Talk about irony, when I saw teacher evaluations as a possible blog topic late Sunday evening, I said to myself, this might be an interesting topic. The next day I had an unannounced evaluation from one of my administrators. Talk about dejaveau, it was my third evaluation for the 2006-07 school year. Fortunately, everything went well with the evaluation. Whew! I try my best to be prepared daily (Multiple lesson plans for multiple courses), but sometimes my planning falls short. Usually, that is the day somebody comes in to observe. If it does not go well, the perception can be disheartening. One negative experience can change a new teacher’s promising career, depending on the evaluator.
Teacher evaluations can sometimes be intimidating, especially for new teachers. I have been teaching for three years and have had roughly ten to fifteen evaluations, excluding peer reviews and NTI observations. Some were formal while others informal. For me, evaluations are similar to taking standardized tests. Both definitely raise my anxiety level. There are many variables that influence instruction and all should be considered during evaluations. Even with classroom management procedures in place, behavioral issues continue raise concerns for teachers.
Mr. AB made some interesting points discussing the song and dance evaluation routine. I say plan everyday as though you are going to be evaluated even if you are not. It will only make you a better teacher.
Henryl
I agree. It pays to plan and to try to be at the top of your game on a daily basis. That's the mark of a great teacher.
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