Comments on: Measuring “Teacher Effectiveness” — A Blast From The Past http://twelchconsulting.com/blog/2009/10/25/measuring-teacher-effectiveness-a-blast-from-the-past/ Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:13:10 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Morgan Emrich http://twelchconsulting.com/blog/2009/10/25/measuring-teacher-effectiveness-a-blast-from-the-past/comment-page-1/#comment-4296 Morgan Emrich Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:07:58 +0000 http://twelchconsulting.com/blog/?p=48#comment-4296 When my principal (at the large urban middle school where I taught for 10 years) observed me for "effectiveness" his tools were interesting to say the least. We were judged on placement, neatness, and size of posted, written learning objectives. How many students were on-task, raised their hands, and asked probing questions seemed to be important as was how far up Bloom's taxonomy my questions were. In other words, everything had to do with how I was running the show, pulling the strings and intellectually manipulating the students. What the kids wanted to learn didn't matter, how fast they could learn it didn't matter, their different learning styles didn't matter, their desire or lack thereof to get information from a 39 year old adult male didn't matter, the fact that many of them already had the material down cold didn't matter. Maybe it's time to consider the fact that most public school teachers can be almost totally irrelevant and possibly a deterrent to serious learning. If that's the case, what does that say about the purpose of "Instructional Leaders"/administrators in our schools? When my principal (at the large urban middle school where I taught for 10 years) observed me for “effectiveness” his tools were interesting to say the least.

We were judged on placement, neatness, and size of posted, written learning objectives. How many students were on-task, raised their hands, and asked probing questions seemed to be important as was how far up Bloom’s taxonomy my questions were. In other words, everything had to do with how I was running the show, pulling the strings and intellectually manipulating the students.

What the kids wanted to learn didn’t matter, how fast they could learn it didn’t matter, their different learning styles didn’t matter, their desire or lack thereof to get information from a 39 year old adult male didn’t matter, the fact that many of them already had the material down cold didn’t matter.

Maybe it’s time to consider the fact that most public school teachers can be almost totally irrelevant and possibly a deterrent to serious learning. If that’s the case, what does that say about the purpose of “Instructional Leaders”/administrators in our schools?

]]> By: Eric Brewer http://twelchconsulting.com/blog/2009/10/25/measuring-teacher-effectiveness-a-blast-from-the-past/comment-page-1/#comment-3809 Eric Brewer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:25:27 +0000 http://twelchconsulting.com/blog/?p=48#comment-3809 Fantastic. I am very glad you do what you do, Tom. I had a discussion the other day about the purpose of School. I have mixed feelings about it to say the least. I attended college for 4 & 1/2 years but ultimately grew disillusioned with the whole thing and quit. I now own a pharmacy, am happily married with two kids, happy and healthy and doing well. I discovered that I could learn anything I wanted to learn without going to class. If I just stayed home and studied on my own terms I'd understand the subject better and I'd score higher on exams. I think it was Mark Twain who said, "I've always enjoyed learning, but I haven't always enjoyed being taught." I love what you're doing, Tom. Long may you run! Fantastic. I am very glad you do what you do, Tom.
I had a discussion the other day about the purpose of School. I have mixed feelings about it to say the least.
I attended college for 4 & 1/2 years but ultimately grew disillusioned with the whole thing and quit.
I now own a pharmacy, am happily married with two kids, happy and healthy and doing well.
I discovered that I could learn anything I wanted to learn without going to class. If I just stayed home and studied on my own terms I’d understand the subject better and I’d score higher on exams.

I think it was Mark Twain who said, “I’ve always enjoyed learning, but I haven’t always enjoyed being taught.”

I love what you’re doing, Tom. Long may you run!

]]> By: Jennifer Carroll http://twelchconsulting.com/blog/2009/10/25/measuring-teacher-effectiveness-a-blast-from-the-past/comment-page-1/#comment-3584 Jennifer Carroll Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:17:02 +0000 http://twelchconsulting.com/blog/?p=48#comment-3584 Teacher preparation programs and "professional development" might just need a reinvention as well.... Until we show (and I do mean show...model, demonstrate, and coach) teachers how to facilitate learning for 21st Century learners, we are not going to change the current system. Teacher preparation programs and “professional development” might just need a reinvention as well…. Until we show (and I do mean show…model, demonstrate, and coach) teachers how to facilitate learning for 21st Century learners, we are not going to change the current system.

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