Rethinking Teacher Supervision and Evaluation Kim Marshall B Rethinking Teacher Supervision and Evaluation Kim Marshall TEAM B: Candace, Trenessa & Heather CHAPTERS FOUR AND FIVE

CHAPTER 4: MINI-OBSERVATIONS 2 Doing Them Right

MINI-OBSERVATIONS 12 KEY COMPONENTS UNANNOUNCED FREQUENT SHORT FACE-TO-FACE PERCEPTIVE HUMBLE COURAGEOUS SYSTEMATIC DOCUMENTED LINKED TO TEACHER TEAMWORK AND SCHOOLWIDE IMPROVEMENT LINKED TO END-OF-YEAR TEACHER EVALUATION EXPLAINED WELL

MINI-OBSERVATIONS: STRUCTURE UNANNOUNCED ESSENTIAL TO AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF HOW TEACHERS PERFORM DAILY SPECIFIC ADVANTAGES: *AUTHENTIC PRAISE *DEVELOPMENT FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHERS *COACHING/SUPPORT FOR STRUGGLING TEACHERS *WELL-INFORMED DECISIONS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS *ACCURATE END OF YEAR EVALUATIONS *DISMISSAL OF PERSISTENTLY INEFFECTIVE TEACHERS *QUALITY ASSURANCE FREQUENT SINGLE SURPRISE VISIT IS UNFAIR FREQUENCY ALLOWS FOR A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLING REDUCES PRESSURE AND DISRUPTION CONVINCES TEACHERS TO TRUST THE FAIRNESS OF THE SYSTEM HAVE A NUMERICAL TARGET SHORT 5 TO 15 MINUTES

NO SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGES TO SKIPPING PRE-OBSERVATION CONFERENCES FULL LESSON OBSERVATIONS ARE NOT A GOOD USE OF AN ADMINISTRATOR’S TIME BRAND NEW TEACHERS AND UNSATISFACTORY TEACHERS CAN BENEFIT FROM FULL LESSON OBSERVATIONS OTHER TEACHERS CAN BENEFIT FROM OCCASIONAL FULL LESSON FEEDBACK - ADMINISTRATORS CANNOT DO THE OBSERVATION OTHER OPTIONS FOR OBSERVATIONS: 1) INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES 2) PEER OBSERVATIONS 3) VIDEO CAMERA 4) LESSON STUDY

FEEDBACK THAT FOLLOWS MINI-OBSERVATIONS FACE-TO-FACE ADMINISTRATORS MUST MEET WITH EACH TEACHER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT NO MORE THAN 24 HOURS LATER BRIEF, INFORMAL CONVERSATION TEACHERS’ EXPLANATIONS WIDEN THE ADMINISTRATOR’S OBSERVATIONAL WINDOW HELP TEACHERS TRUST THE PROCESS NUMEROUS DISADVANTAGES TO WRITTEN FEEDBACK PERCEPTIVE FREE-RANGE - JUST WATCH AND KEEP AN OPEN MIND CHECKLISTS - CARRY A LIST OF WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN DURING A GOOD LESSON AND A METHOD TO RECORD DATA (PAGES 69-71 DESCRIBE DIFFERENT LISTS)

FEEDBACK THAT FOLLOWS MINI-OBSERVATIONS HUMBLE DO NOT ACT ALL-KNOWING AND ARROGANT TALK ON THE TEACHER’S TURF “THEIR CLASSROOM” THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE - TRIGGERS FEAR, CONSTANT INTERRUPTIONS, DIFFICULT TO DISENGAGE TALKATIVE TEACHERS COURAGEOUS SPEAK UP - IF YOU DON’T, WHO WILL HARMONY AND WANTING TO BE LIKED INCREASES AVOIDANCE THERE SHOULD BE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PRACTICES CAN BE CRITICIZED TO DECREASE AVOIDANCE LACK OF PRACTICE WITH DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS INCREASES AVOIDANCE

ORGANIZATIONAL DETAILS OF THE MINI-OBSERVATION Systematic Keeping a checklist of mini-observations can be helpful in various ways. Keeps track of which teachers had been observed. Shows if a principal favors certain classes over others. Goals can be tracked.

