A recent issue of The New York Times (September 1, 2010) raised the issue of using a value-added model of statistics to evaluate teacher performance. The model (very basically) involves tracking student progress in a teacher’s classes over a number of years to identify high and low performing teachers. The article suggested that for the ‘middle’ group of teachers the method was less reliable.
Now we all know that teacher ‘rating’ goes on in a number of ways. The “Rate My Teacher” website seems to attract student comments more than anything else (there is also a “Rate My Doctor” website that I found quite interesting). The “parking lot caucus” at each and every school provides more anecdotal evaluations from parents, albeit based on their own child’s experience which can be quite individual from child to child.
Why the recent concern about rating teachers? Research shows that the most critical component of a school experience for a student is the teacher. Lots of technology, fancy buildings and lush playing fields enhance the school experience, but the real learning is impacted most strongly by the person in the classroom with the kids.
Teaching is not an exact science and there are many ‘soft’ variables that come into play on a daily basis. However, collecting value-added data can be of good use to teachers who are concerned about measuring their impact over time and can be a useful tool for professional development. But let’s not fall into the trap of taking one measure of teaching and making it the only important one!
I have a Geography teacher named Ms.DaSilva and I think I would enjoy Geograhy a lot more if I had a different teacher. Whenever you answer a question wrong she says 'NOOOOO", very rudely. My Science teacher Mrs.Harrison is awesome! Even if you get a question wrong, she makes it funny. For example, if you answer something incorrectly she says "Old McDonald had a farm, ei, ei, no", funny right? She is also going to have a baby in January and is going to have to go on M.A.T leave for 1 year. I wish Ms.DaSilva was leaving!
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we don't let children vote. we don't let children drive. we don't let children handle guns.
why do we let children rate their teachers and persuade parents about their education?
Maybe because their honest!
Because it makes money for the owners of the site. The aim is to sell eyeballs, vulnerable ones at that.
Why don't surveys come home for parents to rate the teachers and princpals. We may see more accountability in the school system if this was done.
I'm not sure what the basis for completing the surveys would be. Parents hear about activities in class from their children, who may be filtering a bit. In CIS schools, teachers are held accountable by their Department Heads, Vice-Principals and Principals for their teaching performance. Principals are held accountable by their Boards of Governors. These accountabilities ensure our students receive a quality education.