Designing Evaluations of Educators

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A Brief Introduction to the Concept of Teacher Evaluations/Instruments

Although the focus of this instruction is the development of teacher evaluation instruments, it is important to have a quick discussion around some broader considerations first.

Teaching cannot be considered effectual without some sort of demonstration that learning is/has occurred. It also depends on a individual's personal philosophy of education when considering the degree of learning that is required for a teacher's performance to fare well. The focus of an evaluation could be on a teacher's skill, professionalism, or behaviour, inside and outside the classroom. Conversely, a teacher's merit could also be demonstrated through their student's achievements. It would seem then that in order to have any value, a holistic evaluation instrument would most likely consider all areas and different types of evaluation methods.

What to Evaluate? What Should be Considered?

When setting out to develop and design an evaluation tool it is essential that some groundwork be conducted first. The demands faced by teachers of the 21st century are very different than those faced by their predecessors. What teachers and students need to know now—to be considered a contributing member of 21st society—must be a consideration taken when developing a teacher evaluation tool.

Education for the 21st century, as is discussed by many educational organizations, looks for specific themes to be taught and mastered by students. For example:
- Leadership, in the classroom, in the school, and in the teaching profession
- Teachers as advocates for students and educational advancement, adherence to ethical standards as well as professional standards
- Creation of an environment that respect the diverse population of students

The design of a teacher evaluation tool depends fully on what is being looked for, skills and attitudes of the teacher, and their teaching. A well developed evaluation tool will address—in some form or another—professional standards and the mission/vision statement of body that governs education in context/environment in which the teacher works.

Evaluation Components

There are a great many qualities that effective and skilled teachers characteristically embody. It is natural then to assert that for an evaluative tool to be of any use, it must attempt to search for these qualities in a myriad of ways. It is for this reason that a combination of assessments should be used ...