Formal Teacher Evaluations

I was writing a journal for another course, and in it,  I started questioning the purpose of clinical observations, and why current teacher evaluations are missing the mark. According to Danielson & McGreal’s book “Teacher Evaluation to Enhance Professional Practice” current evaluations achieve neither  “quality assurance nor professional growth effectively” ( p. 9). I agree wholeheartedly with this statement; formal evaluations happen once or twice a year, and when they do, they turn into a “dog and pony show” where teachers show principals the lessons that highlight their strengths, but do not show the type of teaching that happens routinely in their classroom. Throughout this semester, I’ve been struggling with how we can strive for professional growth, given the hierarchical relationship between the supervisor and supervised.  If an evaluation is filled out to promote the growth of a teacher, but at the same time is used to evaluate him or her, how can we build trust? How can we create a school culture where teachers know that they can be honest and make mistakes during formal observations, without being penalized for them?

Danielson & McGreal propose that teachers and administrators collaboratively decide on a rich set of teaching standards that reflect what we know about good teaching practices. I agree that this is important,  the ensuing dialogue will help develop standards that represent what good teaching looks like in a particular school, with the hope that once the supervising tool is developed, it is“owned” by all staff members within it.  In addition, just like we would differentiate instruction for students in our classrooms, we must also differentiate the evaluations for teachers according to their experience. For novice teachers, it is important to stress that the general expectation is not for them to do everything perfectly, for veteran teachers, we must make sure we celebrate the accomplishments where they have shown growth compared to other years.  

We need to restructure observations in order to use teacher’s “needs improvement categories” as a point of conversation, not shame, and to  be sure to praise them for the moments of outstanding work they do everyday. As supervisors, we need to be aware that we do not know everything, (most teachers’ content knowledge on a subject will exceed our own). Above all, we have to include teacher’s input, and knowledge about what is happening in their classroom before we make our "judgements". Formal observations, are after all, are only a small snapshot of what happens every day.

Past reflections on high-stakes testing

IIn a world focused on accountability and test scores, it’s vitally important to create a balance in our schools. We should ask ourselves: what kind of people do we want our students to be when they graduate? What are the abilities and knowledge that we should be incubating within our schools to guarantee the values we prize in society? Testing should be used as one of the tools to assess what students are learning. Data should be used to provide information about our practice, and to identify the individual needs of the students, “use of discourse as an analytical tool rather than a means for control” (Ylimaki, 2010, p.55). Our desire to help children develop into authentic individuals, democratic citizens and community advocates should drive our choices in the curriculum. Choices need to be made about what subjects should be covered, and these choices need to include an extensive cultural and intellectual appraisal of the members of the classroom. In this manner, the activities can mirror the actual realities of the students and evolve into a cohesive curriculum.

For this to be accomplished a relationship of trust and a collaborative culture that values open and honest communication must exist between teachers and leaders. In addition, key decision makers in the school can utilize the guidelines the state standards recommend, and amalgamate them with the ones found to be essential to that particular community and their corresponding vision. As a result, students will obtain a deeper understanding in key subjects as opposed to a perfunctory and superficial one. If the goal is to produce successful students, it’s in every one’s best interest (students, teachers and leaders), to contribute to this ongoing and ever changing process. Working together to create a greater scope of knowledge will not only enrich the curriculum in schools, but will also create a more inquiry based school environment, helping students experience that learning is an active and passionate process.  If the passion is there (the wish for knowledge is ignited) it is a sign that things are working well. This will hopefully lead to a school culture that fosters inquiry and community, where students will grow to become individuals fully prepared to contribute in society, with strong tools and an active desire for positive change.

Principal for a Day

In the past few classes and blog posts, some of us have discussed the importance of creating a network of people to support us, give us advice; as well as creating moments of peace during our day. This week, I found a sacred space within the school day: it consisted in talking and interacting with the students during their lunch time, and playing with them at recess.
The day started out by opening the school early in the morning, as I was acting principal for the day. In this role, I had to make quick decisions. I had to call a parent and inform her that I was sending a note home for an expulsion hearing. Two teachers were absent, and one was out sick, and I had to figure out how to provide coverage in the classrooms. I stayed late to help teachers, students, and families with their after-school project on Family Culture. I had an angry parent come into the office screaming, upset over a DCF issue that I had had to file a few days prior. There were gratifying moments as well, such as a parent calling the school giving thanks for the care and effort that teachers and administrators  had for her child. All in all, it was a well rounded, interesting experience that I enjoyed thoroughly.
    However, the favorite moments in my day were the times I spent with the students. Going into the classrooms and being in touch with the student’s perspectives and experiences in the school was refreshing to say the least. Stepping into their world is not exactly peaceful because children make noise, but it made me feel calm. Part of it is that their presence reminds me of the importance of doing our job for them. It is also refreshing to be near them because of their ability to be in the present moment; emanating joy, and light to those who stop and listen. Also, they are usually honest and straightforward, and when things are not right with them, you know it.
As principals we should not allow ourselves to get too far away from the opportunity to hear their voices, and include this in our day with equal importance as we do giving time  to students who misbehave, and improving the curriculum as instructional leaders.

