A recent Finding Common Ground post by Peter DeWitt entitled “You Know What Really Sucks About School?” caught my eye. In the post, he shared an observation he made between a parent and a child. Both were lamenting the return to school. Dr. DeWitt was asking readers to imagine what it would be like if that wasn’t our normal now.
You know what else really sucks about school? Misinformation.
There is misinformation about the “ragged” state of our schools. Parents are led to believe that our students are not improving and that the only way to measure teacher effectiveness is to hold teachers and principals more accountable.
This year, a teacher’s evaluation will be based on two parts : observation and state test scores (or a Student Learning Objective tied to tests). Each part will be 50%. The observation process will be more complicated this year than it has ever been. Independent observers are now required on top of principal evaluations of his/her teachers. In addition, only evidence that is considered to be part of our “natural conversations” can be captured for the teacher observation.
The things that happen outside the natural conversations but still (should) impact student performance don’t seem to matter as much. Artifacts that show parent engagement and community involvement? No thanks. Go above and beyond mentoring students outside the school day? Nope, can’t measure.
Not being able to give teachers credit for EVERYTHING they do in our schools is what really stinks. Our work, with and for students, is truly some of the most important work to be done by a human being. Some of what we do can be measured. Yet, some of it can only be felt.
Yet, it all still counts. And in some ways, more than we will ever know.
You know what else really sucks about school? Misinformation.
There is misinformation about the “ragged” state of our schools. Parents are led to believe that our students are not improving and that the only way to measure teacher effectiveness is to hold teachers and principals more accountable.
This year, a teacher’s evaluation will be based on two parts : observation and state test scores (or a Student Learning Objective tied to tests). Each part will be 50%. The observation process will be more complicated this year than it has ever been. Independent observers are now required on top of principal evaluations of his/her teachers. In addition, only evidence that is considered to be part of our “natural conversations” can be captured for the teacher observation.
The things that happen outside the natural conversations but still (should) impact student performance don’t seem to matter as much. Artifacts that show parent engagement and community involvement? No thanks. Go above and beyond mentoring students outside the school day? Nope, can’t measure.
Not being able to give teachers credit for EVERYTHING they do in our schools is what really stinks. Our work, with and for students, is truly some of the most important work to be done by a human being. Some of what we do can be measured. Yet, some of it can only be felt.
Yet, it all still counts. And in some ways, more than we will ever know.
Teach: Inspiration (Worth a watch!)
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