclear.
Teacher Evaluation Instrument
The staff listed the following criteria as being the most important:
Consistency from year to year
Clarity in ratings
A tool that can be used for professional development
Input from the teacher about the lesson
Optional alternative process for veteran teachers
Specific focus on professional growth
Specific support for areas of weakness
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Beginning:
Established group norms for meetings
Established common definition of “good teaching” that is research-based and understood by local staff.
Required reading: “Enhancing Professional Practice – A Framework for Teaching” by Charlotte Danielson (2nd ed.)
Reflective Conference
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
• Charlotte Danielson Instrument:
• Divided into 4 Domains
• Each domain contains components
• Components are divided into essential elements
• Divided into 4 level of performances
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Customizing the Framework
• Take section by section
• Discussions held on each element
• Ensured district goals aligned to the elements
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Evidence
Let evidence
-not opinion-anchor the process.
Dr. Paula Bevan, 2007
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Evidence is…
• A factual reporting of events
• Includes artifacts prepared by the teacher, students and others
• Selected using professional judgment
Evidence is NOT…
• Personal opinion or biases
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Evidence-Based Teacher Evaluation
The key to rigorous, evidence-based teacher evaluation if adequate training of evaluators and teachers.
Dr. Paula Bevan, 2007
http://www.danielsongroup.org/PaulaBevan.html
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Year 1:
• Developed 2 Domains
• Addition of a “Reflection Conference”
• Developed Pre-Conference Questions
• Timeline Modification
• Developed “Drop-In Slips”
• PPT’s Developed to Train Teachers
• Evaluator Training - ongoing
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Handouts:
Pre-Conference Form
Reflection Questions
Drop-in Slip
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
• Purpose of Drop-In Slips
• Important to develop a schedule
• Recommend a minimum of 20 minutes
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
• Gleaning data from the teacher evaluation instrument
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
• In-servicing teachers on the new domains
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Year 2:
• Developed last 2 domains
• Discussed how to report attendance
• Discussed overall rating
• Evaluated progress
• Continued training and articulation – improved inter-rater reliability
• Differentiated the process based on experience
Teacher Evaluation Revision Process
Year 3:
• Reviewed teacher job description and how it correlated to the teacher evaluation instrument
Teacher Evaluation
• Discussion of scripting methods
• Details are critical -
• Beginning of the lesson
• Middle of the lesson
• End of the lesson
• Ideas on documentation
Teacher Evaluation• Review and include the following:
1. Lesson Plans
2. Grade books
3. Student portfolios
4. Student assessments
5. Classroom Management Plan (done yearly at beginning of year)
6. Discipline Stats
7. Parent communication logs
• Disciplinary documentation
Teacher Evaluation
• Importance of inter-rater reliability
Teacher Evaluation
• Communicate it yearly with all staff
• Part of the New Teacher Orientation
• Lead Mentor Role
• Mentor-Novice Teacher Relationship
Teacher Evaluation
There is only one way to improve student achievement and the research is very specific. It is the teacher and what the teacher knows and can do that is the determining factor with student achievement.
Harry K. Wong, 1999
Unsatisfactory Rating
• Critical that you have established a professional working relationship with the teacher
• How many times have you been in their classroom? Did you share your feedback with him/her?
• Have you shared feedback that you have received from parents or students?
Unsatisfactory Rating
(continued)
• What have you done as the administrator to assist him/her in improving?
• How are you documenting?
Unsatisfactory Rating
Is difficult for all parties because of the human element
Follow the contract and law.
Try always to work with the teachers’ union.
Unsatisfactory Rating
Document, document, document!
Use language that is directive!
Unsatisfactory Rating
Recommend writing comments in three (3) sections: Improvements made since the last evaluation, Commendations, and Recommendations
Required by law to include strengths
Unsatisfactory Rating Strong Data Support:
Teaching to objective(s)
Implementation of lesson plans
Bell to bell teaching
Time on Task
Questioning Skills
Multiple Methods
Transitions
Classroom Management
Post Conference
Notify teacher of the need to bring union representation
Document what is stated
How to handle a refusal to sign evaluation
Teacher Evaluation Documents
http://www.chathamschools.org/curriculuminstruction.htm
Remediation Plan
http://bit.ly/IPAremediate
Teacher Remediation Plan
Dismissal
• A teacher can be dismissed for failure to complete a remediation plan with a “satisfactory” or better rating...
“Unsatisfactory” Evaluation
• Within 30 days after completion of an evaluation rating a teacher as “unsatisfactory,” development and commencement by the district of a remediation plan designed to correct deficiencies cited, provided the deficiencies are deemed remediable.
Participants• Qualified district administrator
• Consulting teacher selected by the participating administrator who rated the teacher “unsatisfactory.”
• 5 years teacher experience
• reasonable familiarity with the assignment of the teacher being evaluated
• “Excellent rating on last evaluation
Process
• Evaluations and ratings once every 30 school days for the 90-school-day remediation plan.
• Done by participating administrator
• Must provide advice on “unsatisfactory” ratings
• Consulting teacher must participate
• Final decision by administrator
Reinstatement
• Reinstatement of a schedule of biennial evaluation for any teacher who completes the 90-school-day remediation plan with a “satisfactory” or better rating
Dismissal
• Dismissal in accordance with the School Code of any teacher who fails to complete the remediation plan with a “satisfactory” or better rating.
Incompetency is remediable
• Incompetency is a remediable offense.
• A school board is required to attempt to cure incompetency by evaluation and the adoption of a remediation plan prior to dismissal.
What is irremediable
conduct?• Conduct is irremediable when the damage that has been done to students, faculty, or the school is irreparable.
• Consideration is also given to whether or not the conduct could have been corrected had the employee been warned.
Actual Remediation Plan
