teacher evaluations
teachers need to evaluate themselves to ensure proper learning is taking place.
Angie,
Instructors willing to be open to feedback from a variety of sources (students, colleagues, peers, supervisors, deans, fellow teachers, graduates, employers, etc.) can optimally provide information that can help shape the classes and format an instructor uses. More feedback, if received as constructive, can contribute to becoming stronger, more tolerant and creative instructors.
Barry Westling
I agree! Since I am teaching students to become teachers, I also have them reflect on their progress during the term. I also ask for feedback on the class and how I teach, what they like, do not like. This is in addition to doing my own reflecting.
Kyle,
Formal and informal. Informally, I think an instructor can ask the class at the end of a session, "how'd it go today?"..., or "Did you learn a lot or a little", or even "what was your high point and low point". From there discussion can proceed as applicable. Another way is to ask students how material could have been presented differently or if more or less time was spent on...? after an exam. This is a good tim,e to get on-the spot feedback from students when it fresh in their minds.
We can also ask a fellow teacher to sit in on a class or serries of classes with the intent to be purposefully critical. This can yield interesting results with reflection from the critiqued teacher ceratin to occur. Formally, students evaluate the teacher, class, materials, and resources at the end of each term.
Barry Westling
Just curious...how do you go about soliciting student feedback? Is there a written type survey or more on the spot?
Katherine,
Great! Feed back, coupled with a willingness to change is an awesome approach to self improvement. Thanks for sharing.
Barry Westling
I agree that self evaluations or self reflection is important. Also, the evaluations from students help me to see where I might be able to be more clear on a subject. I received feed back from a student who stated that she had a difficult time asking me questions. I have strived to change my style of response to make the students feel like they can ask me anything.
Katrina,
Being willing subject ourselves to whatever can be considered "an evaluation" is really the portrait of a wise and effective teacher. Effectiveness comes from continuous improvement, which is related to and occurs from evaluations, eslf and otherwise.
Barry Westling
I think it’s essential that self evaluation takes place. I try to practice self evaluation after each day of teaching. I look at activities and instruction that went well, didn’t gel or connect for the students, and need improving. I try not to ‘throw’ an activity away until I have the chance to try it a few more times with the adjustments I’ve made from the last time I utilized the activity. We can assess our strengths and weaknesses through these assessments.
Michael,
It is amazing that teacher effectiveness is often overlooked, deferring to unlikely factors such as "lack of student complaints", "that's just the way he does it", or "she really knows her subject", reasons that have little to do with "are the students learning anything?". Sometimes, teachers capable of teaching certain difficult to teach subjects get away with less than great teaching effectiveness. If students realize they merely have to simply endure the boring sessions long enough to get a passing grade, their apathy can also contribute to little efforts to make changes.
Barry Westling
Barry
Completely agree with your outlook on evaluations. Constant improvement is a must yet I'm sure we have seen those who settle. I have see some professors who have been teaching/lecturing for a while just plain settle into one method. Granted, this one particular method works for them but boy is it painful to sit in a classroom for 50 mins 3 days a week listening to someone behind a podium "read" a history lecture. After that semester I promised myself I would not be "that guy." The real questions here are is how can this method pass muster with the administration? Does anyone perform periodic evaluations on this particular lecturer? How can this be effective to all learners? Does anyone care about the student's learning needs? I don't get it in today's multi-media driven world.
Mike
Michael,
I think that the more avenues that are solicited for feedback, the clearer the picture of teacher performance will be. So student evaluations, along with peer, supervisor, colleagues, and self evaluation all contribute to a composite. Even periodically getting feedback from external advisors or community members familar with the program are helpful. I seek trends and areas to improve, setting a goal with expectations. Improvement can only be achieved with persons willing and open to evaluation.
Barry Westling
I think a self eval is worthwhile, but I get the most from student feedback.
Latoya,
If we are honest, the best evaluations are self evaluations. But I think this is only accurate when a very structured and thorough review of job duties is available for the comparison. In 30 years of teaching, I still look forward to improvements I can make (or need) each class. Thank goodness we work in a profession where we have this wonderful opportunity.
Barry Westling
