"This year, D.C. public schools have begun using a new evaluation system for all faculty and staff, from teachers to custodians. Each will receive a score, just like the students, at the end of the year. For teachers whose students take standardized tests, like Mr. Taylor, half their score will be based on how much their students improved. The rest will be based largely on five observation sessions conducted throughout the year by their principal, assistant principal, and a group of master educators. Throughout the year, teachers will receive customized training. At year’s end, teachers who score below a certain threshold could be fired...To win money, states must also begin distinguishing between effective and ineffective teachers—and consider that information when deciding whether to grant tenure, give raises, or fire a teacher or principal (a linkage that the National Education Association, the country’s largest teachers union, has criticized as “inappropriate” federal interference in local prerogatives). And each year, states must publish which of their education and other prep programs produced the most effective (and ineffective) teachers and principals."
Observation sessions? Only five of them? Let me guess, they're going to be scheduled too, so the teacher will know when they're coming, and be able to spend a good amount of time preparing. Kids are going to wonder why class was so good that day. The entire article is about the necessity of overhauling the system, and how teaching and improving education is a marathon, not a sprint, and here we are creating a system where teachers will be able to game it so easily. And teachers "could" be fired? Wow, talk about making a credible threat. "If you can't get your act together for 5 scheduled observation sessions, we might consider possibly thinking about planning to take steps to investigate the outside chance that you could be fired."
My Linear Algebra professor offered a deal in school - you could have an automatic A in the class if you agreed to teach two classes, and delivered successfully. The catch is that the professor chose which ones, and you wouldn't know in advance. You walk in, he says, "You're up," and you have to deliver a one-hour lecture on linear algebra. Fail to deliver, your shot is over. Of course, the idea is that you would need to be as prepared as a professor every day you show up to class, on the off-chance that you'll have to lecture. Of course, if you can be as prepared as a professor every day, then you deserve the A in the class. So don't schedule the observation sessions in advance. Let the administration pick random days, so that teachers are always on their toes. In fact, tons of other companies use management by walking around. Some say it terrifies employees, but it sure as hell keeps them on their toes. Why not do this to teachers?
Get the teachers' unions out of the picture, let the market do the talking. This reminds me of that article about the New York school system where hundreds of teachers with "tenure" but multiple infractions show up to detention 8 hours a day. They're required to clock in and clock out, but they sit there playing cards, reading, and costing the system millions of dollars, because of the unions. Hit a kid? You're out, kiss your 30 years of work and pension good bye. Can't get test scores up? You're out.
0 comments:
Post a Comment