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Planning & Conducting Intentional Conversations

around the Evaluation Process

Michigan ASCD

October 17 or 18, 20148:30 am – 3:45 pm

Learning Advocate: Nancy Anne Colflesh, Ph.D.

Educational Consultant & Leadership Coach517.339.5268 ncolflesh@gmail.com

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Planning & Conducting Intentional Conversations around the Evaluation ProcessMichigan ASCD

2014-2015 School YearLearning Advocate: Nancy Anne Colflesh, Ph.D.

Purpose The purpose of this day-long learning experience for principals and assistant principals is to strengthen their knowledge and skills for planning and conducting conversations with teachers during the evaluation process.

OutcomesSpecific learning outcomes include, but are not limited to, the following:

To understand the role and work of the principal as a Leader of Teacher Learning during formative and summative evaluation processes;

To learn and use a simple template for providing both encouraging and constructive feedback about performance;

To use a template for planning and conducting intentional conversations about teacher performance and student learning; and,

To make the connection between data collected during observations and the overall professional learning designs for the faculty as a whole and for collaborative teams.

ProceduresA variety of learning experiences will be incorporated to maximize participation and ensure learning and the application of that learning:

Lecture Bursts Modeling JIGSAW Processing PairsExamining Our Work Practice with Feedback Table Talk Large Group Discussions

Intended ParticipantsThere are two key groups of educational leaders who will benefit:

Primary Audience: Principals, assistant principals and central office administrators responsible for the evaluation of teacher (or principal) performance and student learning.Secondary Audience: Instructional coaches, mentors of beginning teachers, staff developers or teacher leaders responsible for teacher learning outside the formal evaluation process.

Learning AdvocateNancy A. Colflesh, Ph.D., will serve as Learning Advocate for this day-long learning session. She has worked with a variety of school districts and other professional organizations in their quest for higher levels of reflective practice and efficient and effective group work. A former teacher, principal, staff developer, service agency administrator and professor, she brings solid experience to her services in organizational development: presenting, facilitating, and coaching. She earned her doctorate at Michigan State University where her dissertation research on women leaders received national recognition from the American Educational Research Association. Later, she received the UCEA Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the EAD faculty. In 2008, MEMSPA honored her with their Educational Leadership Award. In 2013, she was one of ten finalists for the Greater Lansing Woman of the Year Award. This spring, the MSU EAD faculty awarded her with the Nancy Anne Colflesh Distinguished Alumni Award. Most importantly, she is a life-long learner.

Trust is the on-ramp to building collaboration and collegiality

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by Pat Roy

recently listened to teachers who concluded that new forms of job embedded professional development could not be successful without

trust. Trust, it seemed, needed to be developed between and among staff members as well as between the principal and staff in order for teachers to embark on new and seemingly risky form of professional development.

IBryk and Schneider’s (2003) longitudinal

study of 400 Chicago elementary schools reached the same conclusion: “Recent research shows that social trust among teachers, parents, and school leaders improves much of the routine work of schools and is a key resource for reform” (p. 40). They concluded that relational trust is central to building effective educational communities.

Trust, according to the authors, is elusive, engaging, and essential to meaningful school improvement. Trust is the expectation that another’s word, promise, or statement can be relied upon (Rotter, 1980). Relational trust involves more than creating high morale; it is developed through ongoing interaction each day as people work together on improving student learning.

To encourage and build teacher collaboration and use job-embedded professional development strategies, principals need to build a school culture that is characterized by trust (Roy & Hord, 2003). Trust, in a school setting, involves making educational decisions that put the interests of students above personal and political interests. Trust is built when teachers believe student welfare and high levels of learning are the foundation of school decisions. When decisions seem to be based on personal or political factors, trust erodes.

The principal also needs to keep his or her word. When principals do what they say and follow-up with promised actions, staff members can believe their words. Principals also need to believe in teacher ability and willingness to fulfill their responsibilities effectively. Trust is built on a foundation of respect; a component of social respect is competence. Principals need to show that they believe in teacher competence and believe that educators operate with the best interest of

students in mind. Yet trust can be undermined when incompetence is allowed to persist. As a result, the principal also needs to address incompetence fairly and firmly. Bryk and Schneider’s study showed that trust within a school eroded quickly when the principal did not tackle personnel issues related to incompetence.

Principals demonstrated competence by communicating a strong vision for the school and clearly defining expectations that are upheld for all faculty members. These administrator skills allowed the school staff to accomplish common goals and maintain a cohesive professional community characterized by collective responsibility for student learning. This cohesive community is lubricated by respectful interaction and courtesy among administration and staff members.

Trust and respect is the on-ramp to building collaboration and collegiality. Trust is the “connective tissue that binds individuals together to advance the education and welfare of students” (Bryk & Schneider, 2003, p. 45). This means principals need to spend time considering how interpersonal interactions build trust and respect among staff. The principal needs to monitor his or her actions and those of the staff to build and sustain trust.

REFERENCESBryk, A. & Schneider, B. (2003, March). Trust

in schools: A core resource for school reform. Educational Leadership, 60(6), 40- 45.

Rotter, J. (1980, October). Trust and gullibility. Psychology Today, 14(5), 35-42, 102.

