Teacher Evaluation

We as teachers frequently evaluated our students, but this blog is focused in how is evaluated the teacher practice. First, I would like to explain two systems of teacher evaluation. Then, I will mention some of the problems in the evaluation systems. At the end, I propose some elements on which I think should be judged us as teachers.

Currently I work in the District of Columbia Public Schools DCPS, so I would like to share my experience with IMPACT. IMPACT is DCPS’s system for assessing and rewarding the performance of teachers and other school-based staff. More information in http://dcps.dc.gov/page/impact-overview. This system evaluated the teacher practice in three components: Formal observations in the classroom, grades (growth) of the students and school involvement. There are three components but formal observations are the 75% of the final score. At the end of the year each teacher receives a score, this score establishes a “grade” for the teacher, you could be (Highly effective with more than 3.5, effective with 3 to 3.5, Minimally Effective and Ineffective). According to the score, the teachers with higher scores receive incentives. I feel that this process not measure the real work of the teachers, a 30 min visit of a person who do not know about your students and your classroom determine your score. Also, I consider that the most important part of the system is find ways to continue improving our teacher practice, label the teacher work is not the best way.

Reading about the State of Ohio teacher evaluation, (more information in http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Teaching/Educator-Evaluation-System/Ohio-s-Teacher-Evaluation-System) they have a system that evaluate the teacher 50 percent student academic growth measures and 50 percent performance. The focus is providing more professional development for the teachers. Also, include other options like: student surveys; teacher self-evaluations; peer review evaluations and student portfolios.

The evaluation systems for teacher vary between countries, states and also between public and private schools. I was working in a Charter School in DC and the process was focused in the professional development of the teacher, I received two formal observations and more that 200 hours of professional development. Also, in other countries like Mexico they do not have evaluation system for teachers yet, they are working in create a system but the teachers refuse to have it.

As systems, the teacher evaluation process have some problems. As mentioned the article Teacher Evaluation 2.0 produced by the new teacher project (Available in the following link: https://docs.google.com/gview?url=https://platform-user-content.s3.amazonaws.com/resources/M4U4A3_Teacher-Evaluation_2.0-20150707115740.pdf) the evaluation system are unfocused, teachers are often evaluated based on superficial judgments about behaviors and practices that may not have any impact on student learning—like the presentation of their bulletin boards. Other problem is the scores, this are not undifferentiated, the teachers pass or fail. All our work is not represented in a score; we are more that a number. The evaluation systems also are inconsequential, the results of evaluations are rarely used to make important decisions about development, compensation, tenure or promotion. In fact, most of the school districts we studied considered teachers’ performance only when it came time to dismiss them.

Base on my experience and listen other teachers, I think that the goal of a teacher evaluation system is improve the teacher practice. The results could be used to create plans for professional development base on the teacher’s needs. The feedback could be accompanied with solutions and resources to implement changes. We as teachers are waiting for spaces to growth and learning, we are not waiting for spaces to be judged.

Planning for English Language Learners

In this blog I am going to share some strategies and steps that we could use as teachers in order to include ELL students and support their active participation in learning activities.

The unit that I would like to develop is about the different cultures in countries where the people speak Spanish.

These are four examples of ELL students:

Martin is a Colombian boy. He is 6 years old and this is the second year in the school. He is in the stage of Speech Emergence. He can communicate with simple phrases and sentences. He asks simple questions, that sometimes may not be grammatically correct. Also, he initiates short conversations with classmates. He is able to do some content work with teacher support.

Strategies:

1. Teach new vocabulary about the topic, using visuals and repeat the words many times.
2. Write simple sentences using new vocabulary. Teacher can provide some examples.
3. Work with a partner who is English dominant. The ELL students could practice his/her speaking skills interacting with others.
4. Compose personal stories related to the topic.
5. Read short and modified text about the topic.
6. Watch videos about the topic to familiarize with the content.
   
   

Hi Shu is a Chinese girl. She is 9 years old. This is her fourth year in the school. She is in the stage Intermediate Fluency. She is beginning to use more complex sentences when speaking and writing. She frequently asks questions to clarify what they are learning in class. She works in grade level in math and science classes. She writes with many errors, but she is able to express her opinions.

Strategies:

1. Work in comprehension activities.
2. Practice grammar, the teacher can provide some activities to improve writing grammar. The student could write about her culture to complement the topic of this unit.
3. Guiding reading with the student and share with her some books to read at home.
4. Provide to the student more complex concepts to express her ideas and use when she is speaking in class.
5. Provide time to the student to share orally about her culture, family and traditions.

Juan is a Mexican boy. He is 8 years old. This is the first year in the United States and he is new in the school. He is in the stage of Pre-production. He has a limited vocabulary and he is not speaking yet. He is able to repeat sentences and words. He always is paying attention. At the end of the day, he always is tired, because the new language is a challenge for him.

Strategies:

1. Provide simple vocabulary accompanied with visuals.
2. Use many gestures and expressions (corporal language) when the teacher is explaining.
3. Write sentences and main words in the whiteboard in each unit. It is better is the teacher use visuals with the new concepts.
4. Promote working in a groups with English speaker students.
5. Provide technological tools that help the student to learn new vocabulary, pronunciation and phonetics.
6. Use audio-visual materials in the lesson.

Amal is a Philippine girl. She is 5 years old. This is the second year in the school. He is in the stage of Early Production. She speaks in one- or two-word phrases. She can use short language chunks that have been memorized although these chunks may not always be used correctly

Strategies:

1. Promote the participation of the students in all activities in the class.
2. Modify the content information to a simple language level.
3. Teach new vocabulary using visual or videos. Provide context of the new words.
4. Provide technology to work in listening activities.
5. Focus the content in key vocabulary and concepts.
6. Use simple books and invite the student to participate in small groups to have guiding reading.
7.  Use a frame to scaffold writing.
8. Repeat, repeat and repeat.