Huffington Post
Christine Amario/April 4, 2012
Article link here
Key Points:
How states are going to evaluate Special Education teachers is a big question. Is it fair to evaluate on student growth measured against neurotypical students? Teachers of students with profound disabilities are concerned about this since sometimes it is the little things that illustrate the growth of these students and these things can't or won't be found on any standardized test. Many states are trying to develop evaluations based on criteria such as socio-economic backgrounds, English language skills, etc.
Intended Audience: Teachers, Administrators
Relevance: As future teachers, especially SpEd teachers, I find standardized "evaluations" a little scary. It is not okay to compare the growth of Special Education Students to neurotypical students and then evaluate that teacher based on the outcomes. Hopefully as states develop "evaluations" situations like these will be taken into account.
Showing posts with label Teacher Evaluation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teacher Evaluation. Show all posts
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Monday, May 9, 2011
The Union Fights Back Against Value-Added Assessments
Howard Blume
Teachers Union Challenges LA Unified's New Evaluation Process (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-utla-challenge-20110508,0,3954012.story)
LA Times
May 8th, 2011
Summary: The union is accusing the school district of violating contractual language by failing to "engage in good faith negotiation" regarding evaluation methods. They have filed a grievance with the board that oversees public employees. This is the latest development in what has become a bitterly divisive battle over teaching and testing standards in LA.
Key Points: Union attempting legal challenge to what they see as "unfair" assessment methods.
Relevance: An update on the evolving assessment situation in LA. Will have broader implications for national standards of assessment--LA Unified is one of the largest districts in the nation.
Teachers Union Challenges LA Unified's New Evaluation Process (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-utla-challenge-20110508,0,3954012.story)
LA Times
May 8th, 2011
Summary: The union is accusing the school district of violating contractual language by failing to "engage in good faith negotiation" regarding evaluation methods. They have filed a grievance with the board that oversees public employees. This is the latest development in what has become a bitterly divisive battle over teaching and testing standards in LA.
Key Points: Union attempting legal challenge to what they see as "unfair" assessment methods.
Relevance: An update on the evolving assessment situation in LA. Will have broader implications for national standards of assessment--LA Unified is one of the largest districts in the nation.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Why merit pay for teachers doesn’t work
Valerie Strauss
"why merit pay for teachers doesn’t work"
Washington Post
March 30, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/ravitch_why_merit_pay_for_teachers_doesnt_work/2011/03/29/AFn5w9yB_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationTopic: Teacher Pay/Compensation
Another article about how merit pay for teachers is bad.
Key Points: She lists a few more references to back up her claims which are useful if you want to take up her side of the argument.
OK, it’s the same thing we have already talked about. I do agree that there is a lot to be gained by synergy or collaborative efforts but, aren’t there other awards and recognition that individuals receive and compete for? Grants, etc… Why are these things not under intellectual attack as well? If the idea is to enhance teams, why not restructure bonuses so that they are tied to a whole department at a school so say, if the test scores or whatever measure you want to use are good enough, everyone on the team gets a bonus. They keep saying “data shows” that this incentive stuff doesn’t work, but a nice bonus for a job well done sounds good to me personally, especially if it were awarded not only to me but my team. Is there anyone here who doesn’t want to be paid more and have a chance at a nice bonus? Why is that so bad and who loses? If you aren’t motivated by higher pay or bonuses…then why ask for it, expect it, or complain about low pay? Everyone should be happy right? Time to shift the paradigm of the crowd.
Relevance: Teacher compensation is an interesting topic in this community because so much of the mainstream philosophy is not profit or competition oriented. Yet, I have not sat in a teacher lounge yet where the teachers were satisfied with their pay and didn’t want more.
"why merit pay for teachers doesn’t work"
Washington Post
March 30, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/ravitch_why_merit_pay_for_teachers_doesnt_work/2011/03/29/AFn5w9yB_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationTopic: Teacher Pay/Compensation
Another article about how merit pay for teachers is bad.
Key Points: She lists a few more references to back up her claims which are useful if you want to take up her side of the argument.
