Education: Principles of Supervision
a. 3. Opportunities to observe and discuss expertise
My Personal Connection / Detailed Explanation: Opportunities to observe by and discuss expertise with my supervisor is worth the waiting after some ample time for preparation. Most, if not always, I have to sufficiently design and craft my learning plans prior to delivering them. Then, anytime I get observed, I know that I have prepared in advance, not only my lesson plans for my different classes, but to show also that I have mastery of the topics and use of appropriate teaching methods and strategy. While facilitating the lesson, I have to guide my students properly on how to learn at their best, maintain their enthusiasm throughout the session, adapt in the use of multimedia, and sustain their good performance. Immediately afterwards, in order to prove that learning took place, I should assess students’ learning and then return their checked/recorded output. Consequently, during the discussion of my expertise, it would then be easy for my supervisor to point out my strengths and weakness whether my students showed high/low level of learning proficiency. As regards my weakness, as the cliché goes, “There is always a room for improvement.” Concerning my strengths, I believe that as a teacher, I should always keep on growing in maintaining my good professional and interpersonal performances whether I will be observed or not.
a. 4. Clear criteria and a plan for success
My Personal Connection / Detailed Explanation: As a teacher, I should always have a clear set of criteria and plan for success. To do this, I have to prepare my lesson objectives according to the educational standards. My criteria should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-oriented, evaluative and re-evaluative (SMARTER). As is often the case, I may still review the lesson objectives, post them on the board and then ask feedbacks from my students. In the event my students agree with the set of criteria, it is time for me to show to them the preferred, standard level of learning proficiency (e.g., using scoring rubrics) that they have to achieve at the end of the lesson. I believe that teachers and students are most likely bound to attain agreed upon expectations, plans, objectives and criteria.
b. 3. Opportunities to observe and discuss expertise
My Friend’s Answer: I am a mentor teacher in which I had several opportunities to observe a teacher. This teacher did so many wonderful things as I observed and I pointed out to him his expertise in many areas. Even in pointing out his outstanding attribute. For this particular meeting with him, I focused on what I felt was the most outstanding. Which was his ability to have smooth transitions from one activity to another. For an example, when it was time for the students to transition from Social Studies to Science the students understood exactly where to put materials and where to get their new materials. This transition took only a few minutes.
My Response: The critique made by my friend who is a mentor-teacher is invaluable in the professional and personal growth of the teacher. Because of the fact that my friend observed and gave positive feedback to the teacher based on a set of evaluative criteria vis-à-vis teaching role, responsibilities, contribution to learners’ learning success, personal objectives, and so forth, I commend her/him for that. I believe that a teacher who performs to the best of his/her abilities is fitting to receive outstanding feedbacks. My friend did well in pointing out the teacher’s outstanding attributes: “[A]bility to have smooth transitions from one activity to another. [] that took only a few minutes.” Further, my friend-mentor observed that, prior to the lesson transition, the teacher ensured that students have sufficient time to put their things aside and get the new materials for the next topic. It only proves that the teacher is very much aware of the effect that transition time has to the behavior of the learners in order to maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. The scenario only highlights how important time is from one lesson to the next so that no time is wasted. Because of the way the supervisor pointed out the teacher’s expertise in this specific area, it is understandably an encouragement / personality boost for the latter to maintain or even come up with better techniques each time he facilitates students’ learning.
b. 4. Clear criteria and a plan for success
My Friend’s Answer: When I enter the teacher above class, the one obvious display in the classroom was the objectives for the day. The teacher went over the objectives with the students, reviewed the objectives for the day, and received feedback from the students making sure they understood the plan for the day.
My Response: My friend-mentor observed well the teacher when he/she had noted how good the latter is in setting things straight and right at the very start. The teacher posted, went over, reviewed and then received feedback from his students about the lesson objectives. In so doing, the teacher had already achieved one of his primary goals: objective or expectation setting. Once the students understood the learning objectives, it is easy for the teacher to plan the success of the class. Although it was not mention above how my friend-mentor saw the teacher deliver the lesson using motivations, assessment of students’ prior knowledge, discussion of real-time scenarios and post-assessment, I could tell that the teacher had tried as much as he/she could to meet the required standard level of learning proficiency for his students. As mentioned above, there are teacher-student agreed upon learning objectives. Moreover, I could even surmise that the teacher integrated the proper use of educational technology in his lesson. In addition, the teacher may have ensured that the learners focus on and appreciate the importance/relevance of the topic for that particular session just to achieve the agreed upon learning objectives.
c. Follow the following links and read the articles. Take a stance on the issue (Teacher Evaluation - use of test scores) presented. Defend your stance.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304723304577366023832205042.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/20/us-usa-teachers-losangeles-idUSBRE90J02W20130120
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/what-research-really-says-on-teacher-evaluation/2012/09/16/2e9de9fa-ff44-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_blog.html
It is a given that teacher evaluation should be conducted periodically – and that teachers should evaluate themselves. Likewise, supervisors, colleagues and students should evaluate the teachers. It is only through evaluations that teachers will see for themselves if they are performing well according to educational standards, follow-to-the-letter their job description, have good relationship with colleagues, and prioritize students’ genuine acquisition of knowledge and skills. Through evaluations, teachers’ strengths are revealed to them so that they can continue improving themselves toward those directions/criteria/plans. On the other hand, if teachers receive negative evaluations, they have to make up their minds whether students are really learning from their style of teaching or not. It is not bad to evaluate teachers so long as teacher evaluations are not used as the sole or primary in retaining or firing them. There are, I believe, various other (non- school) factors, which are beyond their control, that greatly affect students’ competency learning the content areas. For that reason, teachers’ evaluation should rather be used only for evaluative purposes and not for critical matters (e.g., firing, promotion) that don’t explain fully well the entirety of a particular issue (e.g., students’ low test scores).
Works Cited
Dobuzinskis, Alex. Los Angeles teachers agree to student test scores in evaluations. 20 January 2013. Reuters. Web. 17 June 2013. <http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/20/us-usa-teachers-losangeles-idUSBRE90J02W20130120>.
Strauss, Valerie. What research really says on teacher evaluation. 16 September 2012. The Washington Post. Web. 17 June 2013. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/what-research-really-says-on-teacher-evaluation/2012/09/16/2e9de9fa-ff44-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_blog.html>.
The Wall Street Journal. Should Student Test Scores Be Used to Evaluate Teachers? 24 June 2012. Web. 17 June 2013. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304723304577366023832205042.html>.
