Teacher Evaluation

Having taught in various international schools as a music teacher, I have been evaluated for my teaching ability, skills and approach yearly.  Though I have taught  for many years, going to school on the day of knowing someone is coming to "evaluate" and "inspect" me still makes me nervous as it puts pressure on me. Having said that, I want to receive appraisal for the betterment of my teaching.


I have taught both in British and American curriculum schools and would like share the difference between these two teacher evaluation systems.

When I was teaching at a British School in Beijing, it used the OFSTED ( The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills of the UK government) teachers standards  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/283566/Teachers_standard_information.pdf for teacher inspection.

Every teacher is being inspected twice yearly; the beginning of the year by the principal, and end of the year by the head of department. They will check the box to inspects if the teacher:
1) Sets high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils
2) Promotes good progress and outcomes by pupils
3) Demonstrates good subject and curriculum knowledge
4) Plans and teaches well structured lessons
5) Adapts teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils
6) Makes accurate and productive use of assessment
7) Manages behavior effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
8) Fulfills wider professional responsibilities

At the end of the inspection, the teacher is being graded as "Outstanding", "Good", "Satisfactory" or "Inadequate" and a follow-up debrief is carried out between the inspector and the teacher.

In my opinion, this kind of observation is rather dictatorial. In the first place, words such as inspect and inspector don't sound friendly to me. (Literally, these words are printed on the evaluation form.) They sound like someone is walking into my classroom to scrutinize me, and I cannot be myself. Furthermore, I have to conduct all the eight tasks well to be graded as outstanding and good in one 60 minute class; this, to me, is not a fair evaluation. Having only two evaluations with a long gap in between, and by two people giving me different sets of opinions is not helpful for my professional and personal growth as an educator.

At my present school - an American curriculum school- I am more pleased with the way I am evaluated. My supervisor, who is also the Elementary school principal, runs five informal walk- in, unannounced observations with me and calls for me for a debrief after each session. The formal observation is conducted towards the end of the year. I like this approach very much as it is likened to a formative assessment, whereby I get to reflect through the five informal observations and work towards reaching my goals and showcase my growth and strength in the formal and announced observation. As the informal observations are unannounced, I find myself more natural while teaching and am oblivious to the supervisor's walking in to my classroom. I am always truly myself in such situation. The informal observations leading to a formal one display a progression in my professional development. I see that my this year's  performance is better than last year's. In my observation, I am evaluated for:
1)  Appropriate instructional planning
2)  Effective organizational and management of classroom
3)  Proper and sufficient instructional strategies
4)  Fair and consistent teacher/student interaction
5)  Appropriate and effective evaluation of student performance

Just comparing the two sets of criteria between the British and American systems, the adjectives used in the former system put tremendous pressure on me to perform to be an outstanding teacher. Whereas with the latter system, I feel relaxed and know how to find my means to teach appropriately and effectively.

With regards to proposing elements on which I think I should be judged as a teacher... again I don't like the word "judge". Why should I be judged as a teacher ?

Tying in with the imminent clinical practice I will be doing, I would like my mentor to give me honest and genuine as well as constructive feedback on my 1) teaching skills and approach  2) interaction and rapport with the students  3) personality as a teacher. These are the elements that will raise the bar for me to become an effective teacher.