Roy, P. & Hord, S. (2003). Moving NSDC’s staff development standards into practice: Innovation configurations. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council

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Effective FeedbackCenter for Creative Leadership

A template for…

_____________________________ feedback when we want behavior to become ___________________ or more ____________________________________

_____________________________ feedback when we want behavior to _____________________ or ________________________

S _______________________________________

B _______________________________________

I _______________________________________

of the behavior on: ________________________

N. Colflesh, Ph.D., Colflesh & Associates, LLC, ncolflesh@gmail.com

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Samples of Effective Feedback Given to Teachers Following Learning Walks

Nancy:It was clearly evident that your planning was extensive for this instruction. The learning activities were all congruent to the objective you had established and shared at the beginning of the instruction. As you know, careful planning results in stronger student learning. Thanks for the care you take with this part of your work as a teacher at our school.[Principal’s Name]

Anne:During yesterday’s lesson on the articles of confederation, you captured the students’ attention and made their learning meaningful when you used the questions about their lives and parenting some day to make the connection to the colonies and their efforts to form their own government. Such a “hook” gets them focused, which is such an important part of the learning process! I wonder how you will focus their attention at the beginning of other kinds of instruction.Nancy

Jacque:You have restructured your classroom! The room arrangement you have now appeared so much more supportive of the kind of learning you want your students to do. Clearly, you had taught them new routines for handling daily tasks and working with partners. As a result, there was a high level of engagement in their learning during my observation this morning. I wonder how you are thinking about the arrangement now and for future learning.Nancy

Phil:You certainly captured your students’ attention today when you used graphic organizers to help them make sense of the complex topic of civil rights. I would appreciate an opportunity later this week to sit down with you to examine their finished graphic organizers and talk about your assessment of their learning. Please let me know when we could get together.Nancy

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Ted:It is such hard work to teach students how to write well. During my visit to your classroom earlier this week, I wished I had brought a couple of our beginning teachers. Your key points about paragraphs were so succinct, no one seems to miss them as they put pencil to paper. As I walked around the room during their guided practice, it appeared that each student had made a great start with their paragraph. If you want to share with me how the instruction unfolded during the rest of the week, I would be very interested.Nancy

Jeanne:During the ten minutes when I visited your classroom today, you moved your students several times to work with different partners, do some processing, and pose new questions. This kind of movement, the cognitive researchers tell us, helps learners’ brains work more effectively. I wonder how teachers could get more movement into their instruction on a regular basis at our school.Nancy

Lawrence:When you stopped by after school yesterday and did some thinking out loud about your instruction for today and tomorrow, I was impressed with your ability to not only reflect accurately on what was happening with your students’ learning, but also your commitment to figuring out what to do better and/or differently to help the struggling students perform at a higher level. A teachers’ ability to reflect accurately, and to determine next steps for continuous improvement, impacts his professional growth…and the students’ learning. Thanks for taking time to share your thinking with me. I am eager to hear how their learning progressed!Nancy

Allen:Wow! The level of students’ engagement in their learning during yesterday’s observation was solid evidence of your careful planning for this instruction. I wonder how you will get the same level of engagement when the content is not so conducive to the kinds of activities you used yesterday.Nancy

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The Instructional Leader’s Guide to Strategic Conversations with Teachers

By Robyn JacksoN

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LOW WILL / LOW SKILLLow Will/Low Skill teachers not only struggle with their content area and their pedagogy, but they have little or no motivation to improve. Without either the skill or the will to deliver effective instruction in the classroom, these teachers can do students great harm. Thus, it is important for instructional leaders to act quickly to move these teachers either to another quadrant or out of the building.

Often, it is difficult to understand the kind of negative impact these teachers can have on students. We tend to tolerate Low Will/Low Skill teachers because they are so difficult to move. Unlike the Low Will/High Skill teacher who acts as saboteur and thus can quickly earn our ire, Low Will/Low Skill teachers do not tend to buck the status quo. Theirs is a more passive resistance to change and as a result, many instructional leaders tend to tolerate them or at best, work around them, and spend their energy focusing on the more troublesome teachers.

Low Will/Low Skill teachers are often assigned remedial classes or other classes that are low profile in the building.

Low Will / Low Skill teachers SAY: I only have three years to retirement so I am just biding my time. I am too old to change. Just tell me what you want me to do. I went into teachers so I could have the summers off. I am happy with things just the way they are. I’ve seen these educational fads come and go so there is no use in changing the way I

teach. My students are low, they can’t be expected to do X. My principal/head/team leader just doesn’t like me or the way I teach.

Low Will/Low Skill teachers DO: Read the paper or complete crossword puzzles during staff meetings. Show up late to meetings and contribute little if anything to the discussion. Are the last ones in the buildings and the first ones to leave. Do not seek our professional development activities. Use the same lesson plans year after year. Spend their planning period socializing or running errands. Rarely participate in professional development over the summer. Are resistant to feedback (this resistance may be passive). Focus on coverage rather than mastery. May rationalize instructional short comings by pointing out the other extra-curricular support

they provide in the school building such as coaching, sponsoring a club or activity, or ordering supplies.

Have a hard time articulating the connections between classroom activities and the content or skills students need to master.

Fail to anticipate elements of the lesson that will confuse students. Give unclear directions to students.

Strategies for Low Will/Low Skill Teachers Identify which will be easier to tackle first, will or skill, and start there. Share your passion and commitment for teaching and learning in both formal and informal

conversations.

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Use multiple sources of data such as lesson plans, student artifacts, student performance on standardized tests and other measures, and both formal and informal observations to identify patterns and gaps in performance.