OK, it’s the same thing we have already talked about. I do agree that there is a lot to be gained by synergy or collaborative efforts but, aren’t there other awards and recognition that individuals receive and compete for? Grants, etc… Why are these things not under intellectual attack as well? If the idea is to enhance teams, why not restructure bonuses so that they are tied to a whole department at a school so say, if the test scores or whatever measure you want to use are good enough, everyone on the team gets a bonus. They keep saying “data shows” that this incentive stuff doesn’t work, but a nice bonus for a job well done sounds good to me personally, especially if it were awarded not only to me but my team. Is there anyone here who doesn’t want to be paid more and have a chance at a nice bonus? Why is that so bad and who loses? If you aren’t motivated by higher pay or bonuses…then why ask for it, expect it, or complain about low pay? Everyone should be happy right? Time to shift the paradigm of the crowd.
Relevance: Teacher compensation is an interesting topic in this community because so much of the mainstream philosophy is not profit or competition oriented. Yet, I have not sat in a teacher lounge yet where the teachers were satisfied with their pay and didn’t want more.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Fed up with the term 'status quo'
Diana Senechal
"Fed up with the term ‘status quo’"
Washington Post
March 16, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/fed_up_with_the_term_status_quo/2011/03/15/ABIaf2a_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationSummary:
Topic: An interesting discussion concerning change.
This is an interesting discussion about how one side of an argument can be marginalized through the use of one term, “status quo”. The world seems to be simplistically broken down into two groups, those who want things to remain as they are and those who want change.
Key Points: Marginalizing one side of an argument with the clever use of a term, stereotype or oversimplification is a very effective tactic politically or in a debate contest. If the point is to really improve things, then an open an honest discussion between all points of view must be made. Naïve…I know.
Sadly, the point rarely seems to be about actually improving education and instead, seems to be more about who holds the political power and controls the money. Perhaps, as Gatto seems to be saying, the answer to this cancer actually is to scrap the system and start over anew.
Relevance: The debate about the future of education, public education in this case, is raging on. Trying to understand the motives behind all the sides of the debate will be key as we move ahead.
"Fed up with the term ‘status quo’"
Washington Post
March 16, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/fed_up_with_the_term_status_quo/2011/03/15/ABIaf2a_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationSummary:
Topic: An interesting discussion concerning change.
This is an interesting discussion about how one side of an argument can be marginalized through the use of one term, “status quo”. The world seems to be simplistically broken down into two groups, those who want things to remain as they are and those who want change.
Key Points: Marginalizing one side of an argument with the clever use of a term, stereotype or oversimplification is a very effective tactic politically or in a debate contest. If the point is to really improve things, then an open an honest discussion between all points of view must be made. Naïve…I know.
Sadly, the point rarely seems to be about actually improving education and instead, seems to be more about who holds the political power and controls the money. Perhaps, as Gatto seems to be saying, the answer to this cancer actually is to scrap the system and start over anew.
Relevance: The debate about the future of education, public education in this case, is raging on. Trying to understand the motives behind all the sides of the debate will be key as we move ahead.
The myth of the super teacher
Diana Senechal
"The myth of the super teacher"
Washington Post
March 15, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/the_myth_of_the_superteacher/2011/03/14/ABfRM4V_blog.html?wprss=rss_education
Topic: “Super teachers”.
This is a discussion about a program where teachers were given greater incentives to be extraordinary teachers. In this case, a salary of $125,000.
Key Points: The results reported here were somewhat negative however, I wondered why better teachers would not be attracted by better pay. If we capped baseball player salaries at some arbitrary level, say, $40K per year, would the level of competition remain the same? If you want to consistently be in the hunt for the world series, you will have to be able to pay for the New York Yankees. Why would that not be true for a school trying to put together the best team of teachers?
Relevance: Improving education and how to do that is a topic that will continue to be debated.
"The myth of the super teacher"
Washington Post
March 15, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/the_myth_of_the_superteacher/2011/03/14/ABfRM4V_blog.html?wprss=rss_education
Topic: “Super teachers”.
This is a discussion about a program where teachers were given greater incentives to be extraordinary teachers. In this case, a salary of $125,000.
Key Points: The results reported here were somewhat negative however, I wondered why better teachers would not be attracted by better pay. If we capped baseball player salaries at some arbitrary level, say, $40K per year, would the level of competition remain the same? If you want to consistently be in the hunt for the world series, you will have to be able to pay for the New York Yankees. Why would that not be true for a school trying to put together the best team of teachers?
Relevance: Improving education and how to do that is a topic that will continue to be debated.
