Smiley faces on new evals: Kids will mark them but will teachers have them?
I just met with a team from the Georgia Department of Education about its work on using its Race to the Top monies to develop a teacher and leader evaluation tool that incorporates many moving parts, including two 30-minute principal observations, student performance as measured by standardized test scores where there are such scores, other measures in courses without tests, such as middle school chorus and first grade reading, documentation of strong teaching practices, including student work, planning materials and data analysis, and student surveys.
I am going to write about this at length shortly, but wanted to share one slide from the DOE presentation as I think it is a novel idea — asking students even in kindergarten to review their teachers. Students from kindergarten through 12th grade would be surveyed once a year electronically under the pilot.
While the youngest students would circle one of three faces — the best rating being the smiling face — older students would rate teachers on a 1 to 5 agree/disagree scale. A sample statement that older students would be given: “My teacher has deep knowledge about the subject.” (The slide here shows both survey question types.)
Teresa MacCartney, DOE Race to the Top Director Deputy, said, “I want to stress with the kindergarten to 2nd grade survey that we are pushing the bar, but given that we are piloting this, we thought we could see what we could learn from it.”
“It may or may not fly depending on what we learn,” said Martha Ann Todd of DOE’s Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Division.
I want to emphasize that DOE team said the surveys would be a very small part of the teacher evaluation process, which will begin as a pilot in January in the 26 Race to the Top districts.
In a major change, the new evaluations will only be piloted among 10 percent of the teachers in those districts or 4,700 teachers, chosen at random. The task of piloting the new tool for all 47,000 teachers in those districts was too daunting.
Also, some districts will pilot the teacher/leader evaluation system in a single school that represents 10 percent of its work force, while others will pilot it in all their schools but only for a handful of teachers who collectively add up to 10 percent.
I was impressed with the efforts of DOE to create a fair tool, and the team includes former Marietta Middle School language arts teacher Kathie Wood, who is a strong voice for the teacher perspective. (When I asked her what she thought about releasing the teacher evaluation “grades” to parents, she said, “I think it would be horrible.” Her DOE colleagues agreed and that is not in the game plan, but I would not rule out the Legislature getting into that issue someday.)
The DOE team is attempting to be respectful of teachers and the profession, and is focused on creating ways to improve teachers rather than run them off. (Although some will be run off.)
If I were a teacher, I would have more confidence that the state’s intentions are good, but I would also have some concerns about the RTTT timetable and whether these evaluation tools will have enough time to evolve before they are unleashed on the state as a whole. (That would take legislation, but I have no doubt that legislation will be forthcoming mandating statewide evaluations that consider student performance.)
Check back later as I am about to interview the new Milken teacher from Georgia. I spent a half day in Shekema Silveri’s class at Mount Zion High School, but now we are going to talk about her approach.
–from Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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133 comments Add your comment
Digger
November 10th, 2011
1:15 pm
Many kids hate math and take it out on the teacher. Check out the turnover rates of math teachers. This will make it even worse. Somehow we were doing it right 40-50 years ago. I wonder what the difference is?
Dr NO / Mr Sunshine
November 10th, 2011
1:34 pm
“- Older teenagers (ages 16-19) have more than doubled their time spent volunteering since 1989.”
So these older teens are easily conned. Whats your point?
Hall Mom
November 10th, 2011
1:41 pm
I remember evaluating all of my college classes and instructors at the end of every quarter. This isn’t new. It’s a necessary feedback. This allows the instructors to improve their weaknesses.
AMD
November 10th, 2011
1:56 pm
Let students evaluate teachers. There are too many incompetent teachers in both private and public schools. Is there anything wrong to hold our teachers accountable?
2nd grade teacher
November 10th, 2011
2:57 pm
I am a good teacher…but with all this new teacher evaluation stuff…I think I might be done. I’d much rather stay at home with my kids than subject myself to this crap.
Dr NO / Mr Sunshine
November 10th, 2011
3:01 pm
“Let students evaluate teachers. There are too many incompetent teachers in both private and public schools. Is there anything wrong to hold our teachers accountable?”
