Job Discussion Forums

[steviok85]

Maybe I am being over-sensitive, but these things make me a little uneasy, especially when, after a smooth September-December, one or two complaints have come in. Apparently, I am 'too serious', and the lessons are getting 'boring' etc. Anyway, I do not see the point in these things because the Director will always know if something is wrong. At least, that is what the Director told me at a previous school, and I tend to agree because things are said before written on a silly form.
Why are people still paying money if one is rated as a '3/5'? Just an example.

[johnslat]

Dear steviok85,

Please understand that I am not trying to insult you in any way. It's just that, in my experience, how one feels about "Teacher Evaluation Forms" often depends on how one is rated.

I don't think I can recall any teacher who was rated very highly ever complaining about them.

Regards,
John

[steviok85]

I don't even know how I have been rated yet, and I rather don't care. But, generally, things are good I feel.
Just wanted to raise the topic.

[fladude]

[steviok85]

Questions for business and not about teaching, unfortunately. At least from what I have seen today.
: 'Do you plan to continue learning at our school?' Something along those lines.

[johnslat]

Dear steviok85,

Well, there do, I think, have to be some ways of assessing teachers "performance," and I, for one, would much prefer to be assessed by a method that used a whole battery of input: peer evaluations, student evaluations, students' progress, administrative evaluations, etc. than be assessed by one person (who may base that assessment solely on how much he/she happens to like/dislike you.)

Regards,
John

[artemisia]

A range of ways of evaluating a teacher's performance is the fairest. In TEFL, in particular, it does often come down to whether or not the students like you. This is generally true of language schools but it's an important element in many types of schools. (That's not to say that if someone writes 'boring' it means they don't like you as it depends on the overall feedback).

Being liked by your students does help create a more conducive learning atmosphere but in terms of running a business it so often has more to do with getting and retaining numbers. Students who expect all English language lessons to be entertaining at all times judge on that basis - (or even how cute they think the teacher is!) - and not on how well a teacher knows the subject matter and can explain etc. It's this aspect of TEFL that I dislike but I associate it more with 'cowboy' schools. The more 'serious' the learning institution, the more respect and genuine appreciation you're likely to be given.

steviok85:
Rather than waiting for official evaluations to be done, you could conduct your own informal, mini ones from time to time if you don't already. This could be in written form and/or just as a general discussion if they have the language ability for that. Leaving aside issues of 'pleasing' everyone, it is useful to get feedback from your class as it can give you some important information as to whether you need to vary activities and do more/less of something. You say you feel things are going well and I'd go with that but no harm in getting some direct info yourself.

[johnslat]

This is one of the student evaluation forms that I use:


Teacher Evaluation by Students: Teacher�s name: ________________________

The number rating: 1 = rarely; 2 = sometimes; 3 = usually; 4 = almost always

Circle the answer that fits with your experience of this teacher for each item. Please add comments if you'd like to.

1 Teacher is prepared for class. 1 2 3 4
_______________________________________________________________________________________

2 Teacher knows his/her subjects. 1 2 3 4
_______________________________________________________________________________________

3 Teacher is organized and neat. 1 2 3 4
_______________________________________________________________________________________

4 Teacher plans class time and assignments that help students to problem solve and think critically. Teacher provides activities that make subject matter meaningful.
1 2 3 4
_______________________________________________________________________________________

5 Teacher is flexible in accommodating for individual student needs. 1 2 3 4
_______________________________________________________________________________________

6 Teacher is clear in giving directions and on explaining what is expected on assignments 1 2 3 4
________________________________________________________________________________________

7 Teacher allows you to participate in the classroom learning environment. 1 2 3 4
________________________________________________________________________________________

8 Teacher manages the time well. 1 2 3 4
________________________________________________________________________________________

9 Teacher returns work in a timely manner. 1 2 3 4
_________________________________________________________________________________________

10 Teacher has clear classroom procedures so students don't waste time. 1 2 3 4
_________________________________________________________________________________________

11 Teacher grades fairly. 1 2 3 4
_________________________________________________________________________________________

12 I have learned a lot from this teacher. 1 2 3 4
_________________________________________________________________________________________

13 Teacher gives me good feedback on work so that I can improve. 1 2 3 4
__________________________________________________________________________________________

14 Teacher is creative in developing activities and lessons. 1 2 3 4
__________________________________________________________________________________________

15 Teacher encourages students to speak up and be active in the class. 1 2 3 4
__________________________________________________________________________________________

16 Teacher follows through on what he/she says. You can count on the teacher�s word. 1 2 3 4

Please turn this page over and continue.
17 Teacher listens and understands students� point of view; he/she may not agree, but students feel understood.

