How many times in a school year are you formally or informally but still kind of formally (meaning you get some sort of feedback) observed by your principal? We are up to about 4 to 5 informal pop-in visits and at least two formal ones. Are you required to observe your peers as well? We do--at least twice. We have to turn in documentation with pre-, during, and post-observation comments.
I guess it keeps me on my toes, but I feel so many expectations have been added over the last couple of years I could easily overlook one thing when focused on another. So, so many expectations. . . .
pop-in visits....countless......it could be daily, weekly, monthly, etc....... our school district is being highly monitored and our school is visited once a month by a Team of county/state people. Then, we're also visited often by the superintendent(maybe once every 2 to 3 months, and once a month or so from other DO people) I'm a math coach and visited often by the district coach as well.
The principal only formally evaluates you once every two years!
The numbers of observations vary depending on the number of years of experience.
First Year: 23 hours of formal observations from a mentor teacher, 5 hours of formal observations from an administrator, and 3 hours of formal observations from a resource person.
Non-Tenured Teachers: 2 formal observations from an administrator.
Tenured Teachers: 1 formal observation every three years.
Everybody gets informal observations all the time.
My district requires new teachers to have a formal observation every year for three years. After they are tenured, it is every other year.
At my school we have informal observations every week. We never know when. Sometimes they come in for a few minutes, sometimes for 10 or 15 minutes. There is always feedback--some positive notes with a "wondering" about what was observed. Sometimes it is just the principal, sometimes the prince and literacy coach, sometimes peers. Sometimes it is a slew of teachers from other schools that are in our Learning Community cohort. We are so used to it, we don't stress, and our students think it is normal for a visitor to ask questions about what they are learning or why they are doing certain things.
Until a few years ago the walk-throughs/observations were very different. We were a Reading First school and were under serious scrutiny. It was as if the observers were there to find fault no matter what. The schizophrenic and disrespectful way they conducted business then was very stressful.
We are required to do either one 30-minute or two 15-minute peer observations every 6 weeks. The principal and assistant principals stop in anytime for informal walk-throughs. some of these have feedback, others do not. I've also had plenty of visits from teachers attending training at our campus, substitute teachers doing their required observations, and the superintendent showed up two weeks ago. I'm also hosting a student teacher this year.
I do have a formal evaluation once every three years, too. It doesn't really make me nervous when that's happening, as both my students and I are quite used to visitors popping in. Except for one parent one year that was looking for trouble and showed up daily to follow me, I've not had any observations were people were looking for problems, but just observing what's working. In our peer observations, we sometimes offer suggestions (have you considered...type questions), but those are always very positive and really get dialog about teaching flowing among our staff.
We have peer evaluations- each teacher is required to do one a week, most of us don't, but....typically people walk in, stay for three min, and write up what they see you doing right. Admin gets a copy, you get a copy.
Admin- we are a model school for a few things so admin walks through and checks for those things and different things like differentiation, small groups, hands on teaching, etc. They usually stay for 15 min and leave a eval form. At least once every 2 weeks, usually once a week.
Formals - 2 a year 45 min long - they do those until they decide you only need one.
Wow--I will work on relaxing a little. Some of you have incredible expectations placed on you! I understand the purpose behind peer observations, but to have to do so many. . .Wow! We had new administration a couple of years ago so our expectations have changed. We have a lot of pop-ins occurring. Sometimes they are looking at our questioning techniques (boy to girl ratio, cold call vs. volunteer, etc.) or it could be if we are following our stated lesson plan's purpose. I have viewed observations as looking for mistakes, but actually they have usually become encouraging, reinforcing what we do right. I just don't feel there is time to relax with the kids because some administrator will pop-in!
We have tons and tons. Supposed to have an "informal" 4 days a week. And 2 formals a year. This is all new over the last couple of years. Used to be once a year for first 3 and once every 3 years. And no one had created the buzz word/trend of 'walk throughs'.
Here's my deal with this...If you don't have any faith in my abilities as a professional educator..then, why in the world did you hire me? I have been doing this successfully for 17 years. I have many certificates and references to show I am a professional and learner in my career. If you don't trust me....even after I have proven myself...why put small children in my care???
And to have a former middle school band director as my evaluator. Insulting and funny!
Now, if you are coming in to watch the really great learning going on..then, come on in. We love visitors. Gives the kiddos a chance to show off the great things they do.
11-06-2009, 09:16 PM
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