Formative Evaluation of Teachers’ Performance

Published in EduLeader - August 2019

Teacher evaluation might lead to counterproductive results if conducted in a manner that declines their status as professionals. Therefore, it should focus on the growth of teachers’ knowledge, viewpoints and inquiries. For this, evaluation must be conceived as a formative process aiming at the growth and improvement of teachers’ performance. Teachers, thus, need to be provided room to examine their practices and those of others they work with. Reflection helps teachers do so and develops their analytical skills of their practices and moves them closer toward autonomy (Robbins & Alvy, 2014). In addition, peers can take part in teachers’ evaluations which reduces the stress caused when the administration or personnel in supervisory positions (Acheson & Gall, 2011) are the sole evaluators of teachers’ performance. Learning walks that involve peers and peer visits are excellent ways to collect data on teachers’ performance and to provide them with formative feedback in low stress situations and in a collegial manner, all of which are conducive to creating positive interdependent communities at schools. At times, it might be helpful to invite external observers to conduct learning walks or classroom observations to provide teachers with data from an outside source.

Interdependent communities are enhanced when teachers are active participants in developing their own evaluation system, and the evaluation system will become more reflective of their concerns (Sergiovanni & Starrot, 2006). In doing so, the evaluation criteria become clear for the teachers, which is only fair in the process of helping them, especially novice ones, grow and develop in their careers and to boost their confidence and abilities.

Other formative methods for teacher evaluation can include portfolio complication by teachers. Portfolios are of special importance, for they allow teachers to document their growth in a visible manner. Lesson plans, evidence on implementation of new or successful practices, reflection reports, checklists and observation reports can be among the components of teacher-compiled portfolios.

Students are a good source of data for teachers’ formative evaluation. Students can provide their perceptions on how they view the practices in their classrooms. This helps clarify to teachers the impact of classroom happenings on students’ perceptions. Interviewing students or having them complete questionnaires are ways to collect data that can be shared with teachers, or better yet, teachers themselves can collect this data from their students.

Teachers keeping a checklist at hand can enhance self-monitoring. Such checklists might include practices that the school considers essential. Newly introduced practices or activities can be included in the checklists. Coaches or subject coordinators can encourage teachers to refer to these checklists periodically. This will remind teachers of these essential practices and will help them monitor how often they are implementing them.

Although summative evaluation of teacher performance is necessary for administrative purposes, it is only fair that it be conducted after a long process of formative evaluation that aims at bringing teachers as close as possible to the desired outcomes. This formative evaluation must be collegial, respectful of teachers’ opinions and knowledge and goal-oriented. All in all, it should allow teachers to grow as professionals and become autonomous learners and problem solvers.

References

Acheson, K. A., & Gall, M. D. (2011). Clinical Supervision and Teacher Development: Preservice and Inservice Applications (6 ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Robbins, P., & Alvy, H. B. (2014). The Principal's Companion: Strategies and Hints to Make the Job Easier. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Sergiovanni, T., & Starrot, R. (2006). Supervision: A Redefinition (8 ed.). New York: Mc Graw Hill.