1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

18 Teacher respects the opinions and decisions of students. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

19 Teacher is willing to accept responsibility for his/her own mistakes. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

20 Teacher is willing to learn from students. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

21 Teacher is sensitive to the needs of students. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

22 Teacher�s words and actions match. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

23 Teacher is fun to be with. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

24 Teacher likes and respects students. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

25 Teacher helps you when you ask for help. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

26 Teacher is consistent and fair in discipline. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

27 I trust this teacher. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

28 Teacher tries to model what teacher expects of students. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

29 Teacher is fair and firm without being too strict. 1 2 3 4
____________________________________________________________________________________________

30 What is one thing that your teacher does really well?

____________________________________________________________________________________________

31 What is one thing that you can suggest to help this teacher improve?

____________________________________________________________________________________________

32 What would you like to see changed in this ESL class?

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to think through the items carefully and write down your thoughts honestly.

Regards,
John

[basiltherat]

Hi
I believe evaluation forms are good for 2 particular reasons;

1. It lets the instructor know the aspects of his teaching that could potentially be improved. I think it is more for the instructor himself - than anyone else - to take an interest in the 'results'. Where I am, the instructor is left alone to consider the results of the evaluation. In the majority of cases, we do, however, expect (if only ultimately) that the teacher is mostly judged as 'excellent' rather than simply 'good'

2. If such evaluations are done prior to the exam, it often denies a student the opportunity to unjustly 'blame' the teacher for poor results in a final exam. After all, if the evaluation is 'good' (or preferably, 'excellent' ), how can the student turn around after the exam and claim that the reason he failed was because the instructor was 'poor' ?

Best
Basil

[Justin Trullinger]

Hey there-

I just wanted to chime in with this- I've been teaching for a rather long time, and have had consistently high student evaluations. I must be brilliant. Or maybe it's just that I'm sort of funny. Or handsome. I don't know.

So I'm not objecting to student evaluations because they negatively affect me. Quite the contrary.

I'm objecting to them, not in theory (they could be good), but in practice: Most student evaluations of teachers are absolutely useless for improving teaching. Heck, a lot of them seem to be useless practically by design. Some flaws I've seen:

1) Circumstances lead students to often answer not as honestly as they can, but within their own bias. (If I'm in danger of failing, I won't say "grades fairly," will I?)

2) They ask students to evaluate things that are outside of their competence. ("The teacher presents all aspects of the curriculum in a balanced way," is something I've seen on an eval to be ranked from one to five. Most students haven't even read "all aspects of the curriculum.")

3) Too often, it's the only chance students have to express themselves about teachers- so they use them to express what doesn't quite fit on them: THere is no blank for "wouldn't grade all of my late assignments" so instead the teacher gets marked down for "I feel my teacher cares about my learning."

4) They don't take the students into account. Who are these people? Honestly- I've had students try to control the teacher by threatening her with bad reviews. Doesn't work when I am in charge. But it would work in a lot of places I know of. Is it good for education when the teacher, on the first day, meets a bunch of students who tell him that "I know you're supposed to keep track of attendance- but if we aren't marked present every day, we'll make sure your contract doesn't get re-signed?" It happens.

5) They are then read by people who are so far outside of the classroom that they no longer remember what goes on there. A good teacher probably needs to be at least somewhat popular, most of the time- it gets the students on side. But it doesn't follow that a popular teacher is good. Many aren't- and what student evals tell you is often just "Who's popular." It's only part of the story, but too many schools react to it like the whole story.


Best,
Justin

[fladude]

[1st Sgt Welsh]

[sistercream]

There are evaluations and then there are evaluations. The one I was given that bugged me the most was written by a principal who had never even observed 5 minutes of even one of my classes and only came into our branch school for an hour every week.

[naturegirl321]

johnslat, thanks for the survey. I think I might use some of it this semester, just for my personal records.

[Glenski]