Use frequent informal observations as a way of holding them accountable. Give them more challenging assignments, provide them with the necessary support, and

then hold them accountable for the work they must do. Stop enabling LWLS teachers by providing them with a lightened academic load and less

challenging assignments. Focus on the choices teachers make in the classroom and their impact on students. Point of missed opportunities to challenge students, provide more rigor, or otherwise engage

students in the classroom. Ask to see lesson and unit plans regularly and look for evidence that they are being

implemented in the classroom. Ask to see samples of student work and get the teachers to explain the connections between

this product and the skill or content he is teaching. Ask teachers to present evidence of the way in which they keep themselves current in the

field and discuss how this learning is evidenced in their instructional practice. Conduct a career coaching conversation focused on their aspirations, career goals, and

professional achievement goals. Ask teachers to project where they see themselves in five years and how they see their current performance helping them to achieve their goals.

Conduct frequent informal hallway conversations about teaching and learning. Provide directives for improvement. Focus some reflective conversations on non-classroom areas of performance such as

collaboration with colleagues, professional learning opportunities, and professional duties and responsibilities.

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LOW WILL / HIGH SKILL:Low Will/High Skill teachers have the pedagogical and content area knowledge to be effective teachers; however, they are not motivated to improve their instructional practice and typically have fairly low expectations of their students. They are able but unwilling.

Low Will/High Skill teachers tend to be the saboteurs in your building. They have the skill set to be effective teachers but for a variety of reasons, refuse to do what is best on behalf of students. They will typically have well-planned lessons and usually have a good grasp of the content, but their relationships with their students and their colleagues are often poor. Additionally, these teachers refuse to take ownership of their students’ performance and therefore resist feedback.

Many Low Will/High Skill teachers used to be High Will/High Skill teachers. But, over the years, they may have experienced some disappointment or frustration that has sapped them of their will. The bad news is many of these teachers have let their frustration turn into cynicism. The good news is that if there were once High Will/High Skill teachers, they can become High Will/High Skill teachers again.

Low Will/High Skill teachers SAY: That won’t work. We’ve already tried that. It’s not my fault. I’ve done everything I could. When are we going to hold the students responsible? My students just don’t care. There isn’t time. We always get more to do, nothing is ever taken away. What’s the point? I get the same paycheck as the person who leaves when the bell rings.

When is someone going to do something about those teachers? Students weren’t like this 10, 20, 30 years ago. They should have learned this last year. They don’t know the basics.

Low Will/High Skill teachers DO: Blame the parents. Blame the students. Refuse to take ownership for their problems. Resent reflective conversations. Focus on tweaking their lesson plans rather than on building relationships with students. Work late. Come to staff meetings on time but carry on sidebar conversations. Take leave on staff meetings and professional development days. Tent to have low expectations of students (or ability based beliefs – the smart kids will do

great, we’re wasting our time with the ones who will never get it). Prefer content-related professional development versus professional development that

addresses pedagogical issues. Spend a lot of time denying or shifting blame. Rarely send students to the office but when they do, it is usually for seemingly minor or

arbitrary infractions. Close their doors. Plan alone.

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Teach advanced classes.

Many have received positive performance evaluations in the past and therefore may resist your initial efforts are helping them improve.

Strategies for Low Will/High Skill Teachers: Focus on their strengths and arrange their work so their strengths are maximized. Match them to tasks that take advantage of their strengths. Regularly recognize and celebrate their accomplishments. Model giving input in a positive manner. Seek to find common ground in terms of beliefs on which you can build First build rapport, then ask for change Try to find out the underlying reasons for the lack of will Work to develop ownership rather than buy-in. Use data to support recommendations. Use informal observations as a way of building rapport and for initiating conversations about

instructional practices and beliefs. Challenge negative statements by asking the teacher probing questions rather than by

expressing outright disagreement. Use reflective conversations to help the teacher see what is wrong with the statement.

Focus on patterns of behaviors rather than discrete incidents. Conduct frequent informal hallway conversations about their lives and their concerns. Leverage favors. Begin with recommendations for improvement but if these are not implemented, move to

directives. Involve another trusted administrator or supervisor to increase credibility. Prompt them to invite you to class when they try a new or innovative lesson – and praise

their efforts.

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HIGH WILL / LOW SKILL:High Will/ Low Skill teachers tend to be the newer teachers in the building. Either they have recently graduated from a teacher preparation program or they have come to teaching because they want to make a different and have taken an alternative certificate route. They are excited about teaching and sincerely want to do what is best for their students, but they lack the pedagogical and/or the content area knowledge they need to be effective in the classroom.

The good news is these teachers are willing to learn. They just need to be pointed in the right direction. Often, they lack experience in the classroom and therefore struggle with classroom management.

The danger with High Will/Low Skill teachers is that their lofty ideas will sometime lead them to implement strategies that seem to make sense but which actually do students more harm than good. So eager are they to be effective in the classroom that they may try a variety of strategies or activities without giving much thought to whether these strategies or activities actually improve student achievement.

High Will/Low Skill teachers tend to struggle in three key areas: Lesson planning, classroom management, and content area knowledge.

High Will/Low Skill teachers SAY: I came across this great new strategy I am going to try. I love kids. I went into teaching for the intrinsic rewards. I have their terrific new activity I am going to use with my students. Nothing. When things aren’t going well, it’s hard for them to recognize or admit they need

some help.

