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Professional Readings Chatboard

by Terry

Jul 16, 2012

I was curious to see your thoughts on this article. Terry

view previous comments

judy5ca cavey, I know this comes from a good place in your heart, but I am bothered when you write, "As long as we are working toward the ultimate goal of improving teaching and student performance that's all we can do." I like CCSS, but I hope no one is assuming that we haven't worked toward "improving teaching and student performance" in the past. I mean...See Morecavey, I know this comes from a good place in your heart, but I am bothered when you write, "As long as we are working toward the ultimate goal of improving teaching and student performance that's all we can do." I like CCSS, but I hope no one is assuming that we haven't worked toward "improving teaching and student performance" in the past. I mean, seriously, isn't that what we always have done every single day? I don't mean to be contentious, and I always honor your thinking, but I just can't let this one go unaddressed. Judy

On 7/23/12, cavey wrote: > Linda, > Our situation in Va is not nearly as extreme as that described in > Louisiana. There was a pay for performance pilot group this year, but > that's it so far. The pilot project is helping to work out the kinks in > the evaluation system. I'm reeling from trying to figure out how all of > the new performance evaluation measures will be calculated and how we > will have time to do it. Teachers in grades 4-8 and Algebra will have > student growth percentiles which will factor into 20 percent of their > evaluations. However, there are lots of caveats and lots of > calculations that will come into play. Teachers will be setting their > own performance goals which will make up 40% of the total evaluation on > a three year evaluation cycle. Teachers not in the grades with student > growth percentiles will set ( with their administrators) other measures > of student performance to evaluate to make up the 40%. > During this first year, we are really going to have to focus on just > working with teachers to determine how to set these goals. > Here is the link to the DOE website if you are really interested. > > I have been in this game long enough to not get too upset too early. We > will be working through things to get the system hammered out over the > next few years. As long as we are working toward the ultimate goal of > improving teaching and student performance that's all we can do. >> >> On 7/20/12, cavey wrote: >>> I went to a training on the new >>> evaluation system last week, and I am reeling. The only >>> consolation we have is that everyone is in the same situation and >>> we will all once again be building the plane in flight. >>> >>>

Jul 23, 2012

Linda Judy, I was sick today at our ELA common core training because we were told that the reason there is a need for common core is because teachers weren't really teaching. In other words, if we had been "really teaching" then education wouldn't be in the state it's in now. What that means, I don't know.

Cavey, We were told today that growth o...See More

Jul 23, 2012

Erin I haven't read the initial article, but am responding in light of the responses....it seems to be the same old problem. There have ALWAYS been good teachers regardless of standards, CCSS, etc. I have been the broked record in my district that even class size reduction doesn't work without training in GOOD teaching! Adding CCSS to some teachers' pla...See More

Jul 23, 2012

judy5ca Thanks for the update, Linda. How disheartening. Judy

On 7/23/12, Linda wrote: > Judy, > I was sick today at our ELA common core training > because we were told that the reason there is a need > for common core is because teachers weren't really > teaching. In other words, if we had been "really > teaching" then education...See More

Jul 24, 2012

cavey Judy, Judy, Judy, You know by now that I will not be upset! I am not sure how CCSS is working in other states ( since we got an exemption without adopting CC) but our evaluation system, at least in VA, had become ineffective. The statistics ( and I can't remember if these are national or just state) show that something like 95% of teachers were rou...See MoreJudy, Judy, Judy, You know by now that I will not be upset! I am not sure how CCSS is working in other states ( since we got an exemption without adopting CC) but our evaluation system, at least in VA, had become ineffective. The statistics ( and I can't remember if these are national or just state) show that something like 95% of teachers were routinely rated as exemplary. Unfortunately, and maybe this is not your experience, but it is in our state, no where near 95% of teachers should be classified as exemplary. Our evaluation process had become meaningless.

The state is looking to identify and nurture truly exemplary teachers and bring along those who aspire to be. The truly exemplary teachers ( like you) have been lumped with those just barely getting by. We needed some way to recalibrate the system. I am not a fan of everything I have heard, and I know there will be lots of issues to deal with, but I still do believe that we ultimately have to look at how effective we are and try to support, encourage, mentor and, if need be, weed out those who are not effective at helping students to learn.

Like Erin said, it is very eye opening to get into lots of classrooms and work with lots of individuals. It makes me realize just how important, and sadly rare, a truly exemplary teacher is. My ultimate goal, however, is to work with those who are willing to help them become the best they can be to improve student learning.

On 7/23/12, judy5ca wrote: > cavey, I know this comes from a good place in your heart, but I am bothered > when you write, "As long as we are working toward the ultimate goal of > improving teaching and student performance that's all we can do." I like > CCSS, but I hope no one is assuming that we haven't worked toward > "improving teaching and student performance" in the past. I mean, > seriously, isn't that what we always have done every single day? I don't > mean to be contentious, and I always honor your thinking, but I just can't > let this one go unaddressed. > Judy > > > > > > On 7/23/12, cavey wrote: >> Linda, >> Our situation in Va is not nearly as extreme as that described in >> Louisiana. There was a pay for performance pilot group this year, but >> that's it so far. The pilot project is helping to work out the kinks in >> the evaluation system. I'm reeling from trying to figure out how all of >> the new performance evaluation measures will be calculated and how we >> will have time to do it. Teachers in grades 4-8 and Algebra will have >> student growth percentiles which will factor into 20 percent of their >> evaluations. However, there are lots of caveats and lots of >> calculations that will come into play. Teachers will be setting their >> own performance goals which will make up 40% of the total evaluation on >> a three year evaluation cycle. Teachers not in the grades with student >> growth percentiles will set ( with their administrators) other measures >> of student performance to evaluate to make up the 40%. >> During this first year, we are really going to have to focus on just >> working with teachers to determine how to set these goals. >> Here is the link to the DOE website if you are really interested. >> >> I have been in this game long enough to not get too upset too early. We >> will be working through things to get the system hammered out over the >> next few years. As long as we are working toward the ultimate goal of >> improving teaching and student performance that's all we can do. >>> >>> On 7/20/12, cavey wrote: >>>> I went to a training on the new >>>> evaluation system last week, and I am reeling. The only >>>> consolation we have is that everyone is in the same situation and >>>> we will all once again be building the plane in flight. >>>> >>>>

Jul 25, 2012

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