Documented Should the administrator take notes? It is important to remember highlights and points of improvement, but note taking can make teachers anxious. Should the teacher get something in writing afterward? Yes! Mini-observation Conversation Brief write-up

Linked to teacher teamwork and schoolwide improvement Time is limited for conversation after observation. Use larger improvement ideas with teacher teams. Principals should watch for student learning. Take a break from observations and set up short appointments with teachers. Ask them to bring grade books, assignments, and evidence of student work. This shifts the conversation to results.

Linked to end-of-year teacher evaluation Mini-observations give a more accurate picture of teachers’ work over an entire school year. If contracts allow, mini observations can substitute for longer formal observations. This may not work for low performing teachers though.

Explained well It is important for principals to explain the rationale for mini-observations and give teachers time to ask questions. Show video examples of what these mini observation will look like. Have teachers role play the part of principal and teacher to get a feel for what the observations will be like. Have answers to common questions about mini observations.

Payoff of mini-observations Get better sense student experience Teachers should do their best every day Get to know teachers better Builds trust Spreading effective teaching practices Better sense of the school = making better hiring decisions Getting to know students Get an idea of struggling teachers and get them help Visible principal Chance to gather a lot of data

CHAPTER 5: CURRICULUM DESIGN The Foundation of Good Teaching

The Curriculum Planning Gap The gap in curriculum planning gap is the gap between the process and the content, alignment and rigor. Principals are able to see the process when observing and evaluating teachers but are unable to see the bigger picture of what was previously taught and what the overall objective is for the students. The lack of effective “curriculum mapping” furthers the divide between good teaching and bad.

Intentions versus Reality Teachers work to provide a lesson that looks like good teaching and the principal agrees but the end results is whether or not the students are truely learning. There is often a huge discrepancy between the intended curriculum, the taught curriculum and the learned curriculum.

Layers of Curriculum Planning Grade level Expectations Curriculum Calendar Backwards Design plan Lessons toward year-end learning goals and assessments

Grade Level Learning Expectations This is what students need to know and be able to do by the end of the year to be successful at the next grade level.

Curriculum Calendar A calendar is the road map to what the students need to know by the end of the school year and how the curriculum units fit into the school calendar.

Backwards Design Curriculum units are important to ensuring the success of students achieving learning goals. The UbD approach is planning the unit backwards. The objective of the approach is to start with the final learning goals and working back through all the steps in hopes of student mastery.

Backwards Design Critical Components The subject of the unit and length of unit The state standards covered by the unit Three to four Big Ideas( beginning with “Students will understand that…) Three of Four Essential Questions to be posted in the classroom The most important factual knowledge students will acquire A list of skills to be taught or reinforced Assessments written in advance assessing students formatively and summatively A lesson-by-lesson instructional game plan

Principal’s Role in Unit Design Give teacher teams mandates for the unit Provide the training and the support needed Provide time to plan over the summer and during the school year. Make unit design one element in the regular rotation of the meeting agendas Buy a school subscription to the UbD website for downloading Provide peer review for each new unit Have teachers develop standard ways for students to store their work Principal critique each unit before it is finalized Perform mini observations Collaboratively analyze the learning outcomes of each unit

Lessons Lessons implemented throughout a curriculum unit is essential to moving students toward year-end learning goals and assessments that are stepping stones to college success.

Good Teaching Overall, there is a strong relationship between identifying schoolwide curriculum, planning units as a team and mini observations of the implementation of them. At the same time each of the components support and produce better teaching and learning.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER FROM DR. GANNON What is important to “know and do” in becoming a very effective supervisor?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER FROM DR. GANNON What are the “enduring understandings” from Chapter 4 “Mini-Observations 2: Doing Them Right” and Chapter 5 “Curriculum Design: The Foundation of Good Teaching”?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER FROM DR. GANNON What competencies and skills from Chapters 4 and 5 can each of us use as administrators and supervisors?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER FROM DR. GANNON How can Marshall’s book be a blueprint for excellence in the supervisory aspect of educational leadership?