High Will / Low Skill teachers DO: Attend faculty meetings on time and participate with enthusiasm Tend to struggle with classroom management Create lesson plans focused on activities versus mastery objectives Tend to be very warm, friendly, and well-liked by students and parents Create lessons lacking consistent rigor Create lessons that may look good on paper but fail in execution Invite you to their classrooms Attend staff development training enthusiastically Stay after school and during lunch to work with students Have a hard time anticipating lesson elements that will confuse students Allow students to pull them off track or engage in side discussions Take feedback personally

Strategies for High Will / Low Skill Teachers Share research and best practices focused on the particular instructional strategy or

strategies that need to be addressed Work with the teacher to develop specific improvement goals and steps in improvement

process Celebrate progress towards goals Use data to identify areas for improvement and to track progress Build professional learning communities to provide support Use informal observations as a way of providing quick feedback on progress towards goals

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Provide clear, specific feedback in a structured but collegial context Use exemplars and models of the teaching behaviors and strategies you expect to see Establish clear benchmarks for improvement Encourage suggestions and alternative ideas from the teacher Provide opportunities for self-evaluation as skill set improves Provide directives for improvement at first, but move to recommendations as skill set and

knowledge base improves Establish a formal support group facilitated by a master teacher that will allow teachers

specific assistance through join problem solving and an opportunity to learn and practice effective collegial interaction

Have teachers talk through a lesson step-by-step beforehand to learn to anticipate the times students will need support and clarification (for example, moving into groups, explaining multipart directions, distributing materials)

Build a sense of control by providing written information experienced teachers take for granted – copies of the bell schedule, policies and procedures, contact people in the school for various needs

Arrange for the teachers to observe high will/high skill teachers in the building

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HIGH WILL / HIGH SKILLHigh Will / High Skill teachers are those teachers every leader dreams of having. Not only are they highly motivated and committed to their students’ success, but they have the content knowledge and the pedagogical expertise that most likely results in student success. These are your master teachers.

The danger with High Skill / High Will teachers is that they are often neglected. We tend to spend the lion’s share of our efforts with our ineffective teachers and leave the High Skill / High Will teachers to their own devices. If we are not careful, these teachers can reach professional ennui and just become plain bored. These teachers also can become genuinely overloaded as they are asked to take on more and more support for student and staff.

If that happens, we can quickly lose the teachers we most want to keep. They migrate to new schools or new positions in search of new challenges that would keep them engaged and motivated to remain in our schools.

High Will / High Skill teachers SAY: My principal never comes by my classroom I can help any student learn Yes, I’ll help with the meeting, activity, field trip, conference, etc.

High Will / High Skill teachers DO: Become frustrated with a lack of feedback from their instructional leader Rarely receive visits to their classrooms Mentor new and younger teachers Are tapped by the district to write curriculum and conduct training Will engage in professional development but are careful about which activities they choose Are cooperative during staff meetings but often get impatient with what they consider “fluff” Share their materials with other teachers Have high expectations of students Provide rigorous instruction Have few classroom management issues Rarely send students to the office Hold students accountable for their behavior and their learning Avoid the teacher’s lounge or other places where people complain Express frustration with teachers who don’t “get it” Wonder why they work so hard (especially if their efforts aren’t acknowledged) Work independently for the good of the school and students Make good decisions Anticipate student confusion

Strategies for High Will / High School Teachers Publicly recognize their accomplishments and have them share their learning with staff Challenge them to increase their competence in a particular area Actively seek their input in the day-to-day operations of the school Provide them with informal leadership opportunities within the school Use informal observations as a way of providing acknowledgement for the work they do Communicate that the work of excellent teachers is never done. Students’ needs are

constantly evolving and so should their practice. Provide opportunities for self-evaluation and reflection

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Ask them to present their data to you and explain what the data indicates Arrange for other teachers or other support professional to provide some help (just because

they planned the field trip doesn’t mean they need to copy all the permission slips too) Help them develop leadership opportunities for developing teachers

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Planning an Intentional Conversation

Do a POP for an intentional conversation:Purpose................Determine the overall purpose for the intentional conversation.

Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish, overall, as a resultof this conversation? What issue(s) must be addressed?”

Outcome(s)..........Consider the 2-3 outcomes which must be accomplished during the conversation so that the overall purpose will be met. Ask yourself, “What do I want the person to know and be able to

do? In what order shall these outcomes be accomplished during the conversation?” Remember: Assume good intentions.

Procedure(s).........Think ahead about: the data or artifacts which need to be gathered; how the data will be used to find common ground or

build shared knowledge; which key questions will promote reflection; and, what major messages must “get across” to accomplish

the outcomes. Also, ask yourself, “How will I check for understanding during

the conversation to make sure the person/group has heard and understands the key points and/or major messages?”

Action Steps..........Decide what action steps will be taken, if appropriate, at this point in the process. These should be very specific action steps,

taken by the person, including timelines. Determine what support and/or resources are needed. Informal or formal steps?

Assessment...........Determine how the effectiveness of this conversation will be assessed, immediately, and over time. Ask yourself, “How will I

know the conversation was effective? What questions can I pose or what observations can I make…now and over time?”

Follow-up.............Depending on the overall purpose of this conversation, it may be wise to follow up with an informal, emailed reminder or a

more formal “memorandum of understanding”.

