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Evidence Based Observation

Lead Evaluator TrainingFebruary 27, 2012

Part 1 – Welcome Back!

Your goals and questions…

“I want to be sure I collect relevant evidence. By relevant, I mean what makes good teaching and learning.”

“To remain unbiased when taking detailed notes.”

“To keep my bias in check and focus on specific criteria.”

“I want to practice with other administrators and compare notes.”

Some of your goals…

1. How do you ensure all students have an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding during a lesson?

2. What were the students and the teacher doing that gives the observer evidence that the students understood the objective of the lesson?

3. What criteria do you look for in your classrooms to know that checking for understanding is happening?

Questions everyone in the room should be able to answer about Checking for Understanding…

We really all need to work on being consistent.

The practice with videos is helpful. (you want more!)

That being “unbiased” is harder than you thought…

You appreciate the opportunities for interaction and conversation.

Your feedback:

What is Evidence Based Observation?

Collection of factual information

Free of bias or opinion

Based on specific criteria

Used to provide feedback for reflection and improvement of teacher practice

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” Margaret Wheatley

Continue to practice collecting evidence of “check for understanding.”

Bring an observation that you have completed.

Identify the presence of “check for understanding” in your current observation tools.

“Homeplay”

Explain the difference between current practice and evidence based observation

Identify and define criteria for one area of effective instruction around which evidence collection will be focused

Define the differences between the definitions of “Engaged Learners” in the rubrics approved by SED.

Today’s Outcomes:

Explain the impact of confusing and/or ambiguous language on the process of teacher evaluation.

  Describe strategies that a district could employ to

increase the quality of evaluations and the agreement of evaluators.

Today’s Outcomes:

What does it mean when we say “engaged learners”?

Pink: Danielson’s Framework for Teaching (ASCD)

Orange: Danielson (2011 Revised Edition)

Tan: Marshall’s Teacher Evaluation Rubric

Green: Marzano’s Causal Teacher Evaluation

Blue: NYSTCE Framework for the Observation of Effective Teaching (Pearson)

White: NYSUT’s Teacher Practice Rubric

Purple: Thoughtful Classroom Teacher Effectiveness (Silver Strong & Associates)

Rubric Work - Engaged Learners

What does it mean when we say “student engagement”?

All students are visibly participating in activities/learning that is relevant

to the objective.

Continuum of Engagement

TEACHER ONLY

SIMULTANEOUS ACTIVE

PARTICIPATION

OPTIONAL STUDENT

PARTICIPATION

OCCASIONAL TEACHER DIRECTED

PARTICIPATION

What would “student engagement” look like/sound like?

All students used the response clickers to answer the question the teacher posed, “How many sides does a square have?”

The teacher stated to the class, “Using the index cards on your desk, write three pieces of information you must include in your resume.” All of the students wrote their answers on the index cards.

What would “student engagement” look like/sound like?

Envelopes (with “cut up” sentences enclosed) were placed on the table. All students took an envelope from the table, returned to their desks, and put the cut up sentences in order.

The teacher stated, “Write 6X4= on your white board and then solve.” All students wrote the equation on their boards and solved. When the teacher said, “Show!” all the students held up their boards for the teacher to see.

Video –Student Engagement

What did you collect? Collection of Evidence

All students mirrored the teacher’s physical actions when she stated, “Mirror me please.”

The teacher clapped and said, “Teach.” Students clapped and said, “Ok.” Then, all students faced one another (in pairs) to mirror their partner’s physical actions. The 4 types of slopes of lines were stated by the student labeled “North” in each pairing.

What did you collect? Collection of Evidence

During the “quiz,” the teacher pointed to lines posted on the board in the front of the room. All students faced Ms. Dewit and used hand gestures to represent negative, positive, undefined or no slope.

Ready for more practice?

Video 2 –Student Engagement

What did you collect? Collection of EvidenceThe 7 students were told, “Your job is going to be to construct a pen.” The students were given envelopes with pen parts inside and were timed while they put the pens together.

Teacher stated to the class, “Look around the room for things with interchangeable parts.”

Teacher asked, “What kind of revolution is this?” One student replied, “A good revolution to a better future.” Another student replied, “Industrial revolution”

What did you collect? Collection of Evidence

Teacher stated, “The person sitting in the 4 position-at every table except for this one when it is the 3 person-I need you to come to the front and stand in a line.” 7 students came to the front of the room.

Teacher stated to the seven students, “Raise your hands if you can answer yes to the following questions.” 3 questions were posed about having expertise with pens. No students responded yes.

On your feedback sheet: 1. Write one question that you

think everyone should be able to answer about “engaged learners.”

2. Write a personal goal that you have around “engaged learners.”

“Homeplay” Practice collecting evidence of “engaged

learners.”

Examine an observation that you have completed, looking for evidence and bias/opinion

Identify the presence or absence of “engaged learners” in your current observation tool.

Thank you!See you for Part 2!