You are probably fully aware of how you will be evaluated as a teacher. If you are new to a grade level, a school, a district, or a state, you will most likely have more evaluations per year than someone who has been teaching the same grade in the same school for fifteen years. You also don’t get to choose the time and lesson for the observation so just understand when the administrator shows up to do the evaluation, he or she may not see the optimal lesson or activity. But, the evaluator understands that. There is a lot that can be observed by the interaction of the teacher and students. It’s also pretty easy to see if the teacher checks for understanding and if every learner is engaged or some are hiding from answering questions. An evaluator can draw conclusions about how a teacher corrects misunderstandings and inappropriate behaviors. It is also clear if the teacher is engaged with the learning or sitting behind a computer. It is obvious if the classroom is filled with anchor charts and materials that support instruction, if standards and essential questions are posted, and if technology supports the lessons. No matter what lesson is being taught, an evaluator can tell a great deal about how the classroom operates just by sitting in the classroom for thirty minutes. If your first walk-through indicates that differentiation was not observed, there is no need to write a long defense about how you just finished a lesson characterized by differentiation. That is merely a notation. It is a starting place. If you receive a 2, that means you are still developing in that area. If you receive a 1, there is an issue you need to address immediately. I have seen too many teachers panic over receiving a 2 as if they had just failed a major exam. If every category is a 3, sign off on it and continue teaching. If you receive a 4 in any area, congratulate yourself. As a new teacher, your goal should be a 3 but a 2 is no need for panic. It is just noted that you need development in that area. If you continue to score a 2 in that same area in subsequent evaluations, go to the administrator and ask for some help. Administrators are almost always seasoned teachers themselves who are willing to help you grow into the best teacher you can be. If your school has an instructional coach, it is her job to help you as well. Use the resources available to you.

  Use the resources available to you in your building. In my many years as a PEC teacher, I never asked a teacher or administrator for support and was disappointed. They want you to succeed and enjoy working with your students. Administrators want faculty to grow the same way teachers want students to grow. 

Pamela Webster, M. Ed., SPED