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Planning an Intentional Conversation

Purpose:

Outcomes:

To____________________________________________________________

To____________________________________________________________

To____________________________________________________________

Procedures:

Data:

Key Questions:

Major Messages:

How To Check For Understanding:

Action Steps By When Support Needed1.

2.

3.

Assessment : Reflections and Observations

Follow-Up to Conversation:

Adapted from POP, a TWQM strategy. McFalone Consulting, debbiemcfalone@yahoo.com; Colflesh and Associates, LLC. ncolflesh@gmail.com

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Planning an Intentional Conversation

Purpose:

Outcomes:

To____________________________________________________________

To____________________________________________________________

To____________________________________________________________

Procedures:

Data:

Key Questions:

Major Messages:

How To Check For Understanding:

Action Steps By When Support Needed1.

2.

3.

Assessment : Reflections and Observations

Follow-Up to Conversation:

Adapted from POP, a TWQM strategy. McFalone Consulting, debbiemcfalone@yahoo.com; Colflesh and Associates, LLC. ncolflesh@gmail.com

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Planning an Intentional Conversation

Purpose:

Outcomes:

To____________________________________________________________

To____________________________________________________________

To____________________________________________________________

Procedures:

Data:

Key Questions:

Major Messages:

How To Check For Understanding:

Action Steps By When Support Needed1.

2.

3.

Assessment : Reflections and Observations

Follow-Up to Conversation:

Adapted from POP, a TWQM strategy. McFalone Consulting, debbiemcfalone@yahoo.com; Colflesh and Associates, LLC. ncolflesh@gmail.com

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Individual Development PlanGoals and Initial Actions

Name: Date:Identify three goals; fill out one of these forms for each one. Goals should be SMART: Specific & Strategic, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-focused.

Goal: What I want to improve and accomplish.

Rationale: Why this goal is an important one for my practice and my students’ learning.

Measure of Success: What evidence or artifacts will support my successful achievement of this goal?

Action Steps: By When Review Date Completed

Support from my Supervisor:

Evidence of Success: What data, information and/or artifacts show success with this goal?

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TEMPLATE

Possible Solutions:Possible Obstacles:

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TO: TeacherFROM: Instructional LeaderDATE: Date

RE: Follow-up from our Conversation Dated ___________

Thank-you for taking the time to meet with me today to discuss (general statement of the problem or issue). The following is a summary of our conversation:

______________________________________ (Specific statement of the problem or issue)

______________________________________ (Data to support your assessment of the problem or issue)

______________________________________ (Directive)

In the course of our conversation, I committed to (outline the support you agreed to provide)

___________________________________________________________________________________.

You committed to __________________________________ (outline the action steps the teacher will take).

I will ____________________________________ (Describe the follow-up and accountability measures you will take including the date for each).

I sincerely hope that, as a result of these agreements, we will ____________________ (describe the desired state in terms of target teacher behavior and student achievement results).

If you have any questions or concerns, my door is always open.

________________________________________ ________Teacher’s signature showing receipt of memo Date

________________________________________ ________Administrator’s signature Date

Source: The Instructional Leader’s Guide to Strategic Conversations with Teachers. R. Jackson. 2008.

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Article OneEvaluation of Teacher Performance & Student Learning

This month, based on recent observations when working with teams of principals as they wrestle with making the new evaluation processes doable and, at the same time, meaningful and growth-evoking, I am going to focus on thoughtful practices and practical advice.

A revelationOne of my most recent revelations has been the commonly used term “teacher evaluation”. It greatly concerns me because we are not, after all, evaluating the person. Instead, we are observing and gathering and using data to evaluate each teacher’s performance and its impact on the students’ learning. Just stating it differently clarifies our purpose and our work.

It’s Not a MysteryWhen principals seek questions to pose as they talk with teachers about their practice, DuFour provides us with his now-familiar questions used to clarify purpose in a professional learning community:

1. What does the teacher want the students to know and be able to do?

2. What does the teacher do with the students who already know it or can do it?

3. Are the students learning?

4. How does the teacher know? What is his/her evidence of each student’s learning?

5. If some students did not learn, what is the teacher doing about it? What are the school and its collective systems doing about it?

This set of questions can guide teachers’ collaborative planning, provide a template for pre-and post-observation conversations, and/or inform principals’ thinking during observations in classrooms.

High Levels of Engagement = More OwnershipDuring the past 30 years, Thomas McGreal has offered us solid direction and resources for making evaluation processes meaningful and research-based. In the mid-nineties, ASCD published his book with Charlotte Danielson. In all of his work, he reminds us of these key components of a thoughtful and meaningful process of evaluating teacher performance and student learning:

There must be an agreed-upon set of standards upon which the evaluation process is based. For more up-to-date information about evaluation resources, visit the Michigan ASCD website at www.michiganascd.org.

Second, each teacher should complete an annual self assessment using the set of standards. By doing so, the teacher becomes more involved in the evaluation process, bringing to the conversation as assessment of perceived strengths and areas for possible growth.

Third, goal setting is an essential component of the evaluation process which results from the principal and teacher comparing and discussing the assessments both have done.

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Goal setting is the component which encourages continuous improvement in professional practice.

Next, he encouraged us to consider reciprocal learning as part of the evaluation process, in which BOTH parties learn from each other and the process. In today’s professional learning communities, it seems that this point is well taken.

