For teachers in many states, next
year marks the beginning of new teacher evaluation systems that are tied to
standards, student achievement, and sometimes pay. These higher stakes certainly increase the
stress level of formal and informal classroom observations. In this environment, it’s important for both
coaches and principals to be crystal clear about the coach’s non-evaluative role as she works with
teachers. Instead, coaches can play a
supportive role, in the teachers’ corner as they become familiar with new
evaluation processes. The message for
teachers is, “I’m here for you! Let’s
make sure you and your students are looking good!”
Teachers will be confident about
your support if you are knowledgeable about the evaluation system. This summer might be a good time to dig in
and read all you can about your new evaluation system, watch any accompanying online
videos, and make a plan for how you will support teachers in the fall. It’s essential that you know the components
of effective instruction as defined by your new system and can support teachers as they refine their instructional practices within that system. Your work with teachers should be in alignment
with the expectations of your school, district, and state.
Regardless of the specific
evaluation model being implemented, coaches can help teachers develop an
understanding of that model through interactions with the faculty, work with
teaching teams, and one-on-one interactions.
What are your plans for working with the new model in each of these configurations? Coaches can create opportunities for teachers
to collaboratively make meaning of the new system. You can support the implementation process as
a facilitator of learning rather than an evaluator. Structures that you have used to help
teachers learn about instructional strategies can be adapted for considering
the new evaluation system together.
If coaches approach the new
evaluation system from a learning stance, we can help mitigate some of the
potential fear and stress associated with the implementation. In this way, teacher evaluation can
facilitate a shared understanding of effective instruction among teachers,
coaches, and principals.
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
The “Talk with Teachers” Online Summer Book
Club. Join other teachers in reading a
novel, a non-fiction text, and a professional book during June, July, and
August:
14
Questions to guide our curriculum mapping and lesson design, by UBD’s Grant
Wiggins:
Although
this blog post is for principals, the 5 Ways to Influence Change described are
equally important for coaches:
10
Great tech tools to use while reading (check them out now so you feel confident
sharing with teachers or using with students in the fall):
5
Ways Instagram can improve learning:
That’s
it for this week. Happy Coaching!
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