A friend from another school system called to tell me the story of her evaluation. My friend is a passionate teacher who works tirelessly to reinvent her department, approach and efforts to empower, engage, and transform students.
To prepare for the new Massachusetts evaluation system, she worked carefully to collect and organize her evidence--a large array of worthy projects. Then, with lead time, she presented the work to her administrator.
The administrator essentially wrote her summative with a comment such as, Teacher X met proficiency with her work this year.
The teacher did not accept the evaluation, and asked the administrator if she had even looked at the evidence or thought about her case load. The conversation made it evident that the administrator had no idea of the teacher's case load, evidence, or any other specific factors related to the teacher's work. Also the administrator highlighted the fact that in Massachusetts, the goal is proficiency and most teachers will not get exemplary. That made me think of announcing to students, "You'll all get B's and C's this year--that's the best you can do."
After discussion, the administrators changed all but one of the teacher's areas to exemplary. The teacher was too tired to argue for the last area, an area that she also had significant exemplary evidence for.
In the end, the teacher actually felt bad for the administrator stating that the administrator just didn't have time to carefully review and evaluate the many teachers on her caseload. The teacher similarly felt bad about the entire system.
I like the intent and detail of the new Massachusetts' teacher evaluation system, yet I am concerned about the following questions:
- Do we have enough qualified administrators with time to carry out the breadth and depth of review this system calls for?
- Do we want to spend our money on more people to evaluate teachers, rather than spend money on more people to directly service children? I'm in favor of spending money to gain more direct support for students, not more administrators.
- If proficiency is the only goal most teachers can reach will that result in a level of mediocrity and sameness for professional staff, rather than exemplary, cutting edge work that moves schools forward?
- Should the system be streamlined in ways to effect positive work in efficient ways?
- What about morale? Will the only teachers that reach exemplary be teachers with the time and will to argue for their rights?
The new evaluation system is just starting. Most stories I've heard from outside of my school system sadly are stories that demonstrate the fact that the system is too cumbersome for leadership time and staffing, and a system that leaves too much room for subjectivity. The goal setting aspect of the system is positive as long as teachers feel comfortable choosing a goal that is challenging rather than a goal they know they can meet with ease.
In my system, I'm part of the pilot for this program. We are in the early stages. I'll be interested to see how this process grows and changes over time, and I'll be watching to see how the new system makes positive changes for the children we teach. After all, that should be the main objective.
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