Oh yeah. That way you can blame the school, teacher, govt etc anyone except yourself for awful parenting.
Children evaluating teacher is silly. College classes well sure that makes sense butt other than that is ridiculous. I suggest we begin diverting funds from education and begin the construction of more prisons because that is where your children are going.
HS Public Teacher
November 10th, 2011
3:31 pm
AMD – If students are allowed to “evaluate me” then I will stop instruction and throw parties every day. Then, my “ratings” will be great and I will become the great teacher that you want me to?????
sloboffthestreet
November 10th, 2011
4:34 pm
If you’re happy and you know it STOMP YOUR FEET!
Jezel
November 10th, 2011
7:37 pm
Maureen…You are really sickening.
ScienceTeacher671
November 10th, 2011
8:25 pm
The irony is, the more we focus on the teacher as the root of the problem, the fewer good teachers we will have. A major problem in recruiting/retaining good teachers is the lack of respect for the profession, and another is the endless mounds of paperwork and documentation now required, which take time away from planning and teaching.
John
November 10th, 2011
8:28 pm
Ok, i didn’t read every comment, but I did read a good many and while I do see the teachers side of this (No I am not a teacher) I can’t agree with their stance. I believe as I am certain most do that teachers are under paid and under appreciated, however, they should be held accountable in their jobs as any employee. How that is done is the question and why not try this. All the teachers worried about their ratings being manipulated by students fro fun or or worried about vindictive students is BS. With any survey you will only get back about 10% and of those you can weed out the ones that are not objective fairly easily.
My question to teachers is if the students have no input to how you are teaching other than through a common assessment test that is than manipulated as was the case in Atlanta schools than how would you suggest a fair assessment of your teaching abilities be done? This may not be perfect but it is a start and if students can speak or rate objectively without fear of reprisal you might be surprised at how honestly a student will actually rate you.
Which leads me to my final point and question of how do you approach a poor teach (not just my childs comments or our opinions but that of many others in this teachers class) without fear of retaliation in the form of grades et al. We did speak with this teach, then meet with the teacher and administration and the situation in this class continues to worsen. I know this is a little off topic but seems somewhat appropriate.
As a final thought I would think a teacher would want to know from their students how they were doing and not just at the end of the year but throughout as you would be able to adjust to various learning styles with different teaching styles to reach the most kids. Without feedback there is no way to effectively teach our kids.
d
November 10th, 2011
9:01 pm
I just wonder where this thought that as I teacher, I am not accountable to anything came from.
Blaming messenger
November 10th, 2011
9:03 pm
@Jezel: I don’t always agree with Maureen but why is she sickening for reporting what the state plans to do? She’s a journalist, not a policy maker. She’s not making the survey. I appreciate her keeping us informed. No one else tells teachers anything. BTW, I think the smiley faces are great – and I teach second grade. My kids will also circle all of them and add a few of their own.
Jennifer
November 10th, 2011
9:48 pm
At the end of the semester I always asked my students what was working well and what needed to change in regards to content, presentation, discipline, structure, etc. Then I actually changed what I did in my class and had conversations with the students about it. I don’t know why educators are afraid of feedback. If you do what is best for kids, you have nothing to fear. So if you are griping here, maybe it is because you have something to fear….
Beverly Fraud
November 11th, 2011
4:47 am
@Jezel: I don’t always agree with Maureen but why is she sickening for reporting what the state plans to do? She’s a journalist, not a policy maker.
@Blaming granted “sickening” is strong language. But Maureen is not STRICTLY a messenger. She tries to influence debate, not so much by what she reports, but what she DOESN’T report or to the point what she DOESN’T ask the DOE.
Has she asked what SPECIFIC steps the DOE will take to prevent administrative RETALIATION as we saw in APS? (Rather than deal with that, she actually advocated the person at the helm, Beverly Hall, should remain in place for the “stability” she provided)
Has she asked what SPECIFIC steps the DOE will take to have some LEGITIMATE checks and balances for teachers?
Will she ask the DOE if they are comfortable with the fact that FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE persons, MENTALLY DISABLED PERSONS, persons with SEVERE PSYCHOSIS, persons with SUBSTANCE ABUSE ADDITIONS will all, if the DOE has their way will help determine the PROFESSIONAL FATE of teachers as long as they fall under the category of “parent”?
