As Division Head, you are probably going through the process of hiring new teachers for the coming school year. Just as your Admission Office is vetting applicants for mission-appropriateness, you are looking for the right fit in your new hires. Once they are on board, it’s up to you to help them grow professionally into the outstanding faculty members you need to deliver the school’s mission. And that means using an evaluation process that is more than popping into a classroom to observe and provide feedback once or twice a year. Realistic expectations and goals, along with coaching and mentoring your teachers, is the key to professional growth, outstanding performance, and a healthy faculty culture that supports student achievement.
During the hiring and orientation process, you should include a review of your school’s Characteristics of Professional Excellence—the list of items that defines faculty excellence within your school. Once a teacher is on staff, include a review of these characteristics annually as part of his/her evaluation. The characteristics are also a basis for setting realistic goals and expectations.
While classroom observation is important for evaluation, it is only one way to examine performance. If you are “managing by walking around,” you are seeing how the teacher interacts with students and with parents in different circumstances—in the hallways, in the lunchroom, in after school activities. Use what you see for proactive, productive conversations with the teacher throughout the year. Rather than judging performance, you will be collaborating with your teachers to foster their growth and development—coaching and mentoring them for professional excellence.
It’s a given that you will conduct formal evaluations, including written assessments, annually. However, if you are casually observing, having coaching conversations, and generally keeping in touch, there should be no surprises during the formal evaluation, nor in the written evaluation. This is also your opportunity to work with each teacher on specific skills enhancements he or she needs, and plan for professional development activities. Growth and renewal is important for a teacher to thrive at your school—and thriving teachers translates to a positive faculty culture.
This evaluation approach is both supportive and predictable for your teachers. They will appreciate your collaboration, rather than see evaluation as a necessary evil. In the end, your students will ultimately see the benefit of your hard work.
Additional ISM resources of interest
Comprehensive Faculty Development: A Guide to Attract, Retain, Develop, Reward, and Inspire ISM Bookstore
ISM Monthly Update for Human Resources Vol. 10 No. 2 Rethinking Faculty Performance Evaluations
ISM Summer Institute Workshop Attracting, Evaluation, Rewarding, and Developing Faculty in the 21st Century
Additional Resources for ISM Consortium Gold members
Ideas & Perspectives Vol. 37 No. 1 Developing Faculty Through Coaching and Mentoring
Ideas & Perspectives Vol. 37 No. 1 Systematically Attracting, Rewarding, and Retaining Faculty: A Mission-based Model for 21st Century Schools
