Evaluation

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. 

To be Highly Effective in this category, you really need to know your students.  That's why it's important to get as many diagnostics in in the beginning of the year and continually review your data.  Tailoring in some instances can be as

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. 

As you collect data, it's important to not simply file it away, but to USE it.  For your annual evaluation, you have to be able to demonstrate and articulate

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.

4f. Progress Toward Goals. Data reflect that students are mastering the objectives of the focus areas, leading

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. 

My team ALWAYS has a "recorder" when we get together for our common planning and that person records what we are talking about and

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. 

If your admin observes you in-between your initial observation and BEFORE your

COMPETENCY 2 RIGOR AND INCLUSIVENESS

2c. Responsiveness. Teacher anticipates and responds to student reactions and misunderstandings by adjusting instructional strategies 

To be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE in this category (Teacher has anticipated student reactions and misunderstanding(s) as evidenced by effective instructional strategies and immediate adjustments when misunderstandings occur. Adjustments effectively reach all/nearly all students.) You REALLY NEED TO PREVIEW your lesson the day before and think..."what possible questions could a kid come up with?" "where in my lesson could a kid get

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. 

For instance...Give a short 2 question Multiple Choice quiz at the start of class, and then review it with your students.  Shortly before the end of the lesson, give