Note it took two years. Two years where some teachers were
evaluated on students who they never taught or in some cases never met. For two
years the powers-that-be in Tallahassee thought this was an acceptable plan.
These are the same people that scream vouchers, merit pay and charter schools
too.
Well they finaly had a moment of clarity and changed the law
and now teachers will be evaluated just on the students they have in their
classes. This isn’t perfect either however because now it means students will
have to take another round of standardized tests in among other subjects art
and music.
It also exposes bigger problems. Teachers can only do so
much if we continue to ignore poverty and quite frankly it is wrong to blame
them for not being able to overcome problems that we ignore. Then there is all
the testing, rich kids at the best private schools don’t get tested like this,
why should poor kid? No they get taught where poor kids get tested.
To read more, click the link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/06/16/new-florida-law-teachers-cant-be-evaluated-on-students-they-dont-have/
We should stop pretending that the current evaluation system is anything resembling objective. Administrators have too much latitude to interpret the rubric to their own personal liking when they observe a classroom. We have seen far too many examples of principals who have made up their minds long before they stepped into a single classroom. They are out there to reward their friends and cronies. They are also out there to demoralize and condemn their perceived foes in the classroom. This is why CAST needs to be seriously reformed. Politics is all over this evaluation system and it is shameful.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you-- politics is all over this system. Teachers no longer can be taechers-- no they have to be testers of whatever these legistures decide best for pubkic schools. I have never understood why some schools aren't held to the same testing? To be perfectly honest; I think the whole thing is to get rid of public schools. After all only the poorer kids go there.
DeleteEach school year teachers may get "smart" or "dumb" students by luck of the draw. A teacher has no power over how a parent does or does not help a students mental or educational development at home. Yet the teacher is held responsible for a non-motivated or low intelligent, non-English speaking, poorly socialized child's achievement level in school. The teachers that gets students that can read on grade level and hold a book right side up are fortunate. The other teachers are S-O-L. How would you like to get a classroom full of idiot "little Johnny's" and have your financial success tied to this each year?
ReplyDelete