Teacher Performance Evaluation a workshop designed and presented by Margaret Banaszkiewicz TESL...

Teacher Performance Evaluation

a workshop designed and presented by Margaret Banaszkiewicz TESL Ontario 2010 ConferenceToronto, Ontario Sheraton Hotel, October 29 and 30, 2010

TESL Ontario Conference Toronto, Ontario, Oct. 29&30, 2010 2

Margaret Banaszkiewicz Quantum Education Inc.

Hello! Are there any great ESL Teachers out there…?

This workshop is dedicated to YOU!



Objectives

To discuss the purpose and the importance of evaluating teachers using classroom observation as evaluation tool

To discuss how a systematic process of evaluating performance can contribute to teacher’s professional growth, teacher effectiveness, and therefore, to more effective student learning



The reason for this workshop

In colleges, the results of student evaluations are not always discussed with faculty

In private schools, there may be sporadic classroom observations

In the ESL/LINC programs, teacher performance appraisals may be conducted by program administrators; external consultants may be called to conduct classroom observations



The reason for this workshop

In the private schools, the administrators may not always inform teachers about receiving the positive student feedback about their teaching

While the credentials of the experienced and highly qualified teachers may contribute to securing profitable contracts, the long-term teaching assignments may be offered first to the teachers charging lower rates.



Meet your group members…

Teachers Evaluators

Your name

Teaching experience

Who were your evaluators?

Write a word or a very brief comment describing your attitude towards/against classroom evaluations

Your name

Evaluation experience

Who were the teachers your evaluated?

Write a word or a brief comment describing your attitude towards/against classroom observations



Quality Teaching?

“Quality learning begins with quality teaching”. (Mary Lou McCloskey, B. Thornton, Nadia Touba)

“You haven’t taught unless they’ve learned” (?)

“Teacher performance evaluation as part of teacher’s professional responsibility”

(Seeking the Standard, by Jill Burton in: Source: Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness in ESL/EFL Contexts)



Why Should Teacher Performance Be Evaluated?

“Accountability is a primary purpose in the teacher evaluation process. As recipients of public funds responsible for educating all students, universities and schools must ensure that each classroom is under the care of a competent teacher (Danielson, 2001)



Accountability and LINC Contractual Agreements One of the most important factors contributing to

receiving funding is effective teaching. Meeting our student learning needs brings

positive learning outcomes. Meeting our student learning needs can be

reflected in regular student attendance, increased number of new intakes, expected progress rate.



Accountability and LINC Contractual Agreements

While class closure may be attributed to various factors, the most common is

POOR ATTENDANCE



Poor attendance may be caused by: Poorly conducted outreach activities Poorly delivered language instruction Poor access to language school/facility All of the aboveOther factors may be related to:

Childcare Health problems



The most common contributing factor to the success of a language school is high quality of instruction delivery

It is reflected in:Higher student progress ratesRegular attendance and higher student

retention



What makes a competent teacher?What is good teaching? Among the researchers there is a

consensus that good teaching may be the single most important factor in improving student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Wright, Horn, &Sanders, 1997)



In your opinion, does quality teaching depend on..

…teacher’s qualifications, certificates and diplomas?

…the number of years of teaching?

… ?...



What is quality teaching?

“Effective teachers have high expectations for all students

Effective teachers contribute to positive academic, attitudinal, and social outcomes for students such as regular attendance, on-time promotion to the next grade/level, on-time graduation, self-efficacy, and cooperative behaviour.” (Approaches to Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness. Goe, Bell, Little, June 2008)



What Is Effective Teaching?

“Effective teachers use diverse resources to plan and structure engaging learning opportunities; monitor student progress formatively, adapting instruction as needed; and evaluate learning using multiple sources of evidence.” (Approaches to Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness. Goe, Bell, Little, June 2008)



What Is Effective Teaching?

“Effective teachers contribute to the development of classroom and schools that value diversity and civic-mindedness.