Last, he reminded us that this process is designed for professional growth…an opportunity to use data, standards, assessment, observations and conversations to help teachers continually improve their professional practice and, as a result, their students’ learning.

Article TwoEvaluation of Teacher Performance & Student Learning

IMPROVEMENT PLANS

The columns during the month of December have focused on the evaluation of teacher performance and student learning. During the holiday break, I spent a lovely afternoon with a group of beginning principals and they requested that I commit more columns to the development of improvement plans for teachers whose performance warrants such attention, clear messages and support. So, in response to their heartfelt request, here goes!

First, when there is a teacher (or other kind of employee on your staff) whose performance warrants your careful attention, clear messages and support, keep in mind the following essential messages I learned a few years ago from a team of attorneys who work with administrators when dismissing a teacher for reasons of performance and student learning:

1. CLEARLY state, and do it several times and several formats, to the teacher that his/her performance is NOT acceptable and that significant improvement must be made in specific areas or continued employment is not guaranteed. The attorneys said that teachers often did not “hear” the message and, therefore, did not take the issues seriously from the start of the process. We all know, from the cognitive researchers, that when emotions rise, cognition decreases.

2. CAREFULLY GATHER AND EXAMINE DATA during Learning Walks and formal observations which support the stance you are taking and the reasons why you are seriously concerned about the quality of the teacher’s performance and the rate and amount of student learning in that classroom. The attorneys stressed that, as the old saying goes, “Document, document, document!” They also said that our younger generation of principals seem to be more knowledgeable in the area of teaching and learning and KNOW what to look for when gathering and analyzing a variety of sources of data. They said that many of the “old guard” principals simply didn’t know what effective practice looked and sounded like. Ouch!

3. KEEP IN MIND that the average buy-out proposal for an ineffective teacher (not near retirement)……if your district decides to take that route…..is $40,000. Again, these attorneys emphasized that, if the principal has developed a strong improvement plan for the teacher’s performance and student learning, has worked carefully and diligently WITH the teacher to achieve improvement, and the teacher cannot or will not perform, then s/he

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must be counseled out of the profession. As one of those bright beginning principals quoted, “Help them grow, or help them go!”

As we venture into this set of columns focused on improvement plans for teachers, I strongly encourage you to consider Barker and Searchwell’s valuable 2008 resource Writing Year-end Teacher Improvement Plans – Right Now!!

In the meantime, let’s concentrate on four essential questions to consider when determining whether an improvement plan is an appropriate next step in the evaluation process with a specific teacher:

1. When you think about this teacher’s performance and the rate and amount of student learning in his/her classroom, what is it that the teacher must do less of……to become a more effective teacher?

2. Or, when you think about this teacher’s performance and the rate and amount of student learning in his/her classroom, what is it that the teacher must do more of……to become a more effective teacher?

3. Or, you might think about this teacher’s performance and the rate and amount of student learning in his/her classroom, and identify what the teacher could do better……to become a more effective teacher?

4. Then, you might consider, when thinking about this teacher’s performance and the amount of student learning in his/her classroom, what must this teacher do differently …to become a more effective teacher?

These questions can help you identify some areas which might be easily improved because the teacher can just quit doing some things, start doing more things or do things more often, or improve something…..before launching into those decisions, actions and/or strategies which must be quite different. As another old saying goes, “Start with the low-hanging fruit.”

Next time, we will examine the key components of an improvement plan and how it differs from an Individual Development Plan (IDP) which is used with beginning probationary teachers during their pre-tenure years.

Article ThreeEvaluation of Teacher Performance & Student Learning

IMPROVEMENT PLANS

This series of columns will focus on the development of improvement plans for teachers whose performance and rate and amount of student learning are unacceptable. When doing this kind of work, it is imperative to provide a VERY clear message to the teacher about:

The seriousness of the feedback and key messages about performance and the rate and amount of teacher/student learning

The specific areas which require attention and improvement The implications if the principal cannot or will not improve his/her performance and the

rate and amount of teacher/student learning

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Several central office administrators and superintendents, in districts with limited budgets for DVDs and other concrete support for the action steps in an improvement plan, have inquired about free and low-cost resources. Here are a few that I have used:

Research for Better Teaching. www.rbteach.com. This website has clips of classroom practice which can be used as professional learning in an improvement plan for a teacher or principal.

Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. www.ascd.org. This website offers a wide variety of $99 online professional learning classes and webinars. PD 360 is a year-long subscription which can be purchased by a school or district for approximately $50 per user. It provides just-in-time professional learning on a long list of topics, strategies and issues.

Robyn Jackson & Mind Steps. www.mindstepsinc.com. This website has great TIP sheets and free webinars.

Charlotte Danielson. www.danielsongroup.org. All of her resources are thoughtful,

research-based and full of examples and language for developing improvement plans.

Robert Marzano. www.MarzanoResearch.com. This resource has many useful tools for working with principals and teachers whose performance and rate and amount of student learning need improvement.

Learning Forward www.learningforward.org This resources provides up-to-date information and MANY resources for working with teachers as adult learners.

PLC. www.allthingsplc.info. This website has many resources and some great examples and templates of Smart Goals.

And, of course, keep that 2008 book in mind by Barker and Searchwell Writing Year-end Teacher Improvement Plans – Right Now!! The forms and templates are easy to transfer into principal language.