The "Jack Elgart" case

        After class last on Wednesday, a question lingered in my head; What can be done about teachers that don’t buy in to the vision of the school, or that are inflexible with their teaching methods? As leaders, we have to be managers, while also instructional coaches for our teachers. How can we manage, and lead in both areas, especially when some teachers are more resistant to change?

The Pfeiffer and Sutton readings this week discussed the idea that “natural talent is overrated” and that while a lot of it depends on a person’s motivation and experience “talent [ultimately] depends on how a person is managed or led” (Pfeiffer & Sutton, p. 92) What does this mean for the schools, i.e. teachers, staff, and also leaders?

• The leader is responsible for building and sustaining systems in the building where growth and improvement are encouraged for everyone, while also providing the time, resources, and support for teachers who seek to improve their practice.
• As principals we need to create a school culture of collegiality and trust where mistakes are valued as learning opportunities, and teachers and managers are encouraged to bring up other people’s mistakes and also receive suggestions without feeling personally attacked.
• The idea that at any given time, anyone can be a leader as the need arises must be believed by everyone in the school. The principal in my current placement motivates people with the metaphor that the faculty and leaders are “ a crew, not passengers” to encourage involvement and so that every one's talents will be used and maximized.
• When hiring,  it is important to look for people “who know the limits of their knowledge, who ask for help when they need it, and who are tenacious about {improving their skills] and [eager] to help their colleagues” (Pfeiffer & Sutton p. 102).
• And lastly, it is important to “offer support and “redesign” systems before concluding that a person is [undesirable] or “crappy” (Pfeiffer & Sutton p. 102)

Culturally Responsive Schooling

I am from a culturally diverse background, having been born and brought up in Mexico until I was 18. This experience speaking the languages of two different cultures and embodying both perspectives has given me the insight to help connect with students and parents in my school who have had similar experiences. However, insight alone isn't enough to create change. Students and parents encounter a lot of obstacles trying to fit in, while maintaining their own cultural values. 
After reading Ladson Billings and Lisa Delpit for my principalship course, and then the readings for class this week, I am becoming more aware of the multiple layers that cultural understanding actually involves. As a future leader, creating a culturally responsive culture is important to me, and while I know that there is no “recipe” to follow to create this, I think a deeper understanding of other cultures will help students become more aware as citizens and will broaden their perspectives on life, regardless of what their ethnic background is. Some of the fundamental parts that I believe are needed to create an authentically inclusive school culture are:
a) Opening the dialogue about diversity within the school; reaching beyond discrimination laws and data on the unfavorable academic and personal outcomes of minority students. I would form teams of teachers to collaborate on the best ways to teach ethnically diverse students the skills needed to be successful in the power culture within the context of creative and critical thinking (Delpit, 2006).
b) Exploring the human resources within the community. I would involve teachers in projects to spend time inside the social and cultural networks where the children live. This would include arranging conversations between the parents, teachers and myself, about possible solutions addressing the needs the children have to honor their inherited culture and the knowledge emanating from it.
c) Empowering staff . In order to carry out this vision of a culturally responsive school, staff does need to be diversified, but above all, the school should include teachers that share an enthusiasm for working with minority students, regardless of their cultural background. I would use the statistics about ethnically diverse students and the disadvantages they face in the school system to motivate teachers to foster growth and change in all the students and to brainstorm ideas to tailor the instructional choices of the school to meet the needs of all students.
d) Focus on success stories. A focus on the success stories of teachers and leaders that have worked with minority groups, both known to only the community and in world-renown spokesmen.
e) Listening to the students: I would also emphasize the importance of listening to the student’s voices, letting them tell us who they are to a greater extent. The students that are not ethnically diverse will be enriched by this experience, continue to value and be proud of their own culture, but also feel comfortable probing into other students’ experiences as a way of knowing their world. Students would be encouraged to transition smoothly from the culture at school to the culture at home and vice-versa, without the agony or belief that they have to choose one or the other. For ethnically diverse students, this knowledge will empower them to stay true to the values of their culture while also becoming knowledgeable about the power structure of the majority in pursuit of academic excellence.
My ultimate goal for a culturally responsive school culture is one where all  students celebrate that the connection to their own culture makes them a valuable part of the community, as well as qualified agents questioning their own realities.  

