Observations

czacza

czacza

Multitudinous
Used to be in my district that tenured had one scheduled observation per year, non tenured had 3-4. Our state is now requiring new eval systems. Some have signed on to Marzano, Danielson, etc. we are doing Marshall...ten ten-minute observations, drop in, per teacher. I've been observed twice already...so ar, so good...gotta say, I do think unannounced minis paint a more realistic 'snapshot' of a classroom and teacher practices than a once a year dog and pony show...that plus my P does a non-observation swing thru most as anyway so it's comfortable, I feel like he understands who I am as a teacher and that my observations won't be 'gotcha' situations. 8 more to go...:whistle:

Any changes in observations/eval for you?
 
We only have one formal observation per evaluation. We now have two walk throughs per evaluation. This means he sees us at least six times. It used to be two formal observations for a total of four.
 
We switched to the Danielson model. Our P is in our rooms daily anyway, so the only real thing that is changing is more paperwork.
 
I kind of prefer the old way.

We have four 10 minute informals throughout the year, plus one formal. I don't think my problem is the observation system, per se, but rather the way it's implemented in my county (they say it isn't a gotcha but it seriously feels like one sometimes).

Even though it used to be only one observation per year, my Admin used to just drop in every now and again. No written feedback. No freaking out if you were doing everything on Marzano perfectly. I liked it a lot more when they would just come by to watch and engage in the class. I felt like they were more looking to see what you were and how you were growing as a teacher rather than just rating things on a list.
 
Once we have our continuous contracts, we don't have any more observations. My administration walks through our rooms almost daily though.
 
We are using the Danielson model in my district. Our P has agreed to "announce" all of our observations this year. We are using oncoursesystems.com for our pre and post conference questions. PAIN in the butt! Just when I thought I was good (I was tenured this September) this happens in NJ. UGH.

How about those SGO's? That may even be a bigger pain in the butt! And then the SGP's. That's horrible to even fathom. I have made very good progress with my students in the past, but it's hard to have that horrible test tied to you.
 
When I was department chair, I did unannounced observations. It gave me a better idea of what was going on, and it gave people less time to panic.

At this point, I get observed once a year. My chair has already started getting them out of the way. But we're a department of 22 (I think) with one brand new teacher who will be observed a number of times. So he gets to me when he gets to me.

I don't do anything special for observations, other than to make sure I'm not giving a test or a quiz. What he sees is what would have been going on had he not been in the room. If he ever forgot to warn me he was showing up, it would be fine with me.
 
With our new evaluation process, evaluators can either do 3 unannounced drop-ins and one formal, 45 minute observation, or 6 drop-in observations.
 
I'll be observed twice this semester, and my P wants me to give her the dates. It sounded like it's not just me, it's every teacher, but I'm probably wrong.
I prefer several unannounced visits, and maybe 1 or 2 scheduled visits. She does walk-throughs a lot, but they're very short.

I feel that if all you get is 1 or 2 visits, the odss are against you. What if you have one off day (you're sick, the kids are just having an off day) and that visit means a lot? Having several unannounced visits are better, because they paint a clearer picture. You night have 1 off day, but the other 5-9 should good days should balance it out.
 
We still get one announced and one unannounced if we are on "full evaluation" which occurs every 3 years after getting tenure. When on "partial" eval, we may not be formally observed at all. However, my P does walk-throughs frequently.
 
Permanent, contract employees, who have more than three years, have a formal evaluation once during every 5 year cycle. Administration is in and out of classrooms frequently, so have a good sense of what is going on in classrooms. We also have frequent "walk-throughs" from a superintendent or the director of education. Because we are a brand-new school, there have been several walk-throughs already as it seems as though everyone wants to visit our beautiful new building.
 
We have walk throughs all the time, but this year I'll only be evaluated on one scheduled observation because I was highly effective last year. Teachers who were not have two observations a year.
 
Our walkthroughs are now largely unscored, although our evaluators note whether they've observed certain things or if an opportunity is missed. We also have a written and spoken dialogue afterward to keep track of things (I have my most recent one open for reference). We are formally observed and evaluated twice a year, the same as our SLO reports.
 
In the districts I've worked at, teachers have one walk through observation plus one formal observation every year for the first 3 years they are employed. After that, they get one formal observation once every 3 years.
 
We have adopted Marzano in my district so we have 6-8 observations- 1 formal announced, 1 formal unannounced, 1-2 informals and then 3-4 walkthroughs. It doesn't matter if you are new or have taught for 30 years, everyone is observed the same amount of time. New teachers and those who are struggling are observed more frequently.
 
cat~I know...In my old district, it didn't really matter because the principal always stopped by the rooms to see what was going on. I do knot some teachers though that haven't seen their principal in their rooms since they're last observation.
 
I'll have three formal 1 hour observations this year. I had one last month for ELA, math is in Nov and then another will be in Feb. Once I am tenured, I can do a research project using my class instead of observations. Once I hit 10 years, I can go every three years without an evaluation or project. My principal is in my classroom a lot, though-she taught for me all afternoon today because she wanted me to build her some websites-so I try to always have work up, the kids know to be on their best behavior, ect. It's still heart-stopping, though, after my last few principals. Even though my last evaluation went really well, I'm always terrified. I'm like a dog that has been kicked and can't stop flinching...
 
Proud2BATeacher said:
Once we have our continuous contracts, we don't have any more observations. My administration walks through our rooms almost daily though.
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Wow; how is this okay with your district?