Ironic Extremes: Lauding and Bashing Teachers
Valerie Strauss
"Ironic Extremes: Lauding and bashing teachers"Washington Post
March 17, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/ironic_extremes_lauding_and_bashing_teachers/2011/03/17/ABlCnql_blog.html?wprss=rss_education
Topic: Teacher Motivation
More on the issue of judging and measuring what makes a quality teacher.
Key Points: This article does make a good point. As a pilot, I never had someone who was not a pilot, judge my performance. I never had someone who was not a pilot determine what my syllabus would be during flight training. Everyone is good at being a 20/20 hindsight armchair quarterback, but no one wants an armchair quarterback actually making the play calls. On the other hand, if your aircraft does not adhere to the flight plan or the football team consistently loses, well, don’t expect to be sticking with that career for too long.
I don’t mind being held to a set professional standard but, that standard must be set by someone who understands and has experience in the educational profession. And if the outsiders do not trust the professionals, well, then find someone you do…and then trust them.
I am still trying to understand the actual role and priorities of the teacher’s unions too. I hear loud and clear what they say but... I am posting this political satire video here to show some of the frustration that I have already witnessed from parents, teachers and tax payers. The video would be funny if it was not eerily similar to a conversation I overheard recently while eating lunch in an undisclosed teacher’s lounge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kxc6kzH-uI
Relevance: This article highlights the challenge of this profession and I can see why some folks question sticking with it or even entering into it.
"Ironic Extremes: Lauding and bashing teachers"Washington Post
March 17, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/ironic_extremes_lauding_and_bashing_teachers/2011/03/17/ABlCnql_blog.html?wprss=rss_education
Topic: Teacher Motivation
More on the issue of judging and measuring what makes a quality teacher.
Key Points: This article does make a good point. As a pilot, I never had someone who was not a pilot, judge my performance. I never had someone who was not a pilot determine what my syllabus would be during flight training. Everyone is good at being a 20/20 hindsight armchair quarterback, but no one wants an armchair quarterback actually making the play calls. On the other hand, if your aircraft does not adhere to the flight plan or the football team consistently loses, well, don’t expect to be sticking with that career for too long.
I don’t mind being held to a set professional standard but, that standard must be set by someone who understands and has experience in the educational profession. And if the outsiders do not trust the professionals, well, then find someone you do…and then trust them.
I am still trying to understand the actual role and priorities of the teacher’s unions too. I hear loud and clear what they say but... I am posting this political satire video here to show some of the frustration that I have already witnessed from parents, teachers and tax payers. The video would be funny if it was not eerily similar to a conversation I overheard recently while eating lunch in an undisclosed teacher’s lounge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kxc6kzH-uI
Relevance: This article highlights the challenge of this profession and I can see why some folks question sticking with it or even entering into it.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
In Florida, Push to Link Teacher Pay to Student Performance
LIZETTE ALVAREZ
March 8, 2011
In Florida, Push to Link Teacher Pay to Student Performance
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/education/09florida.html?ref=education
New York Times
Summary: The Florida Legislature quickly set its sights on measures that would link the pay of new teachers to student performance and allow school boards to fire teachers more easily for mediocre results.
The far-reaching bills in the House and Senate would shake up a system of pay and tenure in Florida that has existed for decades and would position Florida as a leader among those states taking on teachers’ unions. Supporters say it will make it easier to reward and promote the state’s best teachers, not by their longevity, but by their work in the classroom. This, they say, will ensure that the lowest-performing schools can lure more effective teachers.
Intended Audience: General Public
Key Points: 1) Contrary to education experts who blame poverty for low performance, this bill places the sole measure of performance on teachers.
2) New teachers will be subject to one year contracts. They will also be eligible for merit pay increases.
Relevance: Why am I doing this again?
March 8, 2011
In Florida, Push to Link Teacher Pay to Student Performance
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/education/09florida.html?ref=education
New York Times
Summary: The Florida Legislature quickly set its sights on measures that would link the pay of new teachers to student performance and allow school boards to fire teachers more easily for mediocre results.
The far-reaching bills in the House and Senate would shake up a system of pay and tenure in Florida that has existed for decades and would position Florida as a leader among those states taking on teachers’ unions. Supporters say it will make it easier to reward and promote the state’s best teachers, not by their longevity, but by their work in the classroom. This, they say, will ensure that the lowest-performing schools can lure more effective teachers.
