There is a lot of talk within Baltimore City Public Schools around the change in the teacher evaluation system. North Avenue administrators are planning to move forward with a revision to the existing teacher evaluation model by implementing unannounced formal observations. The concept of implementing unannounced formal observations is that administrators seek to gain an authentic look into classrooms, learning, and management operations.However, teachers are anticipating that the plan may do more damage than good by working to undermine and penalize teachers without quality preparation and support.
Currently, the model includes a pre- and post- conference between administrators and teachers. The pre- conference provides teachers with adequate support by informing teachers on “look-fors” or aspects of the instructional framework that will be emphasized and used as a rubric. Additionally, admin provide teachers with feedback based on things that have been observed in their current practice. Teachers are prepared with the time and date of their evaluation to properly prepare their instructional lesson and their students leading up to the lesson. One reason why the pre-conference is essential is that these “look-fors” and preliminary feedback allow teachers to properly prepare, adjust, and segment prior lessons to achieve instructional outcomes, according to the plan. Additionally, the post-conference provides space for teachers and administrators to discuss the outcomes and justifications for the evaluator's scores.
During September’s board meeting at North Avenue, one conversational point that was brought up and is worth strong consideration is simple-- kids. My administration makes a huge emphasis on cultivating strong culture and climate within our classroom space; however, they make minimal effort to include themselves in our classroom spaces (in a non-punitive way) on a routine basis. Students deserve to be included and clued in on the fact that “strangers”-- albeit administrators-- will be entering our classroom and the space that we have cultivated together. It’s important to consider how changes like this may impact student engagement and student performance. For example, when my administration enters the classroom for any form of an observation-- formal or informal-- they make it a point to involve themselves in my students’ work without any form of consent or acknowledgement towards my students' needs. Many students only associate administration with trouble because this is the only time in which they see them. On several occasions some of my English-language learners have expressed some level of discomfort with this, as they were not aware that others were entering the room-- neither was I. As a teacher, I don’t want my student’s engagement, effort, comfort, or learning to be compromised at the hands of a poorly devised plan.
The implementation of “surprise” observations could potentially create a punitive developmental structure that affects professional development and salary. Baltimore City Public Schools is one of the only school districts that connects it’s teacher evaluation to its salary scales. Therefore, teacher evaluations hold more weight than just feedback on one’s instructional practice; they determine one’s livelihood. Unannounced formal observations are likely to shift the dynamics of climate and culture across schools in the district dramatically as they instill a sense of timidness in teachers across the district. Teachers should not be made to feel fearful about the outcomes of unexpected observations nor should our instructional practice be holistically evaluated based on a random 75 minute period.
The district lacks a sustainable and strategic model that works to provide effective and consistent coaching to better develop teachers. Implementing one aspect of the plan without considering the need for the others is impractical and irresponsible.
