SIG:Total Effectiveness Results—Teacher ResultsMay 3, 2011

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY

Total Effectiveness Results—Teacher Results

(4 hours)

PURPOSE: Participants willconsider how various factors can be used to measureteacher effectiveness, and how each of those factors play into a “Total Effectiveness Result.”

ACTIVITY SUMMARY:

  1. Warm Up—how do we “weight” our own students’ grades
  2. Guided Reading—questions to consider, current models
  3. “A Continuous Improvement Model for Teacher Development and Evaluation” (AFT, 2010)
  4. “Teacher Evaluation 2.0” (The New Teacher Project, 2010)
  5. Task—Exploring the concept of total effectiveness results
  6. Group leader records results in worksheet and enters feedback online

WARM-UP: As teachers, we use multiple measures to determine the overall achievement of each student in our classes. The simple letters “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “F” represent the sum of our students’ performance. To get from multiple measures to a single letter, teachers often use a weighting system to give more weight, for example, to tests over quizzes or essays over homework. Sometimes the weight of each assignment is built into the points (50-point testversus 5-point quiz). Consider the following questions individually and then discuss as a group. The answers do not need to be recorded.

  1. In thinking about your own evaluation (grading) system, what factors do you take into consideration when weighting student performance measures? If this does not apply to you (for example, you use standards-based grading), think instead of classes that you’ve taken as a student and critique the weighting of performance measures in those classes.
  1. What would be the pros and cons of using a single type of performance measure (such as tests) to determine a students’ grade? What would be the pros and cons of using, as a single measure, any of the other performance measures mentioned in your previous question’s discussion?

GUIDED READING: To save paper, consider reading these articles from your computers. Please go online to our SIG website to access the articles: Total Effectiveness Results—Teacher Results

  1. AFT article: Read from page 5 to the top of page 8 (Putting It All Together).

Questions for Discussion: Within the District’s intended performance review process (see right), the 4 multiple measures of teacher effectiveness include Observation of Practice by administrators and teacher leaders; Contributions to Student Learning Outcomes such as Academic Growth over Time; Stakeholder Surveys from students and parents; and Contributions to School Community. Consider the following questions individually and then discuss as a group. The answers do not need to be recorded.

  • What similarities are there between the ideas proposed in the AFT article and the plans to the right?
  • What differences are there?
  • Would you treat each measure of effectiveness equally when determining the Total Effectiveness rating of a teacher? Why or why not?
  1. New Teacher Project article: Read pages 8 and 9 (Multiple Measures and Multiple Ratings).

Questions for Discussion: Consider the following questions individually and then discuss as a group. The answers do not need to be recorded.

  • What are your reactions to the weighting proposed on page 8?
  • What is your take on the New Haven Public Schools summative evaluation rating matrix?

TASK: Using the accompanying Excel spreadsheet as a test bed, your group will try to reach a consensus on the best weighting of each performance measure to generate a Total Effectiveness Result. As the group goes through this process, please note the considerations used to make the final decision. If the group cannot come to consensus, please note the reasons why. Record the results of your discussion in the worksheet on the next page. The worksheet will be the deliverable for this activity, and the group leader will submit it through the online form on the website.

To prepare for the activity, consider first the strengths and weaknesses of each measure as an evaluation tool based on your current understanding of the measures. Then, in analyzing these measures, consider the following issues:

  • How well does the measure capture an important part of the teaching and learning process?
  • How well does the measure capture a teacher’s role in and impact on student learning and achievement?
  • How well do you think the measure captures the concept suggested by the measurement category? For instance, is administrator observation a good way to review and analyze a teacher’s practice?
  • What does it take for the measure in question to be consistently applied across classrooms and schools?
  • How costly is the measure in time, money or other resources?
  • Are there other considerations?

MEASUREMENT CATEGORY / MEASURE / Strengths / Weaknesses
Observation of Practice / Administrator Observation
Teacher Leader Observation
Stakeholder Feedback / Parent/Guardian Survey
Student Survey
Contribution to School Community / TBD, possibly portfolio / peer survey
Contributions to Student Learning Outcomes / Individual Academic Growth over TimeResults
School Level Academic Growth over Time

Reflect on what you have done. Are there strengths and weaknesses for each measure? Is there any one measure that is ‘perfect’ and should just be used on its own? What tradeoffs do you notice? Based on your discussions, what would be the best weighting of each performance measure to generate a Total Effectiveness Result?

Now go to the Excel spreadsheet and test your hypotheses. Follow the directions at the top and then, once you’re done, fill out the worksheet below.

Total Effectiveness Results—Teacher Results

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY WORKSHEET

Directions: Record the results of the spreadsheet activity and submit the results online at the SIG website: Total Effectiveness Results—Teacher Results

School:
Participant Names / Employee ID # / Participant Names / Employee ID #
1. / 4.
2. / 5.
3. / 6.
TEACHERS WITH INDIVIDUAL AGT RESULTS
MEASUREMENT CATEGORY / MEASURE / Count, Feedback Only, or Not Count / WEIGHTING
(0 to 100%) / REASONING
Observation of Practice / Administrator Observation
Teacher Leader Observation
Stakeholder Feedback / Parent/Guardian Survey
Student Survey
Contribution to School Community / TBD, possibly portfolio/ peer survey
Contributions to Student Learning Outcomes / Individual Academic Growth over Time
School Level Academic Growth over Time

Total Effectiveness Results—Teacher Results

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY WORKSHEET (cont.)

TEACHERS WITHOUT INDIVIDUAL AGT RESULTS
MEASUREMENT CATEGORY / MEASURE / Count, Feedback Only, or Not Count / WEIGHTING
(0 to 100%) / REASONING
Observation of Practice / Administrator Observation
Teacher Leader Observation
Stakeholder Feedback / Parent/Guardian Survey
Student Survey
Contribution to School Community / TBD, possibly portfolio/ peer survey
Contributions to Student Learning Outcomes / Individual Academic Growth over Time
School Level Academic Growth over Time

Comments:

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