Has she asked how the DOE will take steps to SUPPORT teachers in matters of discipline? (No, she came on this very blog and said discipline isn’t a “pressing issue”)
This isn’t “delivering the message” this is SHAPING the message. Maureen appears to have shied away from asking the VERY tough questions that should be asked of the DOE. Is it not fair then to ask if this is in exchange for the unfettered access to the DOE? Does she “hold back” in confronting the DOE in order to maintain a cozy relationship with them, to continue to get “the inside scoop”?
I don’t know, but I would challenge you Blamingthemessenger or for that matter ANYONE else to make a case the above questions are not indeed fair AND legitimate questions.
Rebuttal?
As to smiley faces; you are really OK with having your PROFESSIONAL FATE determined by children filling out surveys they don’t even understand?
Jezel
November 11th, 2011
6:24 am
If a story like this one is to be covered…then tell us who initiated it..their names. How much it cost.How to contact these people.
Maureen thinks this is a novel idea. What would be novel…would be the AJC’s coverage of the real reasons that the quality of education in Ga. is at rock bottom and why it has been so dismal for so many years.
We have been hearing about how bad the teachers are for some 20 years now. Has kicking the teachers improved anything? NO.. And it will not improve anything for the next 20 years.
Maureen would serve the state well if she asked the tough questions and pursued the answer….Questions like…What happened to misappropriated money from HOPE…why has class size increased…who benefited financially from the whole language approach in the teaching of reading…who benefited financially from the integrated math program. Both of which _are and were terrible failures. Why does the state spend more on the department of corrections than it does on public schools.
This smiley face article….really?
www.honeyfern.org
November 11th, 2011
6:40 am
I am all for teacher evaluation, just like any job.
The difference, though, is that kids and their achievement are moving parts. They are not a static sales quota or a productivity measure. There are many factors in why they may or may not do well, and the kids change every year. Are there certain things that all good teachers share? Yes. Can a good teacher do those things and be positive that they will work? Nope.
Classrooms produce people, not potholders or armchairs or reports. People are volatile and changing, and this is why a truly objective system of evaluation is very difficult to create. If you have never been in a classroom as a teacher, you quite literally have no idea what you are talking about and aren’t really qualified to judge the responses these proposed evaluations are getting, especially as they relate to keeping a job.
Beverly Fraud
November 11th, 2011
6:44 am
The question Jezel is, will she ask those questions and thus risk the cozy relationship and unfettered access she has with the DOE?
If the AJC prides itself on being a “watchdog” one would think she may have to ask some TOUGH questions that may even lead at times to an ADVERSARIAL relationship with people like Matt C (spokesman, apologies I don’t remember his last name)
There are “pseudo-tough” questions, then their are REAL tough ones like Jezel points out. Is our blog moderator willing to ask them? I don’t know; perhaps our blog moderator can give us some examples to show that she is indeed willing to.
Proof in the pudding, as they say…
Observer
November 11th, 2011
11:07 am
@ Jezel and Beverly Fraud. You seem to be confusing Maureen’s role as blog moderator with that of an investigative reporter, who indeed should ask those tough questions.
A blog, by definition, is an online log of people’s opinions on a given subject. A good moderator chooses a topic controversial enough to get people riled up and writing, makes sure that the anonymous entries aren’t obscene or libelous or racist, and sits back to monitor what people write in. Many of you here have complained that Maureen seems to choose a lot of negative topics about teachers, but those are the ones that get you blogging!
Jezel
November 11th, 2011
11:30 am
How about topics that generate positive solutions instead of the tired worn out topics that are destructive and demeaning to those who…DO TEACH something.
We need serious dialogue about why Ga. schools are at the bottom and have been at the bottom. Don’t think it takes to brain surgeon to figure out that teachers are not the problem.
There are too many relevant topics to waste time with nonsense.