Article FourEvaluation of Teacher Performance & Student Learning

Improvement Plans

In the last article, we learned about some valuable websites and other materials which can:1) help administrators strengthen the language in an improvement plan for a teacher whose

professional performance and student learning warrant such a step; and,

2) provide resources for the actions steps in such plans.

Now, let’s focus on the true purpose of an improvement plan for a teacher who is struggling and/or whose performance and student learning is unacceptable. Either of these situations

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warrant a written and thoughtful improvement plan to be followed with great determination and commitment by the teacher AND the principal.

The following advice may seem a bit harsh, but it is the most important decision we make, as an evaluator, when considering a principal’s professional performance and teacher/student learning. We must determine the answer to the following questions before we begin to work on an improvement plan:

1. Do I believe this beginning teacher, with sufficient support from me, can achieve a high level of professional performance and student learning?

2. Do I believe this beginning teacher, once later in his/her career, will perform as a strong teacher, valuable member of the school faculty, AND a solid employee for the organization?

3. Do I believe this experienced teacher, with a strong message and sufficient support from me, can achieve a high level of performance and student learning?

4. Do I believe this experienced teacher, despite a strong message and sufficient support from me, cannot or will not achieve and maintain a high level of performance and student learning?

5. And, what does the student learning data tell me? Is it congruent with the observational data and other data I have collected and analyzed? Is it congruent with what the students say about their experience in this teacher’s classroom?

As a principal seriously reflects on his/her responses to the above questions, s/he realizes that the improvement plan, which always focuses on improvement of the teacher’s professional performance and student learning, eventually leads to:

1) a teacher’s continued employment, or,

2) consideration about coaching a teacher out of the district or the profession.

When the latter is the case, then part of the purpose of the improvement plan is to make the experience challenging enough that the teacher may determine, on his/her own, to exit.

Here are some messages that can help to clarify the key points during a conversation reviewing the aspects of an improvement plan. See if you can “see” the difference between the two sets of messages, given the guidance in the previous paragraph:

Your performance and the resulting student learning are not yet at the level of standards our district expects for teachers. Therefore, we are going to use an improvement plan to identify specific outcomes which will help you achieve that district expectation.

I realize that serving as a teacher at this school has been a challenge. Let’s use an improvement plan to help both of us focus and arrange a higher level of support for you as you return to your usual high level of performance and student learning this year.

OR

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During my recent observations of your performance and a review of your student learning, I have become concerned at a level which warrants a plan of improvement. Using this plan, we will focus on several specific outcomes which must be met for you to achieve at an acceptable level of performance in our district.

Despite informal steps to assist you, your professional performance and student learning have not improved. Therefore, I have developed an improvement plan to focus your attention and my support on the improvement needed for you to remain in your position.

Right! The second set of statements sends a much stronger, more serious message to the teacher.

Article FiveEvaluation of Principal Performance & Teacher/Student Learning

IMPROVEMENT PLANS

ReviewEarlier, we concentrated on the following key questions which a principal should consider when thinking about developing an improvement plan with a teacher:

1. Do I believe this beginning teacher, with sufficient support from me, can achieve a high level of professional performance and student learning?

2. Do I believe this beginning teacher, once granted tenure, will perform as a strong teacher AND a solid employee for the organization?

3. Do I believe this experienced teacher, with a strong message and sufficient support from me, can achieve a high level of performance and student learning?

4. Do I believe this experienced teacher, despite a strong message and sufficient support from me, cannot or will not achieve and maintain a high level of performance and student learning?

5. And, what does the student learning data tell me? Is it congruent with the observational data I have collected and analyzed?

Once the answers to the above questions have been determined, now we are ready to consider the specific goals for the teacher to address. And, of course, with goal statements come accompanying action steps that the teacher will take to meet the specific goal. Listed here are three sample goals with a set of action steps. Do keep in mind, too, that timelines are important in this part of the Improvement Plan.

ExamplesGoal One: The teacher will actively engage all learners in meaningful learning experiences in every lesson using the district curriculum map as a guide.

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Action Steps & Timelines:1. Review curriculum guide for grade level or subject area. By October 15. 2. Meet with minimum of three teaching colleagues to determine how they use the district

curriculum map as a guide for planning meaningful and engaging learning experiences for their students. By November 15.

3. Observe, with the principal, in three classrooms where students are regularly engaged in meaningful learning experiences. Discuss observations with principal and determine which strategies the teacher can use in her/his classroom. By October 30.

4. Videotape three different lessons and analyze the videotapes to determine levels of engagement and degrees of meaningful learning for students. In October, December and February.

5. Include, in each written lesson plan, strategies for engagement of students in meaningful learning experiences during the lesson. Weekly.

6. Meet with principal at least twice during the next ________months to discuss progress, support needed, etc. In December and February.

***********************************************************************************************************

Goal Two: The teacher will increase the amount and quality of collaborative efforts with grade-level colleagues for the purpose of improved instruction and increased student learning.

Action Steps & Timelines:1. Read three articles about collaboration and what the research says about its impact on

school culture and student learning. Discuss with principal. By end of September.2. Work with grade-level team on three occasions and write a follow-up reflection on his/her

contributions: What s/he did to actively contribute and foster quality collaboration?…..What s/he could do more of or better next time to foster quality collaboration? In October, November and December.

3. Meet with principal to discuss reflection following each of the three collaborative work sessions. In October, November and December.

