Evaluating Americas Teachers: Mission Possible?
English
By (author): W. James Popham
When teacher evaluations are fair, everyone wins.
Poor evaluation systems dont just hurt teachersthey hurt students, too. Thats why America cant afford to wait for the teacher-evaluation problem to be solved. To provide balanced, accurate, and rigorous evaluations that take into account each teachers particular circumstances, only one system can work: evidence-governed collegial judgment.
As states and schools scramble to find workable responses to accountability mandates, well-informed educators can make key contributions. Start here with
- A discussion of common evaluation systems, including testing, value-added models, and observations
- Analysis of federal guidelines and state responses
- Action steps teachers and school leaders can take to influence policy
- A clear rationale and strategies for implementing a teacher evaluation model based on human judgment
Evaluating Americas Teachers demonstrates that the vision is possible: effective teacher evaluations that benefit schools as a whole.
Teachers, administrators, and policy makers rejoice! Here is a single book, from a nationally recognized scholar, that makes sense of the issues involved with the evaluation of teachers.
David C. Berliner, Regents Professor Emeritus
Arizona State University
Once again Jim Popham has brought insight and clarity to a complex topic that only a person of his stature and expertise could provide.
Robert J. Marzano, CEO
Marzano Research Laboratory
In an effective and diplomatic manner, Jim suggests concrete ways policymakers, along with local school leaders and teachers, can make sure our students are protected from summative teacher-evaluation systems that do more harm than good. No one should make policy at any level or strive to build a defensible teacher evaluation system without studying this book.
Rick Stiggins, Retired Executive Director
Assessment Training Institute