A Case for Teacher Assessment BY CHARLES WALKER

Transcription

1 A Case for Teacher Assessment BY CHARLES WALKER When teacher assessment is relegated to the back burner, as it so often is, professional development suffers proportionally. The result is diminished teacher effectiveness and student performance, two big reasons why teacher assessment should be a priority in Christian school education. The following discussion presents evidence in defense of teacher assessment. Formal and Informal Teacher Assessment Formal teacher assessment compares a teacher s competencies and teaching skills to a set of written performance standards. These standards are discussed with the teachers in a faculty meeting prior to scheduling classroom observations. In formal evaluations the principal or supervisor, commonly called the evaluator, begins the process with a pre-conference, followed by a classroom observation, and concluded with a post-conference. Rarely, if ever, would the evaluator focus on all the performance standards during a single classroom observation visit. Such a task would be overwhelming to both the evaluator and the teacher, and thus counterproductive to the assessment process. Assuming the school adopts 32 performance standards, the evaluator could focus on five to seven standards. The evaluator would inform the teacher of the performance standards to be evaluated in advance of the classroom observation. Teacher assessment also includes informal self-assessments for example, reflective thinking and peer coaching. The teacher may spend 20 minutes at the end of the school day reflecting upon the past seven hours, gleaning insights from recalling the day s events. Teacher reflection is an informal self-assessment or self-appraisal as opposed to comparing teacher competencies to performance standards. Furthermore, the teacher who invites a colleague to observe his classroom instruction (peer coaching) is using an informal assessment strategy. Teacher assessment comes in many shapes and forms, some formal, others informal, all designed to help teachers become better teachers. This, of course, enhances student achievement, the ultimate goal of all teacher assessment strategies. Teacher assessment should be viewed by both evaluator and teacher as an essential part of the school s professional growth program. Unquestionably, both forms of assessment formal and informal help teachers grow professionally. Description of the Assessment Instrument Since documentation is a part of teacher assessment, especially in formal assessments, data-gathering instruments are needed to guide the assessment process. Once developed (borrowed or purchased), the assessment instrument is thoroughly explained by the administration to the teachers. The teacher needs to know what the

2 evaluator will assess during the classroom visit. This reduces teacher apprehension and nervousness. Unfortunately, teacher assessment is a fearful occasion for some teachers, not because of the process itself, but because of unpleasant past experiences or personal insecurities. The evaluator should make ever possible effort to dispel negative thoughts and fears. Furthermore, the teacher should respond positively to teacher assessment since the intent is to help teachers (Amos 3:3). Performance standards for formal teacher assessment strategies are usually categorized in groups or domains, each domain having four to seven or eight measurable indicators. Examples of major domains would include assessment and evaluation, planning, teaching strategies, learning environment, professional growth, communication, and spiritual growth. Each domain would consist of numerous indicators. Informal assessment strategies involve less structured procedural steps. The Worth of Teacher Assessment In building a case for teacher assessment and its role in Christian school education, an objective analysis of the assessment strategies will help teachers better understand the purpose and value of teacher assessment. The goal, of course, is helping teachers to become better teachers, which in turn helps students become better students. This alone is reason enough for administrators and teachers to embrace teacher assessment. Granted, some schools place a higher premium on teacher assessment than others, using a variety of assessment tools to help teachers become better classroom practitioners. Unfortunately, others place little or no value on teacher assessment. Their teachers are seldom or never evaluated, nor are they encouraged to evaluate themselves informally or to cultivate personal professional growth initiatives. If the truth were known, teachers would welcome assessment opportunities if such opportunities are practical, functional, and helpful. Who would say no to something that would improve their teaching and increase their students learning? Would teachers resist regular classroom evaluation visits or informal assessments if they knew the assessments helped them grew professionally and enhanced their teaching effectiveness? The answers are obvious. Conversely, teachers who minister in schools where they are never assessed by their administrator, formally or informally, lose out on assessment s many benefits. What does this do for the teacher who needs help in his teaching duties? The longer teachers go without formal and informal evaluation and supervision, the less value they place upon teacher assessment. If one gives credence to the concept of teacher assessment, teachers will experience improved teacher effectiveness, and this converts to improved student performance. This in itself is a strong case for teacher assessment. Whether the assessment concept is called evaluation or supervision, comprehensive assessment or focused assessment, modeling or mentoring, journaling or performance appraisals, reflective thinking or peer coaching, the goals are always the

