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 paper provides guidelines for improving the objectivity, quality, and relevance of classroom observations. Suggestions are organized according to the three stages of the observation process--prior, during, and after the observation. Tips for establishing and maintaining a positive climate and for necessary preparations prior to the…

In an effort to update teacher evaluation systems to reflect changing attitudes toward the teaching profession and to focus on staff development, state departments of education and school districts have designed mentor and master teacher programs, career ladders, shared leadership programs, and differentiated evaluation programs. They have also…

This article presents a documentation system that principals can use in the teacher evaluation process to help improve a teacher's performance or, if necessary, to present at a hearing to support a recommendation for termination. The documentation involves the use of several types of memoranda: (1) memoranda to the principal's file (for less…

This paper considers the kinds of interventions that elementary school principals make for the purpose of improving practice in their schools. Findings are derived from the Principal-Teacher Interaction Study being conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, which has categorized interventions hierarchically at the following levels: policy,…

In response to accountability pressures over the past several years, a body of research attempting to identify characteristics of effective schools has developed. Efforts to improve school climate or evaluate teachers solely according to "effective school" characteristics may be misguided. One problem is that school effectiveness may be…

In order to determine current practices and policies concerning the formal evaluation of certified teaching personnel in Alberta, this survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire (appended) sent to all school districts in the province. The findings were then compared to those of a similar survey conducted in 1977. The comparison revealed that…

Administrators and supervisors bear much of the responsibility for seeing that many things currently not happening in the language arts classroom do happen. Perhaps they do not take leadership in the language arts area because they are uncertain as to what elements make a good program. There are eight essential elements to look for in a good…

This paper presents, in outline form, highlights from the AASA annual meeting clinic on teacher evaluation. The report presents (1) an overview of teacher evaluation, (2) the components of an effective evaluation plan for instructional personnel, and (3) a strategy for developing an effective teacher evaluation plan in a school system. (JF)

In Toledo, Ohio, teacher union and school system leaders have collaborated on a controversial, but apparently effective, plan to purge the staff of incompetent teachers. It combines rigorous evaluation, training for new teachers, remediation for veteran teachers, and peer review by a corps of highly skilled consulting teachers. (TE)

Describes a 1984 report from the Rand Corporation that studied teacher evaluation practices. Problems revealed include lack of resolve and competence in principals, resistance or apathy of teachers, inconsistent evaluation practices between schools, and inadequate training for evaluators. (TE)

Reviews practices related to professional growth and development from teacher training programs, business, and higher education and proposes a model applicable for the professional growth and development of teachers. (FL)

Suggests useful implications for supervisors offered by motivational theories, including the importance of serving as a source of reinforcement for teachers and the necessity of helping the teacher make appropriate instructional choices and gather evidence on the effectiveness of those choices. (Author/JM)

Clinical supervision focuses on helping teachers improve their performance through the analysis of observed events in the classroom and postobservation critiques. (Author/MLF)