Effective teachers collaborate with other teachers, administrators, and educational professionals to ensure student success[..], (Approaches to Evaluating Teacher

Effectiveness. Goe, Bell, Little, June 2008)



Systematic process of evaluating performance can contribute to:

teacher’s professional growth teacher effectivenessand therefore, to more effective student

learning



Some benefits of being observed and evaluated are: Opportunity to have own teaching

strengths recognized and validated by an external party

Opportunity to use the constructive feedback for improvement

Gain more control over own performance by identifying and eliminating bad habits (for example, self-monitoring teacher talk)



Some benefits of being observed and evaluated are: Having the Performance Evaluation

outcomes documented by an external party should help teachers in gaining recognition leading to promotion, better pay, bonuses, etc.



Classroom Observations

Process Observation Tools Rating Frequency Mentoring Support



Factors Contributing or Hindering Performance “Not everything that counts can be

counted and not everything that can be counted counts.” (reported to have been posted in Albert Einstein’s office)



Teacher’s Behaviour

Eye contact with students? Oral delivery - too loud/too low. Is the language understandable to

students? Is the instructor dull/tired/boring/active/too

intense/hyper?Reflective Faculty Evaluation, Enhancing Teaching and Determining Faculty

Effectiveness. J.A. Centra,993



Instructor-Student Rapport

Does the instructor demonstrate fair and equitable concern for all students?

Are the students receptive to what’s being taught?

Is the instructor sarcastic/patronizing/ disrespectful/tough/harsh/biased/

discriminating?Reflective Faculty Evaluation, Enhancing Teaching and Determining Faculty Effectiveness. J.A.

Centra,993



Instructor-Student Rapport

Teachers are expected to provide timely and constructive feedback

Dry testing score or general comments, such as: Great Job!

Good Effort! Excellent! are not enough Effective teachers provide detailed feedback (use

rubrics/frequent reviews/use specific terms/words to help students focus to what needs to be improved and what has been acquired)

Positive objective comments should precede negative ones.



External Evaluator vs.

Peer evaluators Principals as evaluators Student feedback Electronic course evaluation tools Self-evaluation/Teacher’s Portfolio



External Evaluator..

..should be experienced in teaching/mentoring in a context relevant to the context in which the observation is to be conducted (LINC; academic; workplace; etc.)

Understands the specifics of a language program and its students

Is able to focus equally on teacher’s strengths and weaknesses

Is tactful and trained in offering feedback



Why some teachers fear or resent classroom observations?

?



Why some teachers may fear or resent classroom observations? Teacher doesn’t know the observer

because there was not enough time for the pre-observation interactions

Teacher doesn’t know how much the observer knows about teacher’s working context, students, etc.

….



Teachers’ comments about regular classroom observations: Feedback useful Increased awareness Improved overall performance Some improvements can be made

immediately Motivated and more at ease when trying

new or more effective methodologies



In Your Opinion

In your opinion, what are the most effective ways to evaluate teacher performance?

Should teachers be awarded for their quality teaching?



Thank You for

Your Participation in this Workshop

Margaret BanaszkiewiczQuantum Education Inc.

Tel. (613) 296-7036

[email protected]



Laura Goe, Courtney Bell, Olivia Little. (2008). Approaches to Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness: A Research Synthesis.

Coombe, Al-Hamly, Davidson, Troudi. (2010). Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness in ESL/EFL Contexts

Friedenberg, Kennedy, Lomperis, Martin, Westerfield.(2003). Effective Practices in Workplace Language Training

Ontario Teacher AppraisalDanielson, C. (2001). New trends in teacher evaluation. Educational

Leadership, 58(5)Routledge Flamer (2004). Assessing teacher effectiveness.Lorin W. Anderson. Paris : Unesco : International Institute for

Educational Planning (1991). Increasing teacher effectiveness Williamson M. Evers and Herbert J. Walberg,Testing student learning,

evaluating teaching effectiveness An introduction to classroom observation [electronic resource] /

K.O.Doyle, Jr, Univ. of Minessota (1975) Student Evaluation of Instruction.

J.A. Centra.1993.Reflective Faculty Evaluation, Enhancing Teaching and Determining Faculty Effectiveness

Teacher Performance Evaluation a workshop designed and presented by Margaret Banaszkiewicz TESL...

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