3 same: (1) to improve teaching effectiveness and (2) to improve student performance. These improvement goals build a strong case for teacher assessment. Scriptural Look at Teacher Assessment Scripture directs Christians to pursue excellence and to do their very best in everything they do as unto the Lord. This biblical challenge is persuasively presented in Colossians 3:17, And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. The previous verse (Col. 3:16) states, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing... singing... to the Lord [emphasis added]. The apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 12:31, But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Pursuing the more excellent way is God s exhortation to Christian school teachers. Christian schools that pursue excellence through professional growth initiatives and assessment opportunities, whether self-imposed or imposed by a principal or evaluator, benefit school wide from the processes. In schools of proven excellence, professional growth opportunities are closely tied to teacher assessment and staff development programs. Scripture teaches the biblical principles of compliance and submission to authority. The Bible says, Servants [one under authority], obey in all things your masters according to the flesh [administrator, principal, or supervisor]; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (Col. 3:22-23). The admonition is straightforward and candid: teachers, perform your professional duties and responsibilities in all things as unto the Lord, and if the opportunity is available, trust the authority figures in your school to guide your professional growth. If little emphasis is placed on professional growth in a school, the teacher should design his own professional growth plan, including, perhaps, asking a colleague to hold him accountable to the plan. Teachers should pursue teaching excellence through every available means and opportunities, that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing [emphasis added] (1 Thess. 4:12). This same thought is expressed in 1Timothy 3:7, Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without [quality teaching]; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil [emphasis added]. Quality Christian school teaching begins with an unmistakable obedience to the Lord, to His Word, to the application of Scripture to academia, and to a full understanding of the knowledge taught. Scripture unquestionably supports the concept of excellence, compliance, and submission to authority.

4 Perceived Value of Teacher Assessment Teacher assessment begins with someone in charge, someone who is responsible for helping others become more proficient in their teaching responsibilities. The principal or a designated person must assume the responsibility for developing, explaining, and implementing a Christian school s teacher-assessment initiatives. This, of course, would include the assessment instruments. Interestingly, teachers welcome assessment initiatives if they perceive value in them. This is one of the main reasons why self-assessment is welcomed by teachers. They trust themselves in evaluating themselves. This is the value of reflective thinking and peer coaching. Conversely, teacher assessment programs with mounds of busy work lead to negative attitudes toward teacher assessment. In addition, it hurts staff morale. The school leadership and teachers (both, not one or the other) must be sold on the idea of teacher assessment. Furthermore, teacher assessment programs, including the measurement instruments, must be understood by the teachers. When teachers welcome teacher assessment, it is because they understand its personal worth, and in doing so, no longer view it as a perfunctory and valueless activity. In this sense, the evaluator is the coach and the chief cheerleader. Unquestionably, the key to a quality academic program depends on quality classroom teachers. This necessitates teachers who know their subject, who know how to motivate their students to learn, and who know how to communicate effectively with their students. These areas flourish in schools where teachers are held accountable to performance standards that promote professional growth, excellence, and purpose. Benefits of Teacher Assessment The teacher assessment program should be purpose driven and results oriented. That is, the assessment program, regardless of its name, purpose, or structure, should produce results that improve student learning outcomes. Without purpose and results, teacher assessment becomes directionless and meaninglessness. Therefore, to insure teacher assessment helps teachers improve their teaching effectiveness, the evaluator needs to spend time in his teachers classrooms and in one-on-one, pre- and postconferences, as well as in explaining informal assessment initiatives. A quality assessment program provides teachers the following seven benefits: 1. Identifies strengths and areas needing improvement. 2. Establishes expectation standards. 3. Provides multiple opportunities for self-improvement. 4. Provides one-on-one professional training.

