This book argues that the current process for teacher licensing does not always guarantee competence in the classroom, and it offers advice on how to prepare and evaluate aspiring teachers for the challenges of their profession. It places Minnesota's experience in the context of current reform efforts and suggests that developing and requiring a…

This Fastback provides a guide for developing a partnership between the student teacher and the cooperating teacher in order to make student teaching a rewarding experience for all involved. It explains that the relationship between the student teacher and the cooperating teacher needs to be one of collaboration and mutual respect in order to…

Tests are being used widely, and misused widely, to evaluate students, teachers, principals, and other educational administrators. This short primer on testing and assessment is organized into three parts. Part 1, "Essential Statistical Terms," introduces some statistics that are essential to understanding testing concepts and for…

Nowadays, teacher and administrator evaluations are being linked to retention and dismissal suggestions. School districts should involve teachers and administrators in developing a fair system of evaluation, carry it out as planned, and make sure it is visible and accepted. (Author/JM)

Outlines an eight-step plan for developing the full potential of part-time faculty. Plan components include effective recruitment, well-written contracts, increased remuneration, affirmative action, mainstreaming, evaluation of instructional effectiveness, use of part-time faculty as links with the community and part-time faculty development. (JP)

With a major portion of all community college budgets being spent on personnel and related costs and with personnel management becoming extremely complex, new approaches toward human resources management are crucial to the continuing vitality of community colleges. Advocates centralization of human resource services and mainstreaming academic…

Teacher effectiveness can be evaluated by traditional performance-based evaluation, though that method has some limitations. Alternative approaches to teacher evaluation include student evaluation of teacher performance and portfolio assessment. The Tuckman Teacher Feedback Form is presented as a more effective self-improvement system than a…

A best practices checklist is provided to assist special education teachers in self-evaluation and peer evaluation, and assist administrators in providing feedback to teachers. The checklist covers introducing the lesson, presenting the lesson, encouraging student participation, and providing corrective feedback. Each area identifies specific…

This 3-part developmental support and assessment process program workbook is based on the State of California expectations for beginning teachers. It focuses on interactions between and among beginning teachers and support providers. The workbook has three parts. Part 1, "Gathering Assessment Information: Developing a Professional Growth…

This book suggets that teachers and teacher unions should take the lead in making changes to promote educational quality and prepare students for the 21st century, where knowledge rather than industry will be the organizing principle. Part 1, "A Call to Action," describes how American society is changing and how these shifts necessitate the…

Designed to provide direction for the production of instructional and non-instructional faculty portfolios, these guidelines describe the purpose and elements of portfolios and the critical steps in their development and evaluation. First, a definition is provided of a teaching portfolio, indicating that it is a collection of materials…

After reviewing literature on the effect that varying instructional activities has on student achievement, this document describes an inservice program designed to help teachers develop skill in varying activities, an aspect of Domain I in the Texas Teacher Appraisal System. Information provided includes: (1) alternative resources; (2) time…

Approved by the city's board of education in July 1982, Houston's Quality Assurance Program is intended to help assure continual professional growth for teachers. By establishing a system of faculty performance assessment, the program seeks to identify teachers' strengths and weaknesses, improve communication, and develop priorities for…

Although the main purpose of a school district's evaluation system is to improve employees' performance, the evaluation procedures and the supporting documentation must also serve as evidence in the termination hearings of an unsatisfactory employee. Accordingly, this chapter provides practical advice to school administrators concerning…

This manual gives teachers information about the score reports they receive after participating in the Tennessee Career Ladder evaluation process. It also contains a discussion of the scoring and equating process used to calculate the results. The score report consists of the following: (1) a summary; (2) results by domain; (3) results by…