Coaching took a different form in this South Dakota school when teachers' own classes were the setting for their professional learning. Teachers had the chance to watch what others could do with their classes, as well as to be watched. The chance to observe led to greater reflection and self-generated change.

The Illinois Community College Board has developed this Provider Manual as an easy reference to: (1) existing laws and regulations, both State and Federal; (2) best practices in the field of Adult Education; and to (3) act as a desk reference for both new and existing program administrators. The Manual describes: (1) the purpose of the Federal…

The author offers some thoughts on commentator's reactions to the substance of the measures, particularly those about measuring teacher learning and change, based on the major uses of the measures, and because this is a significant challenge facing test development as an enterprise. If teacher learning results in more integrated knowledge or…

Self-assessment is a powerful technique for improving achievement. In this article we outline a theory of teacher change that links self-assessment by teachers to their professional growth. This theory provides avenues for peers and change agents to influence teacher practice. We apply the theory to change in mathematics teaching and report an…

In addition to student assessment, many educators are now using portfolios to document and evaluate their own growth and development and to showcase the learning taking place in their classroom. This guide, in workbook format, explains why portfolios are essential to educators' professional development, outlines a professional development plan,…

This publication is the result of a research and development project that involved the development of formative teacher evaluation plans at three sites: Guilford County Schools, Greensboro (North Carolina); Richland School District 2, Columbia (South Carolina); and Surry County Schools, Dobson (North Carolina). The publication is intended as a…

During the 1984-85 academic year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) initiated efforts to reform school districts' teacher supervision/evaluation (TS/E) procedures. The goal was to improve the quality of classroom instruction and develop more consistent, meaningful teacher evaluations. This paper describes a study conducted by Research…

This study of educator interviews and conferences required by the Louisiana teacher certification program (Louisiana System for Teaching and Learning Assessment and Review (STAR)) is grounded in the supposition that metaphors infuse educators' everyday professional interactions. Of particular interest were: the nature of the various conference…

An investigation was made of current uses of formative and summative teacher evaluation. A review of the literature on teacher evaluation systems revealed that most systems attempted to accomplish two potentially conflicting purposes: to encourage teacher development and improve instructional quality (formative), and to judge teacher effectiveness…

As part of the Research-Based Training for School Administrators Project at the University of Oregon, this scripted material was prepared for use by school administrators giving presentations in Project Leadership workshops. Project Leadership uses networking and administrator-led workshops to disseminate research results and state-of-the-art…

Critical evaluation of teaching and the devices through which teachers try to increase their self-critical abilities and to improve their work are addressed. Focus is on videotaping technologies that enable teachers to act, step back and observe, and then analyze their work. (JMD)

Explains the structure of Tennessee's Career Ladder Program for teachers, with the primary focus on evaluation procedures used at the state level for identifying teachers in the top two to five career levels. Covers evaluation criteria, evaluation data sources, use of peer evaluators, and evaluation processes. (PGD)

Describes the University of Minnesota-Duluth's use of a three-part consulting model to improve instruction. Explains the rationale for extending learning center services to faculty and the model's components: an interview to assess instructor needs; data gathering through classroom observation, videotaping, student interviews, etc.; and final…

Finding that lack of time was the obstacle to teachers' peer observations, one school district devotes inservice time for teachers to observe each other. (JW)

A study was conducted to determine whether teachers in districts using state-mandated (traditional) teacher evaluation systems or educators in districts using locally developed alternative teacher evaluation systems perceived teacher evaluation as having a stronger positive impact on school improvement, professional development, and student…