Feminist Perspective

Erin Burrill
Mr.Brown
Internship
20 February 2013
The Evaluation System Being an intern at New Market Elementary School is teaching me a lot about curriculum and evaluation. I sat down with Mrs.Reynolds the other day and discussed their process of evaluating and observing in their school. I learned who, when, and what their evaluations are. At New Market Elementary they have a formal evaluation process. Teachers are evaluated four times a year until they are tenured. Once they are tenured they are only evaluated every other year and observed twice a year. For the evaluation process they use a professional development plan where each staff member is evaluated on four different domains. They are evaluated on Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities. In the framework for teaching rubric that the teacher is graded upon there is a several different things per each domain that is marked, unsatisfactory, emergent, proficient, and the best, distinguished. Each of the evaluations can be done by different people in different work places. At New Market Elementary the evaluations are always don’t by their principal, Cindy Alvarado. Observations on the other end can be done once by the principle and one by an assistant principal. All staff members are evaluated at New Market Elementary but depending on your job you may not be evaluated the same way or as many times. My mentor, Sarah Reynolds (Kindergarten) is evaluated every other year since she is a tenured teacher, and observed twice a year. The evaluations they are given are used for professional growth and development as well as an evaluation of their teacher skills. It helps give the teacher being evaluated good feedback and advice on how to better themselves as a teacher. In the evaluation sheet for a general education teacher it is given a lot of important details I find very important. Not only are the teachers graded on the domain but also up to six different specific areas in each domain. The first domain Planning and Preparation includes: Demonstrates knowledge of content and pedagogy, demonstrates knowledge of students, selects instructional goals, demonstrates knowledge of resources, designs coherent instruction, and assesses student learning. The second domain The Classroom Environment includes: Creates an environment of respect and rapport, establishes a culture for learning, manages classroom procedures, manages student behavior, and organizes physical space. The third domain Instruction includes: Communicates clearly and accurately, uses questioning and discussion techniques, engages students in learning, uses assessment for instruction, and demonstrates flexibility and responsiveness. The last domain Professional Responsibilities includes: Reflects on teaching, maintains accurate records, communicates with families, contributes to school community, demonstrates professional growth, and shows professionalism. These evaluation sheets are so detailed and I feel that they really help reflect on teacher’s skills and expectations of others. As I have learned about these teacher evaluations I really think that the process is accurate and useful. The evaluation forms they use allow them to give a lot of details to help them improve their teaching skills. Not only does it give good feedback to the teacher themselves but also their superiors who have to look at how you are improving and growing.