Contends that evaluation is determining whether a teacher is doing a good job and rating the teacher's performance, whereas supervision is determining what's happening in the classroom and perhaps giving a little advice. Steps to better evaluation include discarding checklists and annual formal evaluation, and providing opportunities for teacher…

A principal boasts that he spends two hours a day in classrooms. And it is true--he really does visit his school's 17 teachers daily, chatting with students and occasionally chiming in on a lesson. But when teachers are asked what kind of feedback they get, they say the principal rarely talks to them about what he sees when he strolls through…

To ensure quality instruction, principals must place a priority on teacher observation and feedback. Practical recommendations include the following: (1) offering teachers immediate feedback; (2) being generous with praise, specific with concerns; and (3) monitoring teachers with problems. (MLF)

Discusses implementation effects of a program for training Dutch primary school principals in teacher coaching techniques. Results found a significant treatment effect for coaching skills concerned with developing autonomy (empowerment), feedback, and agreement on teacher-observation goals. Ratings from coached teachers valued coaching skills…

The performance enhancement model (PEM) presented in this information sheet will help administrators and supervisors establish a school program to meet the special needs of first-year teachers. Inservice sessions for new teacher training should be played with the help of peer supervisors who are chosen by the principal for their teaching and…

Teacher evaluation is problematic because it combines two conflicting tasks: improving instruction and judging performance. A Boston elementary principal gradually devised an informal supervision/evaluation system involving brief, random, and frequent classroom visits followed by praise, affirmation, suggestions, and constructive criticism. Even…

To help beginning teachers succeed, principals should identify individual teachers' strengths and weaknesses during the interviewing/hiring stage, balance neophytes' workloads, limit their extracurricular activities, establish expectations, select veteran mentors, offer informal formative assessment, be specific about classroom observations, and…

Two experiments, at both elementary and secondary schools, evaluated the utility of a behavior-analytic program to enhance effective leadership behaviors by two school principals. Treatment involved helping principals with classroom observations, goal setting, and providing feedback and praise. Results showed more effective behaviors by both…