Teachers Demand Better Evaluation System Built With Their Input

by Mike Smith · 2009-10-27 12:09:00 UTC
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A team of teachers across the U.S. teamed up this summer, collobarating to develop recommendations for a smarter evaluation system. The teachers suggest more 'objective' measures of student achievement, asking also for more support in "Policy 2.0: Using Open Innovation to Reform Teacher Evaluation Systems." They want a system that helps attract and retain teachers, and put America's schools back on top internationally. But how much should teachers be involved in the testing of themselves?

The report was put together by non-profit Hope Street Groups, and they explains that in K-12 education any teacher evaluation system should have the input of teachers and administrators and not solely come from researchers and policymakers. Their specific recommendations include the suggestion that evaluation systems should be frequently revised, that teaching advocates need to be involved in this process, and that any in-class observations for assessment must be done by teachers with sufficient experience.

Hope Street is hoping to pilot their recommendations across ten educations systems in the coming years, whilst building a network of reform-minded teachers who can be engaged in continuing policy development.

Photo credit: woodleywonderworks

Mike Smith is associate editor at Change.org.
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