Anonymous wrote:
"New post please:
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2015/07/02/Teachers-union-blasts-state-evaluation-system/stories/201507020216?
Finally! I hope teachers will share stories to back this up and let everyone know what a sham the teacher evaluation system is. Sam Franklin, the head cheerleader for teacher evaluation, resigned this month in typical central office fashion--create a mess and get out of town before the truth comes out!
I am a parent, not a teacher. Please teachers, tell us the truth. Is the high cost teacher evaluation system a benefit to our district? Are teachers getting the support needed to improve practice? Does the system REALLY identify the best teachers?
Principals, please share your stories as well. Parents can fight to repeal Act 82 but we need to know the truth."
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5 comments:
As we parents expressed skepticism when RISE was first introduced the assurances flowed like crazy. For the life of us we still can't understand why PPS had to come out early with its customized version unless it was just to employ people and spend Gates money. We know our kids well and even the most fair-minded of them really should not be doing a Tripod and having such influence over a teacher's grade. Might it not be fair to say a teacher who is toughest and has the highest expectations for his/her students could end up with a bad score?
Of all of the evaluation plans over the last 30 + years-- this one is the MOST subjective. It is definitely opinion based--no matter how they present it. They decide the outcome, and then back map it to achieve it. It is getting better- because they have set up all the seasoned experienced --oh yes-- and expensive teachers.
The reason they had to go first and then just get it approved is that they had a different agenda than other districts-- wrapped in the Broad philosophy.
All of our parents are smart enough to want the experienced doctor/ lawyer etc.
The RISEevaluation system has become a nightmare of subjective observations, excess paperwork and teachers who have to use precious planning time to create portfolios and artifacts that can cover 24 different areas! This was supposed to be a system that allowed teachers to collaborate and improve their practice. Sounds like a great idea, doesn't it? However it has lost its focus and has now become time consuming and ineffective. Formal observations can reach up to 8-16 times a year, teachers are placed on improvement plans for trivial items. Administrators are overwhelmed by paperwork, teachers are under pressures so that they can achieve the correct rating based on a complex mathematical formula. The rating also depends on the opinions and feelings of the students, from Kindergarteners on up. I could go on but suffice it to say that the students and what is best for them is not remotely involved in this process. Just in case someone thinks this is a case of sour grapes, not true. My rating has always been distinguished.
There is simply a national philosophy that has been propagated by people like Bill Gates that states rather simply, "Teachers are the problem." This is the basic thinking behind something like the RISE evaluation system. Since Johnny isn't showing growth in his standardized test scores, since he states that he doesn't like his teacher, well, Mr.Jones is the problem.
I find it interesting that no national effort has been made to have parents take a long, hard took in the mirror. To have them understand the role they play in this process, to drive home the point that if mom or dad don't value education, well, there is no way little Johnny is going to, either.
Because such a admission would take courage, and it's far easier to castigate an old whipping boy, like teachers. Discuss how teachers unions defend weak teachers in NYC. Talk about how they are the problem with states not being able to balance budgets for things like pension funding.
It's all the teachers.
I have been acquainted with hundreds of teachers in my time in PPS. It is extremely rare when I find one who doesn't care. Or work hard.
I can't say the same for central administration.
Or building administration.
And these are the people making the big salaries.
As a teacher there are 2 problems I have experienced with RISE that I'd like to point out. I'm observed my multiple different people with different results. A strength with one is a weakness with the other. And it is beyond clear that they don't have any expertise in teaching methods of my content. It's devaluing to me as a professional to be evaluated by someone who clearly doesn't have the knowledge to do it with any validity. RISE is one size fits all but teaching is not. It differs based on context and content. And then there is the ever so clear fact that administration don't have time for it. It's rushed and only "done right" with teachers that are "problems". I've seen that happen a number of times and NO the improvement plans do not help the teachers. It's a ruse that allows them to say they did what they could. Really the teacher is just ushered through a mountain of buracaracy with the outcome being what was desired: they're gone and everyone else steps in line out of fear. I'm not a "problem" and yet I still can't rest easy because I know it's not based on anything valid. When will I be a problem? When I earn too much money? When I say the wrong thing? That's not a good work environment and it's not a good learning environment. I hope it changes.
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