Sunday, March 4, 2012

iTeach: Reflecting on Florida's New Teacher Evaluation System

Midnight is around the corner. My lower back is complaining about the computer chair.  I'm determined to finish the work before I go to bed. I'm remembering Wednesday night.

The work this starry night is a pre-observation conference form for my first formal evaluation using Florida's new system. I wanted to show you what the pre-conference form looks like, so I printed it as a PDF from the website to give you a clear idea . I wrote long; I wanted to be thorough. Just skim it. Though you can see the links to my attachments, you can't click on them from the Scribd document.

Pre-conf From Web

It looks a lot like National Board writing doesn't it? It felt like writing for National Boards--something I've done twice now. Once to certify and once to renew my certificate.

To win Race to the Top funds Florida had to revamp teacher evaluation. The state contracted with Robert Marzano's research lab and is using iObservation. We are ranked as "innovating, applying, developing and beginning." The learning is curve is steep, but this is the landscape. There is real value in what the iObservation system demands: responsive, goal-directed teaching is but one of the valuable take-aways. Sometimes, however, the new process--because it so much to take in at once and because implementation is accelerated and immediate--feels like a sink or swim survival exercise.

Administrators first told teachers that no one would rank at the top tier. "Innovating is rare. Innovating is maybe 2% of any given population." At the beginning of the year teachers were told that no one would be scored as "innovating." No one? As we've all learned a few teachers here and there are scoring innovating on a few of the 41 elements assessed for design question 1. I can't go into the set-up in this post, but  to explain quickly we're assessed across 4 domains; within the domains are several design questions; within each design question are elements or as Marzano says:


Domain 1 is based on the Art and Science of Teaching Framework and identifies the 41 elements or instructional categories that happen in the classroom. The 41 instructional categories are organized into 9 Design Questions (DQ) and further grouped into 3 Lesson Segments to define the Observation and Feedback Protocol. Copyright Robert J. Marzano
I want to achieve that top tier--in Domain 1 Classroom Strategies and Behaviors. I want to demonstrate that I think on my feet, respond to students' needs, integrate technology and differentiate instruction in innovating ways. Innovating does not mean that I know everything or that I'm 100% spot-on 100% of the time, but, to me, it means I am pioneer in my classroom, a leader, a change-agent for learning, a curriculum evangelist and an excellent teacher. I think I am, but will my students' standardized test scores say that I am? That of course is the crux of the new system.

Our new evaluation model is a 60-40 proposition this year. Sixty percent of my evaluative score will be data gathered from administrators formal and informal observations using the iObservation system from Learning Sciences International (Marzano, Daniels and Reeves). For formal observations (of which I have 1 per year based on my continuing contract status as a 19 year teacher), teachers complete a pre-conference write up, meet with their assessing administrator, do the lesson, complete a post-conference write up and meet again with the assessing administrator. Monday is my post-observation conference, so I've been working on my lesson reflection this afternoon.

Forty percent of my evaluation for the year will come from students' test scores. Teachers were told that "the State" is using a regression model to create predicted scores for schools and targeted student populations. If the predicted scores are lower than our school or students' actual scores, we win. We will have "added value" to the students academic year. If scores come in below predictions, we lose and teachers (along with administrators, guidance counselors, media specialists and other supporting faculty) will be labeled ineffective. Here's the language of the law:

"Specifically, the rules shall establish a student learning growth standard that if not met will result in the employee receiving an unsatisfactory performance evaluation rating. In like manner, the rules shall establish a student learning growth standard that must be met in order for an employee to receive a highly effective rating and a student learning growth standard that must be met in order for an employee to receive an effective rating." Florida Statutes 1012.34 Personnel evaluation procedures and criteria
I finished my post observation reflection--though it's not as thorough as I might like it to be. I didn't attach as much evidence (photos or documents) to it as I did the pre-conference piece. You can see it here also from Scribd.

One thing that stands out post-lesson is how Socrative.com allowed me to poll students using the exit slip and gather the results. I love how Socrative (unlike Poll Everywhere) will email me an Excel spreadsheet of the results. Here's just a clip from the file. I'm starting with students' questions on Monday as we continue to draft our position papers.

We'll see what my administrator and I talk about during my conference tomorrow. I know we have to discuss the actual lesson, but they he will also touch on domain 3 (planning) and domain 4 (collegiality and professionalism). This is my first run around this course. I'm sure it's going to be a long race.

See you Monday!

9 comments:

  1. Being a good teacher was exhaustive before these new evaluation procedures. Now...I don't know, what is an adjective that indicates every more exhaustive?!

    One thing I dislike is that (here in Michigan at least) because that last data domain won't be ready until June, the principal isn't even discussing her evaluations until then. Seems a little backwards to me. If a teacher needs improvement, don't we want to get them on that track right away?

    I'll be reading to see how the process goes for you.

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  2. Hey Lee Ann! Your name always cheers me up on Twitter. Is Michigan using the same sort of system? Our testing data is not usually available until after the end of the school year either, so I'm not sure if the administrators will keep the evaluations open this year or close them. We'll see. I think I remember reading something in the law that says we need to close evaluations within 90 days of the school year's end. We'll see.

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    1. My husband calls me HeyLee..and then people are confused about what my name actually is! :)

      It sounds like the same kind of system. I am a bit nervous because my principal has said she doesn't think the evaluation fits my position so she isn't going to use it to evaluate me. But I don't know what she will use...I am pretty sure I should have an evaluation on file!!

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  3. I am a veteran Indiana teacher. My school corporation is one of 6 pilots for our new Indiana evaluation and I was chosen for the4 pilot group. Three school systems are piloting the RISE (state model) and three others are piloting their own model. We are piloting our own model. I have had 3 of the 4 required observations. I don't do a write up. My evaluator does this within a standard rubric. Then we meet to discuss the rubric scores. This is a collaborative effort. I think it is good,but very time intensive for both teacher and administrator. Interestingly enough, the plan is to use the test scores from the past three years, average them, and determine if each teacher is eligible for a rating of effective or highly effective. If you rank in the two lower ratings due to test scores there will be no raise.

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    1. Yes CMacWW, I think that's the way of it right now, at least if we're following the money (Race to the Top or federal money) seems tied to standardized test scores. Florida teachers who are on continuing contracts will have to abandon them in order to qualify for the new raise/pay scale system. It's a move to establish yearly renewal of teaching contracts.

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  4. Crazy amount of work - huh?!? I remember with my first principal I found my post conferences to be so helpful because we dialogued about, what worked, what was challenging and where I want to go from here? You just have to wonder about keeping things simple! Good luck - you look VERY prepared!

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    1. Thanks, Jen. I think the work actually comes in making what I do on a daily basis understandable and transparent for the administrator. I love just the conversation aspect about what's working and what's not. It's been more rigorous to attach written documents to it all. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  5. This makes me so glad I am retired from the full-time teaching position. Really is this going to create better teachers? I doubt it. Good luck dealing with this until the next great idea comes along.

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    1. Thank you, Elsie. For the first time in my career I thought "I can can do something else." I can write. I can consult. I can ... leave the classroom. Isn't that sad? I think many veteran teachers in my state have had similar thoughts this fall.

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