5 5. Provides an accountability tool. 6. Unifies teachers and administrators in directional and purposeful learning. 7. Provides evidence that validates teaching and learning are occurring. These seven benefits provide purpose and results-driven improvement initiatives. This in turn produces measurable teaching and learning outcomes that positively impact both teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes. How could a teacher ask for more? Eight Assessment Ideas The following assessment tools illustrate eight ways to approach teacher assessment; however, the reader, whether administrator or teacher, must remember that other assessment tools exist that can help teachers improve their teaching effectiveness. 1. Teacher Evaluation. Teacher evaluation is a formal assessment of a teacher s professional competencies and teaching effectiveness based on a set of performance standards commonly considered essential to effective teaching. The evaluation report is a comprehensive written account prepared by the principal or evaluator, with or without written input from the teacher, which reflects the teacher s professional performance on a given day during a given class. Teacher evaluations are commonly thought of as summative a formal assessment based on fixed performance standards. 2. Teacher Supervision. Teacher supervision is a developmental process that focuses upon the evaluator (principal or supervisor) and the teacher agreeing upon educational goals that will improve a teacher s professional growth and teaching effectiveness. Supervision goals encompass activities that focus on improving teacher performance and professional growth. Specifically, supervision includes any supervisor-planned activity designed to advance a teacher s instructional skills and to improve his students learning. Supervision can be thought of as formative a developmental process that advocates professional growth activities agreed upon between the evaluator and the teacher. 3. Performance Appraisal. A performance appraisal comes in many shapes and forms; however, unlike an objective checklist, performance appraisals include a personal growth plan along with identified strengths, concerns, and limitations. In its truest sense, performance appraisals are constructive and heavily weighted toward professional growth. Performance appraisals can be used at anytime to address any major or minor concern.

6 4. Peer coaching. Peer coaching is one teacher asking a trusted peer coach (teacher) to visit his classroom to assess an area defined by the teacher requesting the assessment. The coach evaluates only the area specified by the requesting teacher. Confidential feedback is given to the teacher from the coach. 5. Mentoring. Mentoring involves the pairing of a respected, experienced teacher with an inexperienced teacher. Meeting times are scheduled for the two teachers to discuss professional development in a variety of areas: curricular concepts, classroom management, observations, teaching strategies, etc. These meetings occur on a regular basis. Mentors are normally more effective when working with teachers whose professional responsibilities are comparable. For example, an experienced English teacher can mentor a novice or less experienced English teacher. 6. Reflective thinking. This is a self-evaluation process whereby the teacher analyzes and reflects at the end of a school day on what was done throughout the day to determine if a different approach could have produced better results. Thus, reflective thinking is observing oneself in relation to past decisions and teaching strategies. One way to do this is to keep a journal for six to eight weeks. Standards, often used in reflective thinking, can help teachers identify what they are doing well and not doing so well. 7. Journal. Keeping a journal provides a self-evaluative approach to teacher assessment and professional growth. The teacher takes three to five minutes after a class ends to record how the class went. The teacher follows the same procedure at the end of the school day and extends the journal time to ten to fifteen minutes. 8. Portraiture. Most teachers know or have heard rumored that a certain teacher in their school is a phenomenal teacher, but the teacher s modesty keeps him from conducting workshops, writing articles, peer teaching, coaching, supervising, or even speaking informally about his classroom routines and teaching strategies. One practice that helps teachers learn effective instructional practices is portraiture, a practice in which a team of teachers observe each other, write portraits based on what they observed, and share what they learned from their portraits to other teachers. Conclusion A principal or evaluator who establishes respectful, loving rapport with those he assesses will discover that teacher assessment is a welcomed helpmeet. The principal is not a threat or fear intimidator. Conversely, the principal is a professional observer, sounding board, and advisor. Not only is he interested in helping the teacher, but he also helps teachers to help themselves through self-assessment strategies. The evaluator could tell a teacher what he should do and why, or he may direct teachers to find their own solutions. The principal is always probing, suggesting, advising, and

7 encouraging teachers. Helping a teacher feel he is making progress, coupled with the feelings of personal achievement, elevates teaching morale and self-worth. A principal may ignore or minimize his role as an evaluator, but he will never maximize his teachers performance without a structured teacher assessment program that is designed to help teachers become better teachers, and in doing so, help students become better students for the glory of God.