In Iowa a bill is being proposed which would require
teacher evaluations to include student performance. The value added measures
the bill proposes take into account a student’s background and demographics
when determining whether that child is making expected annual growth. This in
effect doesn’t penalize a teacher for students who come in to their class
already grade levels behind, which is the criticism of some other systems. Student
performance information would be used as a “validating factor” when rating
teacher effectiveness. A teacher who is exceptional during their observations
should also have matching student achievement data. This however does call for
a little faith in the observation tool and the observer. According to this
system when the observation data and student achievement data don’t match,
administrators are called to evaluate the teacher’s practices. The main goal of this proposal is to identify
and remove ineffective teachers from the system.
There are several challenges that I can already see
with this system knowing our administrators in Baltimore. One, I have a feeling
that if such a system were to be put into place in Baltimore there would be a
lot of discrepancies between the observation data and the student achievement data. Leaving administrators with a
lot of paper work when re-evaluations of teacher practices have to be done.
Also administrators aren’t the most objective people in the district and so
teacher rankings end up being subjective measures based on how well a teacher
is able to kiss that place where the sun don’t shine. This was evident with a
similar value added measures implemented in New York, teachers were ranked as "high-quality educators one year only to be rated as poor the
following year.” This doesn’t make much sense! I don't believe we should all jump into this band wagon. Our problem is we are all looking for that silver bullet so when a new system come out we all load up our guns thinking 'there we have it our cure to the education mess.' Well none exists! Problems in education require us to create a dynamic
solutions for our dynamic classrooms. If you have ever stepped foot into an
educational institution you will come to see every single classroom is unique,
every school is unique, and so every school district is unique. Other
challenges for the value added system include how to account for transfer
students, team-taught classes or non-tested subjects like art or music.
Now back to the point on main purpose of the value
added system. It seems very noble; teachers who are less than high qualified
won't teach any of our children. There problem solved, remove bad teachers and our students will learn. This could be feasible goal… in high
performing, high resource schools districts, which can recruit and retain highly
effective teachers. However, in a school district like Baltimore city where
teacher turn over rate is about 3 to 4 years it will be hard to keep highly
qualified teachers in the system. And what happens after a round of evaluations
and a district finds out that it needs to replace a significant number of their
teachers. What does a district do especially when people aren’t lining up at
the hiring fair to apply for a teaching position?
I see many things wrong with the proposed system or
maybe I am just too critical! Find out more below.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120311/NEWS/303110027/-1/groupblogs/Education-reform-plan-places-focus-quality-teachers
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