Race to the Top Video:
Teacher Effectiveness and Support
Fade in Opening Graphic: Teacher Effectiveness and Support
Cindi Rigsbee, Regional Education Facilitator: “When I first saw our new teacher
evaluation instrument, I was so excited when the first words I read were “teacher
leadership.” The fact that I am being pushed to be a leader in my school, in my district, in
the state and beyond is getting me out of those four walls of my classroom and making
me a better teacher.”
GFX:
Ensuring that NC’s teachers are READY for the new Common Core and Essential
Standards includes taking a “deeper dive.”
What they teach.
How they teach.
How it is reflected in student growth.
The Teacher Effectiveness model gives teachers more meaningful insight into their
work.
(Fade sound bites in)
Jason Johnson, Principal: “What I found is this instrument is allowing the teachers to
identify their strengths and weaknesses and then that allows me to help them further
develop their strengths. So now when we look at this instrument we have no questions on
what a teacher should be doing in the classroom. It is our guide as administrators and is
so much easier.”
Heather Walton, Teacher: “I think when we first started using it people were a little
apprehensive because it was new. Once the initial breaking in period I guess wore off that
people were very comfortable with it. It just helps keep us focused and purposeful on
teaching the students what they need.”
GFX:
Great Teachers and Leaders is a central goal of NC’s Race to the Top initiative. The
Teacher Evaluation Model provides several ways for teachers to demonstrate their skills,
including parent feedback and lesson plans.
(Fade sound bite)
Amy Richardson, Teacher: “As you sit down with your teammates and your PLC you’re
able to have much more of a purpose with what you’re doing and it makes it something
that is more accessible to teachers rather than just saying you need to get better.”
GFX: There are six standards in the Teacher Evaluation Instrument:
Teachers
Standard 1: Demonstrate leadership.
Standard 2: Establish a respectful environment.
Standard 3: Know the content they teach.
Standard 4: Facilitate learning for their students.
Standard 5: Reflect on their practice.
Standard 6: Contribute to the academic success of students.
Sound bites
Arris Golden, Teacher: “This has a little more objectivity and it also allows us as teachers
to self asses first, which I think is a huge piece so we can see where we are and see where
we think we are and then we can have a conversation we the administrators about it. I just
think it’s great feedback.”
Tommy Buck, Teacher: “It has forced me to actually sit back and critique myself and
with that, you know, it has forced me to dig deeper into what I need to improve on to help
my students.”
GFX:
The Teacher Evaluation Process focuses on teaching as a skill.
Evaluators look at classroom instruction and what students are learning
Evaluators discuss strengths and challenges with teachers.
(Sound bite)
Mary Catherine Huss, Teacher: “Evaluation is extremely important. It allows you to see
your strengths it allows you to see your weaknesses and even how you can even use your
strengths to build upon your weaknesses.”
GFX:
This process provides stronger communication, greater detail and clearer understanding
about what happens in the classroom.
(Sound bites)
Allison Ormond, Teacher: “I should be able to show some growth individually per
student by the end of the school year. If not then I may not be doing all I can do for that
student and that’s a good thing to open that lens and look at that.”
Charles Perkins, Principal: “It really comes down to the conversations you have after the
observations. There is more of a dialogue and it builds trust, I feel like it builds trust, with
my teachers and me. They feel like they do have an opportunity to share and be heard.”
GFX:
Student growth measurement is essential to the new evaluation model as this is the most
important outcome of quality teaching.
(Sound bite)
Deborah Leake, Teacher: “We should take on that attitude, life-long learners, we’ve got
to do that too. We’re going to do that by evaluating what we’re teaching, how we’re
teaching it and is it effective? Making sure what we are doing in our classroom is
meaningful. That’s what that evaluation was assigned to do, you know, for us to evaluate
ourselves and make sure we are actually doing the job.”
GFX:
The Teacher Effectiveness Process includes greater collaboration among teachers and
administrators, professional development tied to evaluation measures understanding of
the many components of effective teaching.
NC aims to foster trusting environments grounded in the belief that children can always
learn more and that teachers and schools can make that happen.
(Sound bite)
“Now we have teachers and administrators sitting down talking about instruction in a
very powerful way that has to impact what those kids are learning in those classrooms.”