Intended Audience: General Public
Key Points: 1) Contrary to education experts who blame poverty for low performance, this bill places the sole measure of performance on teachers.
2) New teachers will be subject to one year contracts. They will also be eligible for merit pay increases.
Relevance: Why am I doing this again?
Monday, March 7, 2011
NY Teacher Evaluation Legislation
Topic: Cuomo’s bill seeks to put legislation into place that will create an evaluation system to help determine who should be laid off with budget cuts.
Summary: A bill in NY would create new standards for teacher evaluation. Governor Cuomo wants to “move beyond the so-called last in, first out system of relying exclusively on seniority”.
Intended audience: Teachers, general public
Key Points:
- Senate passed legislation that reverses a rule protecting “long-serving” NYC teachers from layoffs.
- New standards have been developed with support from teachers’ unions.
- Budget cuts may force lay-offs of 4600 teachers in NYC. Applying new standards can help decide who to lay-off.
- The bill may or may not make it past the Senate… wait and see.
Relevance: Teacher evaluation is a hot topic in our “cloud”. It’s something that is concerning – how can evaluation be objective, who does the evaluation, and how do you really know what the results mean? Also, why should teachers that have been around for decades be retained while excellent young teachers are being let go?
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Conflict Between Budgets and Standardized Testing
Jason Song
State Education Officials Decry Funding Veto (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/state-education-officials-decry-veto-of-funding-.html)
L.A. Times
October 28, 2010
Summary: The Governator vetoed approximately $7 million that was supposed to go to a "student data tracking system" called CALPADS. Opponents of the veto claim that it could hurt California's ability to comply with federal regulations and create difficulties implementing the fan favorite value-added analysis at a state-wide level.
Intended Audience: General Public
Key Points: 1) The Governor vetoed a large sum of money intended to go toward the creation of an objective system of student assessment; 2) There is some debate over the proper way assess both students and teachers.
Relevance: Funding is a huge issue right now and so is teacher and student assessment. This article serves as an example of how the two interests can conflict with one another. Implementing systems of data tracking of student scores costs money. States must pay for servers, software engineers, test developers, etc. This all costs money--something that most states are in an extreme shortage of right now. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays itself out over the next few years. Do we go with more standardized tests, more "objective" assessment methods, and spend more money, or do we continue to cut funding for all areas of education?
State Education Officials Decry Funding Veto (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/state-education-officials-decry-veto-of-funding-.html)
L.A. Times
October 28, 2010
Summary: The Governator vetoed approximately $7 million that was supposed to go to a "student data tracking system" called CALPADS. Opponents of the veto claim that it could hurt California's ability to comply with federal regulations and create difficulties implementing the fan favorite value-added analysis at a state-wide level.
Intended Audience: General Public
Key Points: 1) The Governor vetoed a large sum of money intended to go toward the creation of an objective system of student assessment; 2) There is some debate over the proper way assess both students and teachers.
Relevance: Funding is a huge issue right now and so is teacher and student assessment. This article serves as an example of how the two interests can conflict with one another. Implementing systems of data tracking of student scores costs money. States must pay for servers, software engineers, test developers, etc. This all costs money--something that most states are in an extreme shortage of right now. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays itself out over the next few years. Do we go with more standardized tests, more "objective" assessment methods, and spend more money, or do we continue to cut funding for all areas of education?
Friday, February 11, 2011
Dealing with Education and the Realities of the Modern World (Jeff, Article Four)
John Lloyd
"Hey Times, Try Teaching for One Day" (http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-lloyd22may22,0,4050662.story)
Los Angeles Times
May 22, 2007
Summary:
The article addresses many of the issues educators and administrators are dealing with today: pensions, teachers' unions, low wages, teacher evaluation, the factory model of education. It is more directly a defense of teachers' rights and an attack against the sort of top-down management that a previous Times article advocated.
Intended Audience:
Those who devalue educators and support the status quo.
Key Points: 1) The issues that face the profession of education are complex and multi-layered; 2) there are no easy solutions.
Relevance: We are entering the profession of teaching at a time of great uncertainty--technological, economic and social. Systems that have been in place in education for the greater part of the last 100 years are becoming inadequate, impractical, irrelevant, and some are entirely illogical in the face of the 21st Century. Change is coming. In order to avoid another Woods Hole Conference (a bunch of rich white guys, none of whom were public school teachers or administrators, sitting around deciding the fate of public education) we must be ready to get involved. Or, when our involvement is unwanted, to have the knowledge and courage to force the matter.