Ole Guy
November 11th, 2011
11:54 am
Don, is one to understand that you place enough confidence in 14-to-18 year olds to render MEANINGFUL evals? Tell you what…next time one of my pilots has difficulty on an FAA check ride, I’ll send him right over to the cabin attendant training school for “guidance”.
I realize there are many who feel that my somewhat pointed comments originate from the “safety” of an armchair. People, believe what you will…I WOULD NOT OFFER ANY EMPLOYER THE PLEASURE OF MY LABORS UNDER SUCH DEMEANING CONDITIONS. As a professional, I expect to be treated as such…THERE IS VERY VERY LITTLE FLEXIBILITY ON THIS ISSUE.
Ole Guy
November 11th, 2011
12:12 pm
When an employer kicks (or even ettempts to kick) me in the professional spheroids, I WILL, HAVE ALWAYS, and, for the remaining years of my work life, WILL address such actions in absolutely no misunderstood terms. Say what you will about “armchair” comments. I am thoroughly convinced that, much to my dismay, the teacher corps is comprised of cowards…you have consistently allowed yourselves to be kicked around…over the years, it’s been one thing or the other: moronic career-devastating “evals”, layoff days during which you see fit to come into the “office” for gratis work (lest you anger the powers that be), etc, etc, etc…now this; KIDS, and their “thoughtful” feedback on YOUR performance, having a direct impact on your careers. Give em’ all straight “A” s and you simply can’t go wrong; don’t forget to bring lots of candy to class; you’re guaranteed to make the esteemed award of teacher of the week/month/year…perhaps even of the decade. You’ll receive all sort of recognition from the smily-face hypocrite b _ st _ rds who’ll…at the very first sign of fiscal woe…fire your six for some trumped-up whatever.
Go ahead, teachers, keep on taking this poo poo; keep on emboldening the powers that be to treat you like dispensable light bulbs. IT”S FOR THE CHILDREN.
Jaye
November 11th, 2011
3:41 pm
Let’s have speeding motorists rate the police who stop them and children rate parents who make them do their chores and homework. I’m not against job evaluation. I’m just against unqualified, biased job evaluation. We can’t always give kids what they want. Children of any age rarely know what is good for them and even more rarely want it. Students’ ability to rate teachers will be no more accurate than their ability to rate their parents. You should listen to what kids, especially teenagers, say about their parents.
Observer
November 11th, 2011
8:35 pm
@ Ole Guy, 12:12 pm. “You’ll receive all sort of recognition from the smily-face hypocrite b _ st _ rds who’ll…at the very first sign of fiscal woe…fire your six for some trumped-up whatever. Go ahead, teachers, keep on taking this poo poo…”
Still writing that risque, street-talk type of lecture, I see. Teachers hear it all around them in school from ill-bred teenagers–why do you think it will impress them here?
If they came in to work gratis during furlough days last year, it was because the students were the ones who would be hurt by their absence in not getting the classwork. They should be congratulated for being professional, not scorned.
And what are they supposed to do about evaluations anyway? The students will be evaluated whether the teachers like it or not.
hello.life
November 12th, 2011
10:21 am
LOL. What BS.
Brenda
November 12th, 2011
7:10 pm
Teaching is not a business. It is an art. It is subjective, and creative and difficult to evaluate because what is beautiful to one critic may be ugly to another. I teach first grade, and in general I hear that my students love me. I am their caregiver and ambassador and helper and source of knowledge. I also have to dole out grades and punishments that are appropriate. I generally have students with high test scores, and because it has been noted that I am talented at challenging high-achievers with creative projects and higher levels of problem solving, I often start the year with students that have already shown acedemic talent. I am sure I would score well on these evaluations, but my extremely gifted team mate, who works with students who were struggling in kindergarten, might need to worry. She has an amazing inventory of strategies for working with students who are frustrated with reading simple texts, phonics, number sense, and following simple directions. Her end of the year test scores are never as high as mine, but the gains made in her classroom exceed those in mine. I can’t think of a fair way to evaluate us both because our jobs are so different even though we are both teaching the same standards, and giving the same standardized tests. I certaintly don’t think it should be left up to our students.
deblegs
November 13th, 2011
12:03 am
Retirement is looking sweeter everyday hated to leave last year, but glad I did after all I am hearing from friends. I am enjoying returning to the classroom as a sub.
