COMPETENCY 2 RIGOR AND INCLUSIVENESS
2a TAILORING
Tailoring is pretty important. I actually believe that it's something we do in Newark MUCH better than I have seen or experienced in most school districts around us. The MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember about tailoring is this...if ALL students in your class have access to it...then it is NOT tailoring.
I know that each year it seems the goalposts are constantly moving on us teachers. It would be great if at the beginning of each year, clear instructions were given, and that goalpost remained there all year. Unfortunately, that's not the case.
Competency 4 is all about data. However, as our administrators get better at utilizing the Evaluation Tool, and get better at looking at schoolwide data...they move the goalposts for all of us.
Competency 4 remains such a big thorn for so many of us because of the added weight in our annuals.
Year long indicators for Competency 4:
4d. Using Data. Teacher tracks assessment data to understand each student’s progress toward mastery and uses results to guide planning and instruction.
4e. Understanding of Growth. Teacher can articulate specifically (and with evidence) whether or not each student has internalized grade-level standards and, if not, what s/he still needs to learn.
COMPETENCY 5— Commitment to excellence and to the professional growth of his/her school and peers
5b. Collaboration. Teacher contributes ideas and expertise to further colleagues’ and the school’s growth and incorporates productive insights into his or her own instruction
Seems pretty obvious, right? It's what we do all day every day… most of the time. However, sometimes we are so busy catching up, grading, planning, that we forget that we are actually doing it.
OBSERVATION TIP #3—REBUTTAL TIME
As first formal observations are rolling out, I cannot stress enough the importance of writing a REBUTTAL to your observation if you are dissatisfied with ANY part of it. Sometimes, you like the overall score, but don't like one of the ratings. Do NOT let that go!
You have ten work days after the receipt of your ratings via a post-observation conference to submit your rebuttal. If you do not submit a rebuttal, then you are telling your admin and NPS that you AGREE with the rating.
COMPETENCY 2 RIGOR AND INCLUSIVENESS
2c. Responsiveness. Teacher anticipates and responds to student reactions and misunderstandings by adjusting instructional strategies
Competency FOUR is the most significant competency in the observation/evaluation framework because of how much it weighs for mid years and annuals so doing well in it is REALLY IMPORTANT!!
4: STUDENT PROGRESS TOWARDS MASTERY
4C: Demonstration of Learning
One of the simplest strategies I have found to make sure you are documenting student progress towards mastery in 4C is using the same DOL at the start of the period, as at the end.