A fantastic veteran teacher recently wrote to Colorado’s governor that the state’s new Teacher Effectiveness Bill feels like “a slap in the face.” Within the same week, a prominent newspaper featured another teacher saying that the law was a step in the right direction, as it was part of his job description to not only make kids care about tests, but do well on them. This bill, after all, ties 50% of teacher evaluations to their students’ test scores.
They’re both excellent teachers, as judged by their students’ praises of them as leaders of engaging, interesting classes. I know one well, and the other one I know through reputation – a close friend of a friend sort of thing.
These teachers are being judged, by people who have never even stepped foot in their classes. Assume best intent, that’s one of my mantras in life. Yet, I’m also realistic…and there’s a reason I’m not working on systemic changes from the politicians pulpit. For wide-scale change to take place, there needs to be some objective measures. And there needs to be a great deal of training given to the evaluators for the “subjective” part of the yearly review. When is the last time you, for instance, have been evaluated sufficiently, in a way that makes complete sense to you and your professional field? Or heck, even from your kid…oh boy, can they be harsh on us sometimes!
Cincinnati has made great strides in their teacher evaluation system, yet we have yet to hear about that model in the SB 10-191 debate. I’m going to be looking more into it.
All in all, I never, ever want a creative, committed, excellent teacher to feel as if she’s been slapped in the face. That wasn’t the intent of Senator Johnston’s bill. Yet, that feeling is just one of the many unintended consequences that are likely to arise out of this bill. I used to be a supporter of the measure, but now, I’m not convinced our state is ready for it. Excellent position statements for both “sides” can be found on the EdNews site.
Oh yes – and one last thing, I wonder why 50%, Senator Johnston? Why not 25%? Or 20%? As parents, for example, what do we use to judge the effectiveness of our kids’ teachers, for instance? Our children’s standardized test scores after being in their classes? And/or the extent to which our children are now, after being with these teachers, reading books on their own, advocating for themselves, imagining new possibilities, taking on new perspectives about situations in their and other people’s lives? These are the qualities that students in the veteran teacher’s classroom are developing and/or strengthening. Yet, this teacher is feeling slapped in the face. Yuck. She deserves our utmost thanks, and our support. So do our kids…our kids, and their peers around the state.