I really get to teach and this is the only thing I wanted to do for 30 years. But everything is about politics one way or another and these evaluations are just another example. I feel sorry for the wonderful chance teachers are losing to do great things and for the children who will never know what they have missed. Great teachers continue to step out and ignore the politics. I witnessed that this week in a second grade classroom, but this women could do anything and she will not continue to have unprofessional request disturb her life, and just like the teacher above will find a way out !!
I was told recently by a county leader it was all a balance money vs. education…. sad comment on the importance we really put on our children’s future.
Warrior Woman
November 14th, 2011
3:23 pm
Why is this demeaning? There is no inherent reason that teachers should feel demeaned by this type of review. It’s called a 360 degree review, and it is a VERY COMMON evaluation tool in other professions. At my company, every manager is subject to one annually, and every employee at least once every three years. This means my subordinates, my peers, and my management (both my immediate supervisor and up the food chain 2 more levels) get to evaluate my performance. I welcome the feedback – it shows me my strengths and weaknesses much better than an evaluation limited to my immediate supervisor.
@JT – YES! Teachers, administrators, and students that interact with administrative and support personnel should be able to evaluate them as well.
Ole Guy
November 14th, 2011
5:44 pm
Observer, thanks for bringing to light my “street talk” style of communication. I must agree, it is not (always) in keeping with the “tea and crumpets” manner in which many of the hot-button issues are discussed within the pages of this fine blog section. However, as the famous (or infamous) WW II Gen George Patton once observed (paraphrased), “When I want my words remembered, I say them loud and dirty”.
I see these issue as a direct threat to this Great Nation…kids who can’t spell, perform simple arithmetic without the aid of electronic intervention, gain enough self confidence to withstand the pressures of growing up, and to simply learn to stand upon their own feet and statr assuming responsibility for themselves. These are issues which have existed since Adam and Eve; every generation has somehow managed to face these challenges, overcome and prevail, yet, from what I read and observe, we see the beginings of a generation which appear to “throw in the towel”; give up, suck their collective thumbs, and curl up in the fetal position. You can paint that picture any politically-feasable way you wish, but at the end of the day, it’s nothing but horse poop. The politically correct out there point to all sort of roads; all manner of addressing these issues…AND THEY”RE ALL DEAD END ROADS. There are simply no easy answers; no magic bullets. We can discuss the issues, and the potential solutions in kings’ English, the language of Alter Boys, or the double talk of legislative politics at it’s best. In the end, it’s all just smoke-filled coffee house crap. The sooner people realize this truism, and begin to contemplate the fact that the solutions to these issues is NOT wrapped in palatable cookies n’ cream responses, the sooner we just might see a little progress. These issues, contrary to what appears to be public empathy, will not simply go away, magically solved by social osmosis. You won’t pray them away, nor wave foo foo dust in their general direction.
Have a good day!
RBN
November 14th, 2011
7:27 pm
Maureen, asking teachers to trust the DOE is a real stretch, but First, a raise? what raise..haven’t seen one in years. I am making 8% less than I did in 2002 thanks to furloughs, local supplement decreases, and loss of locally paid insurance. Gee, I know you are thinking, “You’ve still got a job..right.” Yes, one I have done for 35 years and still love, but let’s get some reality here. Private sector jobs saw an average of 3% raises this year. Educators..none or a decrease.
How will we attract and retain the best and brightest to teaching? The data is pretty conclusive that we are not attracting the top scholars to education jobs. It is also conclusive that we already lose nearly 50% of those we do attract. So what do our leaders come up with? A “theoretical” evaluation system that they acknowledge may not be effective or valid, even if it is just a “small” portion Is putting this new system in place going to help? NO! not unless you change the barriers to attracting and retaining: poor pay, ineffective administrators, and lousy working conditions. Fix those first. Couple that with persuading our parents and students that education really does matter more than the ball field and the mall and perhaps we can make progress.
Given the pathetic leadership from the legislature and the governor and the chaotic DOE of the previous administration over and I am not an optomist.
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