"Hey Times, Try Teaching for One Day" (http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-lloyd22may22,0,4050662.story)
Los Angeles Times
May 22, 2007
Summary:
The article addresses many of the issues educators and administrators are dealing with today: pensions, teachers' unions, low wages, teacher evaluation, the factory model of education. It is more directly a defense of teachers' rights and an attack against the sort of top-down management that a previous Times article advocated.
Intended Audience:
Those who devalue educators and support the status quo.
Key Points: 1) The issues that face the profession of education are complex and multi-layered; 2) there are no easy solutions.
Relevance: We are entering the profession of teaching at a time of great uncertainty--technological, economic and social. Systems that have been in place in education for the greater part of the last 100 years are becoming inadequate, impractical, irrelevant, and some are entirely illogical in the face of the 21st Century. Change is coming. In order to avoid another Woods Hole Conference (a bunch of rich white guys, none of whom were public school teachers or administrators, sitting around deciding the fate of public education) we must be ready to get involved. Or, when our involvement is unwanted, to have the knowledge and courage to force the matter.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Plan to Grade Parents Flunks Out
Article Author name(s): Lisa Ann Williamson
Title of article: Plan to Grade Parents Flunks Out
Title of journal: Teaching Tolerance
Date of publication: January 28, 2011
Volume of the journal: Spring 2011
Issue number of the journal: Thirty nine
Summary: Florida representative Kellie Stargel suggest plan that allows teachers to grade parents on how well children are rested, fed and on time to class with completed assignments. Grading scale is: “satisfactory -> unsatisfactory” -> needs improvement”.
Topic: Argues that just as teachers are graded by parents, administration and the outcomes of NCLB/ standardized testing, parents should be graded as well for the amount of effort they put in to securing their children’s education. Many educators disagree with this position saying that while the idea is highly entertaining, it will lead to nothing but great battles between parent and teachers, at the sacrifice if the student. Read the posted comments for more argument.
Introduction: Author argues that in the educational system, we have student, teacher and administration accountability and best practices/ standards, yet this is a system where parents have zero accountability for the success of their own children. Proposes additional grading system for parents.
Intended audience: Educators
Key Points: While parents have greatest effect on children’s success, it is not practical to grade parenting skills as it would result in extreme tension between educators and parents, at the expense of the students.
Relevance: At the very least this article proves the point as to how preposterous it is, then, to grade teachers on student’s success. If parents are not held responsible for their own children’s learning (or at least be encouraging of the process and goals), and they are the ones who are most influential upon students, than under what reasoning are educators expected to carry the full burden of their success?
http://www.tolerance.org/blog/plan-grade-parents-flunks-out
Title of article: Plan to Grade Parents Flunks Out
Title of journal: Teaching Tolerance
Date of publication: January 28, 2011
Volume of the journal: Spring 2011
Issue number of the journal: Thirty nine
Summary: Florida representative Kellie Stargel suggest plan that allows teachers to grade parents on how well children are rested, fed and on time to class with completed assignments. Grading scale is: “satisfactory -> unsatisfactory” -> needs improvement”.
Topic: Argues that just as teachers are graded by parents, administration and the outcomes of NCLB/ standardized testing, parents should be graded as well for the amount of effort they put in to securing their children’s education. Many educators disagree with this position saying that while the idea is highly entertaining, it will lead to nothing but great battles between parent and teachers, at the sacrifice if the student. Read the posted comments for more argument.
Introduction: Author argues that in the educational system, we have student, teacher and administration accountability and best practices/ standards, yet this is a system where parents have zero accountability for the success of their own children. Proposes additional grading system for parents.
Intended audience: Educators
Key Points: While parents have greatest effect on children’s success, it is not practical to grade parenting skills as it would result in extreme tension between educators and parents, at the expense of the students.
Relevance: At the very least this article proves the point as to how preposterous it is, then, to grade teachers on student’s success. If parents are not held responsible for their own children’s learning (or at least be encouraging of the process and goals), and they are the ones who are most influential upon students, than under what reasoning are educators expected to carry the full burden of their success?
http://www.tolerance.org/blog/plan-grade-parents-flunks-out
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