http://krqe.com/2014/05/26/taos-teachers-burn-their-evaluations/ Everyone always says teachers just complain and don't do anything. It almost makes me wish ours were not all digital. We're in the same boat-have to wait for our test scores which are 50% of our evaluation to find out our standing, won't find out until fall if we will be considered effective or not-so I do understand their frustration. We don't have student surveys yet, but student attendance is part of our equation as well. The actual instructional practice part is very minor.
Your evaluation is partially based on student attendance? Seriously? What kind of dumbass thought that should reflect on a teacher's evaluation?
Well, I guess because it's part of the school's accountability. We can show evidence of how we are encouraging attendance, making calls when they are absent, etc.
Reading some of the comments in the link, I was dismayed that their school system held teacher absences against them. Even workshops. I guess I really would have been dinged this year if I lived in that district. Our teachers were sent on workshops about 20 times this year and I used up all my leave time since I was retiring.
This is really sad. A teacher told me that she thinks that the government is out to close down public education and I've seen that same thing on this site. Sad, but it may be true. We are not a common core state, so that may make some difference, but the ability for a student to pass the state exams does not make up 50% of our evaluation. We have to prove that a selected sub-group of students has improved in selected areas. It is sort of like choosing a microcosm of the students and subject I teach and following their growth over the year. I set student achievement goals, and the group of students I want to target. This year it was all kids in my reading group, while last year, it was a specific class that I followed in writing. Not everyone met my goals, but all showed growth in the targeted areas. I also went on to look at the entire group of students in both years and how they measured up on the targets I set. The results were basically the same for the smaller vs. the whole group, so I think this is a fair way to evaluate my work. Student attendance is not part of the formal evaluation though it is considered in the formula used for state funding for the district. My attendance is not an issue either - at least not so far. I have sick and personal days and use them in a professional manner. I also have professional development opportunities that are not counted against me. They can't expect us to improve our performance if they are going to punish us for taking time for professional development - it makes absolutely no sense.
I think I would feel better about it if we were using state tests, but we don't officially test kids until 3rd Grade. Everyone including Prek-K, PE teachers, librarians-everyone is supposed to use 2 different tests to show growth. They all have to be multiple choice so they can scan them-imagine Pre-K teachers teaching kids to bubble in answers! I know in the fall when everything is calculated it is really going to be interesting because no one really knows how it's going to work. Our district is moving toward all online pd's-which I do not think are as effective because you can't discuss what you are learning, to me that's the fun part. That way we have to complete them all on our own time, not take days to attend actual workshops.
I quietly read my evaluation and then put it through a very loud shredder. Until our state legislation works together and changes the laws on teacher evaluation (the Senate and House are at odds), that's all I can do.
That would not fly in this district. Our contract specifically states we can't be required to do pd on our own time without being paid and it has to be voluntary.
