According to a blog article, a teacher-evaluation system in place in Washington, D.C., schools has been criticized by a teachers union official as lacking an "appropriate system of support to improve instruction," but some educators say it is the best evaluation system they have seen. IMPACT requires teachers to have five observations each year from veteran teachers and administrators, with follow-up conferences where observers offer suggestions for improvement to teachers. The Washington Post/Class Struggle blog
My effectiveness as a DCPS teacher is also being judged by the IMPACT, so far so good, here's a memo from the Chancellor. Yes, my students and I worked very hard for this. Honestly, knowledge and implementation of the core propositions of the national teaching standards and the best teaching practices over time made me the teacher that I am today. I am now preparing for the 2nd cycle of the IMPACT from my Master Educator which will be anytime this week.
Back to the article. "DC evaluation system is winning over teachers"? Speaking as an educator I have some concerns about the truthfullness of this artcile. It would be best to see good data from DCPS and WTU to back up every assertion about the effect of the IMPACT evaluation system on students and teachers.
4 comments:
That's funny. The adjectives I've heard teachers use to describe impact have been much more profane.
I don't know about Jay Matthews. I find that his words often painfully lack the experience of a true classroom teacher in today's educational environment. I see pros and cons to IMPACT, but rare is it that I talk to another DCPS teacher who feels that IMPACT is mostly positive.
Anon 5:54,
I've been sick, sorry I am responding late.
I know what you mean with "profane adjectives" being used by some to describe the IMPACT. I believe we should always be professional as teachers in dealing with things under any circumstance. I avoid using these "profanity" as an educator who teaches my students to show respect and not to express insult when disagreeing and even during heated arguments.
@ The Reflective Educator,
To clarify, I did not say that I go with what Jay Matthews presented in his entry, in fact, it is the opposite.
I agree with you, rare is it that I hear from teachers that IMPACT is mostly positive, am I having positive experiences with IMPACT? No, but I did get a good rating during the 1st cycle and it is because I have implemented the best practices which I learned from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and from collaborating with colleagues outside our school district.
People who are not educators do not really know and not truly understand what is happening in a teaching and learning environment. I believe that we teachers should let everyone know what matters most to our students that we, classroom teachers, better understand.
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