Examining the demands of teacher evaluation: time use, strain and turnover among Tennessee school administrators

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth B. Hunter ◽  
Luis A. Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Time Use ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
School Administrator ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teacher Observations ◽  
Over Time

PurposeRecent teacher evaluation reforms around the globe substantially increased the number of teacher observations, consequently raising observers' (typically school administrators') observational loads. The purpose of this study is to examine associations between observational loads and school administrator turnover, reported time use and strain.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses education administrative data from the state of Tennessee to examine the link between observational loads and school administrator outcomes of interest. The results present credible regression estimates that isolate variation in observational loads within schools over time and within observers over time.FindingsThe evidence suggests individual school administrators allocate a set amount of time to observations that is insensitive to observational load and seemingly assign observations to colleagues strategically. School administrator reports do not suggest observational loads are associated with negative unintended consequences on administrator strain or observer turnover.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature on teacher evaluation by shedding light on how the constraints posed by an evaluation system may affect the work of school administrators. It also extends the job demands-resources theory that describes worker responses to new job demands.

Making culture visible: reflections on corporate ethnography

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Laure Fayard ◽  
John Van Maanen
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Multinational Company ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Written Text ◽  
Emic And Etic ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Over Time

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and reflect on the experience as corporate ethnographers working in (and for) a large, multinational company with a remit to study and articulate “the culture of the firm.” Design/methodology/approach – The research relied heavily on interviews and some (participant) observation carried out periodically – in North America, Europe and Asia – over an eight-year period. Findings – The authors discuss how the studies were produced, received, and occasionally acted on in the firm and the realization over time of the performativity of the work as both expressive and constitutive of firm’s culture. Research limitations/implications – The increasing entanglement in the organization raises questions regarding emic and etic perspectives and the possibility (or impossibility) of “enduring detachment” or “going native” and the associated, often unintended consequences of being both outsiders and insiders. Practical implications – The authors start with the premise that ethnography is about producing a written text and conclude by arguing that ethnography is not fully realized until the writing is read. Social implications – The ethnographic reports, when read by those in the company, made visible a version of Trifecta culture that was interpreted, framed and otherwise responded to in multiple ways by members of the organization. Originality/value – Corporate ethnography is a growing pursuit undertaken by those inside and outside firms. This paper focusses on how and in what ways corporate ethnography sponsored by and written for those in the company shifts the positioning of the ethnographer in the field, the kinds of texts they produce, and the meanings that readers take away from such texts.

Examining individual- and school-level predictors of principal adaptation to teacher evaluation reform in the United States: A two-year perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson L Lavigne
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
New Teacher ◽  
School Level ◽  
Achievement Data ◽  
New Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Over Time

New teacher evaluation reform efforts in the United States hold principals accountable for improving teaching and learning. Yet little is known about how effective principals are at these instructional leadership tasks or how principals experience and adapt to the demands of teacher evaluation reform over time. In the current study, principals ( n = 78) in a Race to the Top state—Illinois—completed an online survey after the first and second year of implementation of a new teacher evaluation system. Principals felt significantly more confident in how to conduct formal classroom observations, placed more value on student achievement data, and placed less value on additional artifacts over time. Individual- and school-level factors were related to some aspects of principals’ adaptations over time. Implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Can Principals Promote Teacher Development as Evaluators? A Case Study of Principals’ Views and Experiences

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 711-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Kraft ◽  
Allison F. Gilmour
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Urban District ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
Primary Responsibility

