Slide 1

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 2

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 3

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 4

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 5

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 6

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 7

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 8

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 9

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 10

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 11

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 12

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 13

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 14

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning


Slide 15

It’s Time to Rethink Teacher
Supervision and Evaluation
Phi Delta Kappan
86 no 10 727-735
June 2005

Kim Marshall

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark
 Principals observe and evaluate a tiny
amount of teaching. The actual amount
is about .3% of the time a teacher is
actually engaged with students.
 “Micro-observations” of individual
lessons don’t carry much weight with
most school districts. Districts usually
prefer extremely thorough formal
observations.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The lessons that principals see are often
atypical—a “performance” or a
“nervous” reaction.
 Most observations and evaluation
sequences rarely focus on student
learning.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)
 The supervision and evaluation process
reinforce teacher isolation. Rarely are
there “conversations.”
 Observation instruments often get in
the way. Most districts push for tools
that make it possible to build cases
against incompetent teachers.

Why the Supervision Process
Often Misses the Mark (cont’d)

 Observations fail to give teachers the
needed feedback to enhance teaching
and learning.
 Most principals do not have observation
and the monitoring of instruction as a
top priority.

To become more effective, move…
 From periodically observing teaching to
continuously analyzing learning.
 From occasional announced classroom
visits to frequent unannounced visits.
 From detailed scripting of single lessons
to quick sampling of multiple lessons.

To become more effective, move…
 From year-end judgments to continuous
suggestions and redirection.
 From comprehensive, written
observations to focused, face-to-face
feedback.

 From guarded, inauthentic
conversations to candid give and take.

To become more effective, move
 From employing rigid evaluation criteria
to continuously looking at new ideas
and practices.

 From focusing on bad teachers to
improving teaching in every classroom.
 From cumbersome, time-consuming
write-ups to streamlined rubrics.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Make sure the basics are in place:
 Schedule common planning time where
possible.
 Have crystal-clear expectations for
learning that are aligned with standards.
 Common assessments written by staff.
 Common rubrics for consistently scoring
student writing.
 Exemplars of student work.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Develop a common language for what is
happening in classrooms…SOTEL
 Safety - students are physically and
psychologically safe.
 Objectives of curriculum are evident.
 Teaching-learning experiences are
skillfully orchestrated.
 Engagement - students are involved.
 Learning is assessed.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Systematically visit all classrooms:
 Very brief visits—in and out.
 Walkthroughs (less than five minutes)
with a particular item in mind.
 Mini-observations (5-15 minutes)
focusing on teaching and learning.
 Full-period formal observations.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Give teachers prompt, face-to-face
feedback after every classroom visit:
 E-mails or notes are OK, but personal
feedback is preferable.
 Feedback focuses on one or two
specific points.
 Follow-ups are most effective within
24 hours.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Develop teacher teams:
 Common unit plans and assessments
 Common interim assessments
 Report on student learning after each
unit or quarter

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning
 Once the principal has made “the shift,”
teachers can work on feedback:
 Peer coaching
 Action research
 Lesson study
 Looking At Student Work
 Teachers must be thinking constantly
about whether students are learning
and what can be done to get better
results.

Link Supervision to Student Achievement
and Learning

 Use a rubric to evaluate teacher work:
 Create domains
 Include measures of student learning