New evaluations, they must be kidding me

I just went to the new evaluation training which was extremely scary to me.  The only way you can be rated a highly effective teacher is by doing group work.  As a teacher I often ask my students for feedback and in the last ten years I have less than 1% of my students express that they would want more group work from me.

What truly bothers me about this model is that they are saying that only one method of teaching works.  That is the method designed by a person who did all of her research with middle and elementary school students.  A system that does not allow for flexibility in the way the material is presented seems quite unfair to me.

When I questioned the presenter she told me "that there is no way to be highly effective if your lesson does not have group work.  She then went on to say do not worry if you are not highly effective it does not matter".  So we have an evaluation system that does not motivate me to be the best?  Does that make sense.

Another ironic thing was that the person delivering the training did a straight lecture with very little interaction and powerpoints that would put most people to sleep.  Now that is the model for me?  Man to we need some smart people to get into this field and fix many of the problems.

So please be honest with me, do you have to do group work to be effective?  Are there teachers you have seen or have that are effective without this method?  While I might not be a highly effective teacher it is not my style but other things that prevent me from accomplishing this.  I would accept that what is hard for me to accept that the socratic lecture discussion style can not be highly effective.

Your thoughts.  Honest is always welcome and cherished on this blog.  So if I am wrong challenge me and let us have a great debate.  Tell me if

Bliss video

Phil Bressler

• Fri, May 17, 2013 9:50 PM
• Actions ▼

I was shown that video by a student and it is making its way around the country.  I have to be honest I do not like the way it is being used to attack teachers.  I am extremely sensitive to how teachers are being blamed for everything that is wrong with education.  I know there are days that I am bad, that I say things I would like back and I surely do not want that circulating through the world as more evidence of why teachers are ruining education.

On the reverse side I have recently spoken to a teacher who received tremendous amount of positive feedback from her students but agonized over a couple of student's negative feedback.  The fact that this teacher searched her soul, searched out guidance from peers, showed me the side of teachers that we do not publicized.  The part of the profession that cares so deeply about kids that they go to great lengths to make sure that kids the very best education they can deliver.

That being said, do we have to as teachers get angry when people are not doing a good job?  My thoughts are yes.  The anger should only be for one reason and that bad teaching hurts kids.  As a profession we should not become like other professions who protect their own even when they are wrong.

Recently, this also happened to me when a teacher's course load was changed and other people seem disturbed by this action.  My comment was that we need to do what is best for kids not what is best for the teacher.  Now of course I would expect our administrators, department chairs and colleagues to do what ever they could to help this teacher become better so that they can help kids.

I know you were not looking for this type of reply so I am sorry.  As you know since I put them all in your mailbox I believe deeply in student feedback.  The truth is that 90% of the good things I do in the class room came from students, the other ten percent came from colleagues.

I am interested to hear others reactions to this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bYv2AKPZOk&feature=youtu.be

Where have I been

I have really been focused on trying to help my students prepare for their AP exams.  I was amazed by the effort many of the students put in.  So now that this is behind us I am hoping that I can get back to my blogging self