Principals MUST "recharge" their batteries

“I deserve neither such praise nor such censure”,

Elizabeth Bennett (in Jane Austen’s, Pride and Prejudice).

        Principals’ jobs are like a Six Flags roller coaster. Their day can be a whirlwind with brilliant peaks and plundering downs, alternating at a precipitous pace. It is through the interactions with students that we feel most gratified, and experience the brilliance accompanied with the job; our utmost priority is their well being. Although there can be some conflict, depending on the age of the students, there is a sense of purpose being a part of their education; a sense of continuity in planting seeds of wisdom that will pay off in the future. It seems, that if the child knows that you care, he or she will trust your intention and give you the benefit of the doubt.
       

The downside, is the sometimes critical and defensive interactions with the adults. The parents and teachers have their own expectations and conditioned responses that sometimes are hard to diffuse. Most of the time, this attitude is not intentional, but it can permeate the culture of the school, and create conflict for the principal. In other words “Leadership is hard because expectations are high, blame swift and harsh” (Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006 p. 214).

For those low points, and fast days, it is very important to maintain a “sacred” time and place, as well as to create a support system, in order to deal with the intensity of the job. For principal Carter, in the NLNS case study, this support system was embodied by his coach from the New Leaders program. Carter’s coach served as a “critical, confidential sounding board, allowing him to float ideas with an experienced school leader before acting on them” (Archer, 2007, pg. 27) While some of us may not be so fortunate as to get a coach or mentor during our first years as principals, it should be possible to create ways to recharge our “battery” during the day, as well as to find people we trust to discuss some of the issues with. Technology can also help us to connect with principals in similar situations and get their advice. We need those unbiased connections that will offer advice and support.

While the road of a principal can be lonely, it will also be a satisfactory one. It is important to remember that as principals, we will be in a leadership role, but should not believe or make others believe we are infallible. “Even the smartest, most experienced, most dedicated individual is, in the end, a human being with biases, and failings that this fact entails” (Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006, p.198) . We can learn how to accept our shortcomings with good grace and learn from our mistakes, while maintaining our center and integrity, whether things are going well or not at any given moment.

Authenticity

I believe it is important to be an authentic leader with a vision that is clear to everybody involved,and with the capacity for decision making that represents this inner ideal. I am struggling with how to maintain this authenticity, with the limitations that are imposed by statewide requirements and regulations.

One of those limitations, particularly in public school, is the annual budget. The budget is restrictive in that there is a very small possibility of receiving any kind of increase.  Therefore, the principal has few options within the designated funding, and the part of the budget that is controlled by the principal, is usually limited even more by state mandates. This year, one of the requirements for public schools in our state, is to have a halftime physical education teacher. Because of the state imposed limitations, the Literacy Instructor position in my practicum was eliminated. This position was replaced by a part time PE teacher. Even though we have a grant-funded physical education instructor two days a week in the school, we still had to add a half-time teacher to meet the requirement. Who is to say which teacher is more important for the students? There are compelling arguments for both. However, in defense of authenticity, it makes no sense for a leader to say that literacy is important to their vision, while simultaneously eliminating positions that directly benefit the students in this area.

Another limitation to the principal's vision’s authenticity is the impending court order on public schools to increase the diversity in the teaching staff. While obviously the best-qualified teacher should get the position, sometimes the principal is obligated to pick someone with a particular profile which meets  the requirements of the state. How can an authentic leader, maintain his or her values, while forced to consider aspects such as race, rather than qualifications.  The same goes for hiring new teachers that are not within the public school “hub”. The system promotes growth for the people that are part of it, but makes it difficult to hire other teachers for talent alone. Does this mean that an “average” teacher will get hired in schools, while an outstanding teacher will be left without a job? How can we as leaders maintain our authenticity and integrity while still having to make the tough choices that may not be in synchronicity with our values?

I believe that within these limitations the principal does have a choice. As the readings for this week mentioned, acting in ways that are consistent with your values, shows more commitment and integrity than words. In this situation the principal could be transparent with the staff, mention that there are some mandates, but that substitute money could be used to bring a literacy coach to the building once a week, to preserve the school’s priorities. During the hiring process the principal can explain the high standards to potential candidates, so that teachers with lower levels of commitment will not be interested in working there.  The principal must have the ability to think and create ideas regardless of the limitations imposed, so that their vision stays untainted.