There’s a ruckus being raised in New York over teacher evaluations, an impasse between the state and the teacher unions. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are both frustrated that a more robust evaluation system with consequences including firing is being held up by the unions over issues including an appeals process and the role of test scores.
According to the New York Times, current evaluations local districts conduct are “often basic, and poor ones frequently carry few consequences for tenured teachers.”
“Special interests and defenders of the status quo are digging in for a fight,” said Bloomberg. “Well, let me tell you, I’m ready to fight for our kids; I'm ready to stand up to special interests. This school system shouldn’t be run for people that work in the school system.”
“It is this simple: It’s not about the adults; it is about the children,” said Cuomo.
Yes, teacher evaluation, ultimately is about the children and their success. The struggle is how to get there—developing a method to evaluate teachers that it is fair, supportive, and ultimately translates to the student experience.
In the public arena, much of the controversy in the evaluation argument revolves around high-stakes testing results. The unions would argue that basing a teacher’s fate primarily using test results is unfair. In the private-independent school world, evaluation is often based on a singular classroom observation that is dreaded or meaningless. Evaluation is judged as punitive rather than constructive.
ISM research has long shown that a teacher’s professional development and growth in a supportive—not adversarial—environment is key. Incorporating ongoing coaching and mentoring plus professional development into your evaluation system gives your teachers welcome constructive criticism and a chance to expand professionally.
Evaluation should not be a “you vs. me” event. Rather, regular conversations with your teachers are coaching opportunities based on goals that teachers set for themselves. Evaluation then becomes a team effort.
Through such coaching and growth opportunities, teachers can recharge their batteries and enter the classroom refreshed, with new approaches and new tools that will have a positive impact on their students.
ISM resources of interest
ISM Web site, Seven Renewal Strategies for Veteran Teachers
ISM Podcast, Teacher Evaluation
ISM Monthly Update for Human Resources Vol. 10 No. 5 Constructive Conversations, Coaching, and Mentoring
ISM Resources for Consortium Gold members
Ideas & Perspectives Vol. 37 No. 1 Systematically Attracting, Developing, Rewarding, and Retaining Faculty: A Mission-based Model for 21st Century Schools
Ideas & Perspectives Vol. 36. No. 3 ISM Success Predictor No. 17: Budgeting for Professional Development
To The Point Vol. 10 No. 6 Three Characteristics of Faculty Professional Development
