THIS ftw

Don't judge teachers by students' work
By Thomas M. Stephens

Would you like to have your competency judged by results over which you have only partial control? Most people, I suspect, prefer to be evaluated by their actions.

Yet some education reformers want to use students' test results as a basis for teachers' pay and even continued employment. Others claim that no one knows how to prepare effective teachers. This might be one reason why they claim teachers should be judged by students' test results, because if teachers are paid for their students' success, they will try harder to find ways for their students to test higher.

Such arguments erroneously assume that learning is the sole responsibility of teachers, and that the major factor in student achievement is teacher effort -- that teaching is simply a matter of filling students with knowledge, like pouring liquid into empty containers.

First, let's deal with the phony belief that no one knows how to prepare effective teachers. That's a strange position, given that the large majority of teachers are effective, as validated by students, parents, supervisors and teacher organizations. The problem is how to evaluate them and how they can maintain their expertise.
Gov. Ted Strickland wants to remove teachers whose students "aren't learning," without stating how learning will be determined. The problem is that no one can guarantee students will learn what they are taught. Schools and teachers can't control all factors that affect learning, such as biological conditions and socioeconomic status.
If teachers are to be paid according to students' success, should not others, who deal with segments of people's lives, be treated similarly? Let's pay attorneys only when they win cases and lawmakers and governors when their legislation and policies prove effective.

Obviously, lawyers, doctors and elected officials can't be responsible for events and people they don't fully control. Nor should teachers.

Teachers' effectiveness should be measured by numerous criteria, including how they engage their students, how they personalize instruction, how they manage their classes and how well they demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter. Teachers who excel in these areas won't necess-arily have students who excel, and often will have students who, for any number of reasons beyond the teachers' scope, fail.

Studies have revealed the best practices of teachers who are rated effective by students, supervisors and parents. There are also established principles for successful teaching and learning derived from research in education.
Advocates for paying teachers for students' test gains propose using state test results for dual purposes: judging student progress and teacher effectiveness. Instead of spending millions each year on standardized tests that cannot separate teaching effects from other factors in students' lives, why not use some of the money to develop a best-practices approach that ensures teachers are being as effective as possible? Validate an Ohio Classroom Teachers' Best Practices Protocol for each subject and for specific ages, grades and special-needs students, similar to what is used for obtaining the highly esteemed National Board for Professional Teaching Certificate.

This can identify teachers who demonstrate competency and those who don't. It also will help keep teachers current; as new practices are validated, they will be added to the protocol and teachers will be updated.
Here's one way to use a best-practices model: Teacher-preparation programs will continue to address principles of teaching and learning; professional ethics; in-depth knowledge of subject matter; and provide related internships under qualified and licensed mentors, as proposed by Strickland.

Practicing teachers will be evaluated through direct observation and written records of their methods, following the professional board-approved protocol. The observations should occur at least twice a year for beginners and annually for experienced teachers. Trained peers, supervisors and/or building principals will conduct the evaluations. And, teachers will be encouraged to conduct self-evaluations annually. When improvement is needed, it will be provided. When malpractice is found, teachers will be subject to penalties including, if necessary, loss of license.

Other licensed professionals are evaluated by what they do. Why not teachers?

Thomas M. Stephens is professor emeritus, College of Education and Human Ecology, Ohio State University, and executive director emeritus, School Study Council of Ohio.

Published February 12, 2009 in the Columbus Dispatch