Purpose: New teacher evaluation systems have expanded the role of principals as instructional leaders, but little is known about principals’ ability to promote teacher development through the evaluation process. We conducted a case study of principals’ perspectives on evaluation and their experiences implementing observation and feedback cycles to better understand whether principals feel as though they are able to promote teacher development as evaluators. Research Method: We conducted interviews with a stratified random sample of 24 principals in an urban district that recently implemented major reforms to its teacher evaluation system. We analyzed these interviews by drafting thematic summaries, coding interview transcripts, creating data-analytic matrices, and writing analytic memos. Findings: We found that the evaluation reforms provided a common framework and language that helped facilitate principals’ feedback conversations with teachers. However, we also found that tasking principals with primary responsibility for conducting evaluations resulted in a variety of unintended consequences which undercut the quality of evaluation feedback they provided. We analyze five broad solutions to these challenges: strategically targeting evaluations, reducing operational responsibilities, providing principal training, hiring instructional coaches, and developing peer evaluation systems. Implications: The quality of feedback teachers receive through the evaluation process depends critically on the time and training evaluators have to provide individualized and actionable feedback. Districts that task principals with primary responsibility for conducting observation and feedback cycles must attend to the many implementation challenges associated with this approach in order for next-generation evaluation systems to successfully promote teacher development.

scholarly journals Declining Morale, Diminishing Autonomy, and Decreasing Value: Principal Reflections on a High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation System

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noelle A Paufler
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Teacher Evaluation Systems ◽  
District Culture

Since the adoption of teacher evaluation systems that rely, at least in part, on controversial student achievement measures, little research has been conducted that focuses on stakeholders’ perceptions of systems in practice, specifically the perceptions of school principals. This study was conducted in a large urban school district to better understand principals’ perceptions of evaluating teachers based on professional and instructional practices as well as student achievement (i.e., value-added scores). Principals in this study strongly expressed concerns regarding: (a) the negative impact of the teacher evaluation system on district culture and morale; (b) their lack of autonomy in evaluating teachers and making staffing decisions; and (c) their perceived lack of value as professionals in the district. Examining the implications of teacher evaluation systems, per the experiences of principals as practitioners, is increasingly important if state and local policymakers as well as the general public are to better understand the intended and unintended consequences of these systems in practice.

scholarly journals Boosting School Administrator Confidence When Evaluating Special Educators Through District Support and Training

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-95
Author(s):  
Corrine Aramburo ◽  
Janelle Rodl
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
School Administrator ◽  
School Site ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
District Support

This current study is an exploratory, secondary data analysis of a survey assessing training, district support, and confidence of school administrators when it comes to special education teacher evaluation. The present study specifically examines (a) if the influence of district training regarding special education teachers influences the confidence of school administrators to evaluate and observe special education teachers, (b) if administrators with a general education credential differ from administrators with a special education credential regarding the type of district support needed to better evaluate special education teachers; and (c) if possessing a special education credential influences an administrator’s confidence when evaluating both general and special education teachers at their school site. Results indicated that district training regarding special education teacher evaluation increased administrator confidence and that administrators with general education credentials desired more district support overall than did their counterparts with a special education credential. The data also showed that administrators with a special education credential felt significantly more confident evaluating special education and general education teachers than did their counterparts from general education backgrounds. Implications for the field of special education evaluation and future directions are discussed.

Administrator career paths and decision processes

2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 788-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth N. Farley‐Ripple ◽  
Jeffrey A. Raffel ◽  
Jennie Christine Welch
Keyword(s):  
Assistant Principals ◽  
Career Paths ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Career Decisions ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
School Administrator ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present qualitative evidence on the processes and forces that shape school administrator career paths.Design/methodology/approachAn embedded case study approach is used to understand more than 100 administrator career transitions within the Delaware education system. Semi‐structured interview data were collected from 48 principals and assistant principals. Coding and analysis occurred through an iterative process, revealing patterns in processes and forces influencing the careers of school administrators.FindingsWhile some career decisions are self‐initiated, most are influenced in part or entirely by other actors in the system, described as recruiting/tapping, requesting, reassigning, passing over, and removing. In self‐initiated decisions to move or stay, a number of “pushes” and “pulls” are identified. Findings also suggest the decision to stay‐equilibrium is driven by relationships with students and by district support.Research limitations/implicationsData are limited to Delaware and represent the voices of principals and assistant principals only. Patterns evident in the data suggest a need to further investigate administrator career behavior qualitatively, as well as directions for future research.Practical implicationsThere is a need to better understand and improve local human resource processes in terms of recruitment and assignment of administrators. Additional research is needed to better identify processes and forces related to career decisions in order to improve leadership recruitment and retention.Originality/valueThis research represents the first large‐scale qualitative study of administrator career behavior and is an important companion to recent quantitative analyses in this area.

