Monday Musings - September, 22, 2014

I recently had a conversation with a couple of teachers in another state that are also implementing a new mandated evaluation system.  It was interesting to hear their thoughts on it as they both came from different schools with one principal that only did the required classroom observations and the other whose principal was in her classroom more often that what was required.  One of the teachers shared how she found the idea of principals being in classrooms for informal observations to give informal feedback as similar to the process of changing how she grades her students.  In the past year she made the change from grading everything that was turned in to using daily assignments/activities as an opportunity to provide students with feedback to grow and then grading them on only certain assignments/quizzes/tests when she knows that they have had enough opportunity for feedback to demonstrate mastery.  She said she was appreciative that her principal had the same mentality when he was in her classroom, giving her informal feedback so that the 1 formal observation was not a "gotcha."

I hope this is how you all feel. It is certainly my intention to be in classrooms as frequently as I can (although I feel it is not as frequent as I want) so that I can know all of your students, know your style of teaching, your strengths and what areas you are working to improve so that I can provide you with informal feedback.  I am on a "treasure hunt," not a "witch hunt."

I know I have shared with you each year, but I want to just say again that when I am in classrooms I

am in there with my "coaching hat" on.  If I send an email or seek you out afterwards with a follow-up question, it is a reflective question or a question to help fill in the gaps of what I may have missed because I was only in your room for a short period.  I'd like to pose a question that may stretch your thinking...it is not meant to intrusive or evaluatory, it is simply a question for you to reflect on why you do what you do.  Unless I specifically say, "I have a concern..." then you have nothing to be concerned about, because I'm just trying to wear my "coaching hat."