Edit: It's concerning that in so many schools teachers are observed less than twice a year, and sometimes not even ONCE a year.
 
I'm only observed once a year. (And, no, we don't have unions; I'm in a non-Union Catholic high school.)

To be completely honest, there's no need for more than one formal observation. I teach with my doors open. Anyone interested can hear how my kids REALLY are, unaware that they're being observed, simply by walking down the hall and pausing before they get to my room.

I submit an electronic copy of all tests to John, my department chair. So, once every 2 weeks, he knows exactly the type of problems my kids are doing.

He has a 2nd period study hall in the cafeteria with a couple of hundred kids--- somewhere in there are probably 20 of the kids I teach. John could talk to any of them about what's going on in my class.

I'm always on the lookout for new sites, for new worksheets or games or problems or anything else I can find. When I find something, I email it to anyone who might be able to use it, including John.

Probably the best indication of all of what's going on in my class is that John has taught kids after they've had me. A number of the members of my department were students in my class. John was a brand new teacher the first year I was department chair.

I'm pretty much an open book. I don't react differently to observers, but my kids tend to. They become Stepford Students, afraid of "making me look bad" by asking a question or guessing wrong.So the observer rarely gets an accurate portrayal of my class, simply because the kids aren't themselves.

(And, no, I'm not a believer in telling them that they're being observed. My explanation is that Mr. C. is in the room observing me-- that as teachers, it's always nice when you can see how another teacher does things.)

I'm not a fan of tenure. But I do think that, once a teacher is well established in a school, there are probably far better ways to guage effectiveness than by an observation.
 
We went with Danielson. I know there will be walkthroughs, but I haven't had any yet. They won't count as observations...they are looking for curriculum info, or so they say.

Our old system was 3 obs for non tenured plus an annual summary report and 1 obs for tenured plus an annual summary report.

We just got the new info this week for this year...

All tenured staff are now required to have, at minimum, three short (20 minute) observations plus an annual.

All non-tenured staff require, at a minimum, three observations plus one annual; however, the length of the observation varies based on experience. Staff in years 1-2 will require two long (40 minutes) and one short (20 minute) observations, while staff in years 3-4 require two short (20 minute) and one long (40 minute). All observations require a post conference meeting. Long observations require a documented post observation meeting. Long observations have an "L" next to the administrator's initials. If your observation has a "A" next to the administrator's initials it will be an announced observation and also require a documented pre conference meeting.

It will be interesting to see how the 20 minute obs compare to the 40 min ones I'm used to. I have no worries, but it will be an interesting year for sure!
 
Our wonderful governor is trying to abolish tenure altogether. Our state has adopted the COMPASS model, and it is expected to be almost impossible to get a "4" rating (exceptional). I agree with that, except that some districts are giving them out like candy... sorry... whole nuther subject....

Anyway, we have to have 1 formal announced and 1 formal unannounced (1 each semester). We can have walk-throughs anytime, and the admin can do "work cites" (a quick evaluation) anytime. Because of our district, we are also subject to random observations by district and state "observers." Basically, I figure that I'm gonna keep on teaching, and doing my best. If it isn't good enough... I'll try to do better. I'm like Jen though - my first school was SOOOO horrible that I'm in panic mode before, during and after my announced and after my unannounced visits! Oh, and this is whether you've been teaching 0.5 years or 50.
 
pwhatley said:
Our wonderful governor is trying to abolish tenure altogether. Our state has adopted the COMPASS model, and it is expected to be almost impossible to get a "4" rating (exceptional). I agree with that, except that some districts are giving them out like candy... sorry... whole nuther subject....

Anyway, we have to have 1 formal announced and 1 formal unannounced (1 each semester). We can have walk-throughs anytime, and the admin can do "work cites" (a quick evaluation) anytime. Because of our district, we are also subject to random observations by district and state "observers." Basically, I figure that I'm gonna keep on teaching, and doing my best. If it isn't good enough... I'll try to do better. I'm like Jen though - my first school was SOOOO horrible that I'm in panic mode before, during and after my announced and after my unannounced visits! Oh, and this is whether you've been teaching 0.5 years or 50.
Click to expand...

Tenure is an anachronism that should no longer be accepted by teachers or the public.
 
We also adopted the Danielson model. It seems like a tremendous amount of paperwork on both parts - teachers and administrators - but it hasn't hit me personally yet.

I have an "open" classroom in an "open-concept" school so pretty much everything I do is out there in the open. My principal walks by and stops in at least once every other day or so. I don't feel like I have anything to hide so I don't mind. She's seen a few of my kids have meltdowns, but they're with me for a reason, so she's pretty understanding.
 
I think tenured teachers are observed 1 hour a day for 3 days every 3-5 years. I was evaluated a couple of years ago and there hasn't been talk of anything for this year.

My door is always open and I have regular conversations with my principal about how things are going. I submit year plans and newsletters. If she was really concerned I think she would be in my room more.
 
It's my first year in a new school, so I have quite a few observations! Some are announced, but we also have walk-in observations. I don't change anything for observations because I want admin to know how I really teach. My admin is always walking around the building so they stop into many different classes just to get more of a feel for the school culture.
 
2 formal observations (October and March/April) that count directly towards our end-of-the-year evaluation and this pretty much dictates if you will earn enough AUs to get a raise.

1 informal observation is also supposed to happen in January. Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not.
 
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