Next week, my assessing administrator will conduct my formal observation using Marzano and company's Teacher Evaluation Framework. She will observe my second period class. The administrator will tally my performance across several design questions.
Friday afternoon I met with my administrator to review my plans for next week and to talk about my class. To prepare for the planning conference teachers I completed an "Art and Science of Teaching Teacher Evaluation Framework Planning Conference Structured Interview Form B." I spent several hours preparing and writing my response even though I've had colleagues tell me that they go to their conferences without submitting any writing ahead of time.
I believe the time I invest reflecting and writing about my work pays off in practice. I learn. I learn by having conversations about my practice too--one option for these conferences is to attend and talk, you don't necessarily have to have anything written down ahead of time. You don't have to prepare for a job interview either.
By writing and submitting my thinking prior to meeting with my administrator, I accomplish two things. I prepare myself and my administrator. I give my administrator a document from which to pull examples and resources --they must complete their own forms during the interview after all. Their interview is even timed on the computer. They have to start the clock in the system when we arrive and stop it once we finish. My conference lasted 40 minutes and change in seconds.
I view the conference and the shared writing as a teachable moment. My administrator may not have ever been an English teacher. He or she may know a lot about leadership and budgets and buildings and school law, but they may know very little about a workshop classroom or about effective literacy instruction that weaves together language arts strands.
Here is what I submitted to my administrator:
Wow. This is such a detailed and well thought out lesson plan. You demonstrated so clearly the way in which you have guided your students and provided meaning for their arc of learning. "A lesson is never planned in isolation" - so much truth and power in that, Lee Ann!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tara. Now to prepare the copies and such!
DeleteYou intentionality is evident in the lesson plan. I enjoyed seeing how you weave slice of life into your classroom.
ReplyDeleteI almost chose intention for my one little word this year--I'm glad it shows in this lesson.
DeleteThis is awesome. I wish more teachers embraced the opportunity of reflection and growth. Best of luck on the lesson - by the looks of things, it should be amazing. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks,Jen, for the compliments and the luck.
DeleteYou are lucky as you are evaluated by observation. My principal evaluates me without observing me in the class. Kudos for your reflection on your own teaching!
ReplyDeleteYou're right,Jaana, we are lucky. I've never taught in a system where teachers were not observed--it sounds so foreign to think an administrator would know what you do without actually seeing you do it.
DeleteI've been putting off preparing for my evaluation later this month. You've inspired me to approach it with a more positive attitude--to make what can seem to be an arbitrary framework an instrument for reflection and growth.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kay. Sometimes being positive when things are going well is easy, but staying positive through change or challenge, especially if do not agree with the policy or practice, is the hard part.
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