Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/48993
How the president sees it In the rush to get evaluation system done, we have lost sight of getting it done right They paid attention to evidence of planning and preparation, a class- room environment conducive to teaching and learning, and imple- mentation of the lesson, including content and pedagogy. They meas- ured student engagement. They looked for evidence that I complied with district and school directives. They assessed classroom manage- ment. They took stock of detailed professional responsibilities. With this bounty of information, they were able to judge my competence in the classroom and as a member of the faculty. How would my teaching compe- tence be assessed this year? There would still be a comprehensive les- F or decades, my principals watched me teach and inter- act with my science students. We all ascribe to the belief that it takes a village to raise a child, maintains Frederika Jenner, but reliance on school- wide scores to evaluate all educators, puts that concept over the top! son observation. However, a signifi- cant portion of my overall evalua- tion would be based on scores on state tests given first in the Fall and then again in May. My competence and effectiveness would be judged more on a calculation of student growth between these two tests than on any other element or com- bination of components. would trump all other por- DSEA ACTION! (USPS 010111 ISSN 01995413) is the official publication of the Delaware State Education Association. ACTION! is mailed 7 times a year, (September, October, combined Nov/Dec issue, February, March/April, June and July) at DSEA headquarters located at 136 E. Water St., Dover, DE 19901. Telephone: 302-734-5834, or toll-free: 1-866-734-5834. Our Wilmington office may be reached by calling 302- 366-8440. Subscriptions are included in membership: $2.32 a year for teachers and $1.19 a year for ESPs. Subscriptions are $5 per year to those ineligible for membership. Periodical postage paid at Dover, DE 19901. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DSEA ACTION!, 136 E. Water St., Dover, DE 19901. President FREDERIKA JENNER Vice President MIKE HOFFMANN Treasurer KAREN CROUSE NEA Director MARY JO FAUST Exec. Director HOWARD WEINBERG Editor PAMELA T. NICHOLS Program Assistant SUSAN W. KELLER tions of the evaluation process. If I do a great job teaching science, then this accomplishment should be measurable. However, for Grade 6, the state testing program assesses only read- ing and math. This year, my effectiveness as a 6th grade science teacher would be judged on the basis of reading and math test results. 30% of my Component 5 "score" would be based on a composite of school- wide test scores. The remaining 70% will come from math or read- ing scores of an identified cohort composed of a minimum of 25 of my own students. Let me make this clear. The overall evaluation of the teaching effectiveness of Mrs. Jenner, employed to teach sixth grade science, would be based on the test results for reading and math, two subjects that she does not teach, plus school-wide scores from a preponderance of students she does not teach. I question both the sensi- bility and validity of this plan Most teachers and specialists will be assessed using this 30%/70% for- mula, including French, art, com- puter, and P.E. teachers. The effec- tiveness of kindergarten teachers, as well as teachers of grades 1, 2, 11, and 12 will also be calculated in this way. Remarkably, Component 5 "scores" for librarians, school nurs- es, psychologists, and Educational Diagnosticians, etc. will also be based on academic test results. As for all you math and ELA teachers, the pressure's on. It looks like a lot of folks will be counting on your skill and dedication. Your accountability has taken on unex- pected breadth—you are suddenly accountable for everyone. This plan does not make sense, is not a valid measure of teacher effectiveness, and is patently unfair. Accountability is not the issue. Teachers recognize the need to be held accountable. However, they are Leading the way. . . T his month we salute Peggie Buchanan, a 21- year veteran bus driver with the Colonial School District, and treasurer of her local, the Colonial Transportation Association. In the past she has also served as vice president and president of the CTA. She says she became involved in CTA because she comes from a union family. "I accepted a place on the board to be heard." outraged by the prospects of the DEDOE plan to use reading and math test results to judge their capabilities to teach social studies, music, AP Economics, culinary arts, or driver's education, let alone if they offer vital services like occu- pational therapy or counseling to students. Yet another part of this story is the potentially devastating effect that regular DCAS testing has on special needs student populations, with academic testing that is truly beyond many students' abilities. Have we lost track of the impor- tance of the emotional, develop- mental, and social growth demand- ed by IEPs for these students? The tests take into account aca- demic growth from only one level below grade to one level above. A 5th grader at one of our ILC schools, working at a 2nd grade level, may get a failing score, but may have finally learned some basic addition and subtraction, to tie her shoes, to contribute to a class discussion, or to follow a two- step set of directions. Significant growth? YOU BET! This is not the way that the evalu- ation system was portrayed at the start of this process, and it is not a wise or defensible route to follow. Surely we can come up with a more reasonable, equitable, sensible sys- tem. DSEA members and local leaders have recently communicated to those responsible their concerns and disappointments regarding the ways in which the portion What accomplishments as a local leader are you the most proud of? Helping my co-workers and union employees receive what they are entitled to. "In a perfect world at work…. Everyone would get along and stand together for their union!!" What are you fighting for? 100% membership in CTA, and more involvement from members with our union. of teacher evaluation seem to be headed. I believe that it is necessary for them to continue to hear your stories. Thank you for standing up for what is important. There is power in a union. Frederika Jenner President frederika.jenner@dsea.org Check out her blog Does Experience Count? Look for a guest post on the l blog 2 Nov/Dec 2011 DSEA ACTION! www.dsea.org R/Component 5: Student Improve- ment DPAS II- Improvement: Component 5 Student riencecount.wordpress.com Journa http://doesexpe- online.com/delawareed http://blogs.delaware- News