A collaboration of school administrators and a university faculty to advance school administrator practices using appreciative inquiry

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Calabrese
Keyword(s):  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Collaborative Study ◽  
School Administrator ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Practices ◽  
Craft Knowledge ◽  
Administrative Practice ◽  
Successful School

Purpose – An appreciative inquiry (AI) collaborative study with 11 school administrators in a highly diverse suburban school district sought to understand if observing and sharing successful school practices/events in a whole group setting led to change in their perceptions, attitudes, and administrative practice. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The study took place over a ten-week period with a group of self-selected (voluntary participation) school administrative participants. Findings – There were two findings: the AI focus of inquiry on successful practices/events shapes school administrator perceptions, attitudes, and application of craft knowledge to practice; and the school administrators’ sharing of successful practices/events in a whole group setting generated new forms of practice during the ten-week study. Originality/value – The findings suggest that reflection and integration of successful practices/events are a source of craft knowledge advancing changes in school administrative practice.

scholarly journals An Investigation of Teacher Evaluation Practice in Indiana: PL 90 Implementation and Issues for Administrators

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-47
Author(s):  
Michael W. Harvey ◽  
Lori G. Boyland ◽  
Marilynn M. Quick
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Public Law ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Special Education Directors ◽  
Evaluation Practice ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Education Directors ◽  
E Mail

This study investigated teacher evaluation practices used in Indiana as the state was implementing a mandated teacher evaluation system (Public Law 90) and early reporting of subsequent teacher effectiveness results by the Indiana Department of Education. The study surveyed public school administrators: (a) superintendents, (b) special education directors, and (c) K-12 building principals via e-mail using Qualtrics. A total of 2,444 administrators were invited to participate with a 28% return rate. Summative and formative teacher evaluation methods were used, but emergent methods (as mandated in PL 90) were not widely used. Recommendations for a more unified approach to teacher evaluation are emphasized.

Pedagogical mentoring in Chilean schools: an innovative approach to teachers' professional learning

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Soraya Sablo Sutton ◽  
Carolina Cuéllar ◽  
María Paz González ◽  
María Jesús Espinosa
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Evaluation ◽  
Teacher Induction ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
School Context ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the conditions and challenges that facilitate teacher professional learning through the implementation of pedagogical mentoring (PM) within the Chilean school context.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a qualitative methods approach, utilizing an instrumental case study. As the primary data source, researchers conducted 14 individual, semistructured interviews. Participants included two comentors, six mentor teachers and six mentee teachers from two K-8 focal school sites. Data were examined using the content analysis method.FindingsResults revealed five aspects that contributed to PM's execution: the voluntary participation model, the reflective emphasis, the focus on teaching and learning, the facilitating role of the principal and comentor support. At the same time, the findings indicated three factors that hindered PM's success: interruptions due to schedule conflicts, limited dissemination throughout the school community and assimilation of the values embedded in the Chilean teacher evaluation system.Practical implicationsPM holds great potential for collaborative professional development and continuous improvement of teachers' instructional practices, drawing on their experiences and resources and leading to the strengthening sense of professionalism in teaching and in teachers' social esteem.Originality/valueThis is the first research to address a formal PM project in Chile aimed specifically at in-service teachers. Previous projects in the country have focused on novice teachers. Unlike other initiatives in the region, this project does not focus on teacher induction but on capacity building within schools through collaborative work. This research also adopts an approach based on support for teachers' professional development, while in Chile the main policies currently focus on teacher evaluation.

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