Peer assistance and review (PAR) reduces the burden on principals, the isolation of the classroom teacher, and sometimes even the antagonism and hostility between labor and management by involving teachers in the formal evaluation of other teachers and making them responsible for employment recommendations. Coaches who have been identified for…

Government agencies administer exams to appraise educators' effectiveness. However, most teachers and administrators are unfamiliar with how such large-scale tests are put together or polished. A profession's adequacy is being judged on the basis of tools that the profession's members don't understand. As such, educators need to have a dose of…

Analyzes the reasons behind teacher evaluation and discusses the characteristics of a good evaluation program. (AN)

Argues that tenure is necessary to protect the professional rights and freedom of classroom teachers and that the current criticism of tenure should be directed against the lack of meaningful teacher evaluation and staff development programs. (JG)

Madeline Hunter replies to the criticism in the previous article. She feels that the current teacher decision-making model is effective. (MD)

Describes faculty evaluation procedures used in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Public Schools in conjunction with career development. Covers the program's philosophy, purposes, and special characteristics; expectations set and competencies sought; the areas evaluation; evaluator characteristics; the observation process; teachers'…

A comprehensive three-year process for planning a system of teacher accountability can ensure discriminating and valid results. (Author)

Tests by themselves will not ensure teacher competency, but they can be a useful part of a teacher selection and induction program. (Author)

New teacher applicants in Dallas (Texas) are screened by a formally scored interview, an essay writing exercise, and a test of verbal and quantitative ability. (MLF)

All teacher applicants in Pinellas County (Florida) must pass a screening test. Self-instructional materials are provided on request. (Author/MLF)

Argues in defense of preobservation conferences in teacher evaluations. They place teaching episodes in context and enhance the supervisor's supportive role. (MD)

Because knowledge work occurs inside teachers' heads, it cannot be supervised directly. School improvement can become a permanent, ongoing organizational function by replacing traditional instructional supervision with a supervision-for-school-improvement function. The focus then shifts to examining a district's work processes, social…

Management by objectives has not lived up to expectations but still has great potential as a management tool. (Author)

Teachers have a different attitude toward supervision when they have participated in a program of peer supervision. (Author)