4. Continue to work with grade-level team each time the team works collaboratively during the rest of the year. Through-out the school year.

***********************************************************************************************************

Goal Three: The teacher will Increase use of strategies to check students’ understanding during instruction and use the data gained to inform next instructional decisions for individual students, small groups or the entire group of students.

Action Steps & Timelines:1. Learn six new strategies for checking for students’ understanding during instruction.

Sources: Modeling by principal, Pollack’s book on feedback, discussion to generate strategies with mentor teacher and/or principal. By end of October.

2. Review, with principal, how Checking for Understanding is a key aspect of Lesson Design. By end of September.

3. Develop a chart which can be posted on the teacher’s desk or wall listing strategies for checking students’ understanding during instruction. By end of November.

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4. Observe in three teacher colleagues’ classrooms with principal to identify and discuss strategies used to check students’ understanding. By end of October.

5. Submit one written Lesson Design each week which highlights strategies for frequent checking for students’ understanding of the instructional input, modeling and/or examples. Each week September – December. To be revised, if needed, after December.

6. Ascertain data gained from these strategies which can help the teacher make good next-step decisions for individual students, a specific small group of students, and/or the entire group of students. By end of December.

7. Meet with principal on three occasions to discuss progress and learnings from these action steps. In December, January and February.

Article SixEvaluation of Teacher Performance & Student Learning

IMPROVEMENT PLANS

ReviewIn last week’s column in this series on Improvement Plans for improving teaching performance and student learning, the focus was on the aspects of the section: Evidence of Successful Goal Accomplishment. We covered how important it is to have several sources of data, specific written goals with action steps and timelines, and, last, support from the evaluator.

Now, we are going to do some reflecting on Improvement Plans. I will provide you with some questions to encourage your thinking about the Improvement Plans you have done with teachers whose performance or student learning warranted such a step. Next, I will offer some suggestions for next steps and advice to consider.

During the Improvement Plan ProcessAfter you have developed an Improvement Plan with a teacher based on the data you have gathered and analyzed about his/her performance or the students’ learning, and, you have worked with the teacher during several months on the Action Steps in the Improvement Plan, it is time to reflect on the process you have used and the results you are getting….or not getting. These questions for reflection can be helpful:

Is the teacher taking the Improvement Plan seriously?

Have I been clear in my key messages about his/her performance or student learning?

Have I closely monitored the process so that the teacher has, indeed, taken the Action Steps according to the Timeline provided?

Have I provided the support I promised to provide during the Action Steps?

What evidence do I have to show that the teacher’s performance or student learning is improving?

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Does this Improvement Plan with this teacher require an extension or has it been successfully completed?

After the Improvement Plan ProcessOnce you have completed the process of developing and monitoring the Improvement Plan, it can be valuable to reflect on the following questions:

What steps and conversations in this Improvement Plan process worked effectively with this teacher?

What steps and conversations didn’t go as smoothly as I had hoped or planned?

To what do I attribute those effective and not-so-effective steps in the process?

What have been my major learnings from the process?

What will I definitely do next time in the planning, writing, talking and following-up with another teacher?

What are my most important next steps with THIS teacher?

Some AdviceIf you work in a district with a Human Resources administrator, it is always a good idea to work closely with that person when considering an Improvement Plan with a teacher. Keep in mind:

Is this a teacher whose performance has newly become an issue?

Is this teacher one who has a history of unsatisfactory performance and insufficient student learning?

What previous documentation is already in place which can inform this particular Improvement Plan?

Do I have the support of the central office administrator(s) for these steps?

In what ways can I keep the central office administrator(s) informed and up-to-date about my ongoing work with this teacher on the Improvement Plan?

Remember to ask for what I need.

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Resources for Intentional Conversations

Abrams (2009) Having Hard Conversations

Bell (2005) You Can’t Talk to Me That Way: Stopping Toxic Language in the Workplace

Brinkman & Kirschner (1994) Dealing with People You Can’t Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst

Cartwright (2003) Managing Conflict with Peers

Combs (2005) Worst Enemy Best Teacher: How to Survive and Thrive with Opponents, Competitors, & the People Who Drive You Crazy

Dweck (2007) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Eller, J. & Eller, S. (2010) Working With and Evaluating Difficult School Employees

Fisher & Shapiro (2004 Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate

Glickman (2002)

Gonthier (2002)

Learning for Leading: How to Help Teachers Succeed

Rude Awakenings: Overcoming the Civility Crisis in the Workplace

Jackson (2008) The Instructional Leader’s Guide to Strategic Conversations with Teachers

Jentz (2007) Talk Sense: Communicating to Lead & Learn

Kosmoski & Pollack (2005) Managing Difficult, Frustrating, and Hostile Conversations: Strategies for Savvy Administrators

Lencioni (2006) Silos, Politics and Turf Wars: A Leadership Fable about Destroying the Barriers That Turn Colleagues into Competitors

McEwan (2005)

Ontario Principals’ Council (2011)

How to Deal with Teachers Who are Angry, Troubled, Exhausted or Just Plain Confused

The Principal as Leader of Challenging Conversations

Patterson, et al (2002) Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High

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Patterson, et al (2005)

Pink (2009)

Platt, Tripp, Ogen & Fraser (2001)

Platt, Tripp, Ogen & Frazer. (2007)

Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violate Expectations, and Bad Behavior

DRIVE: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us

The Skillful Leader:: Confronting Mediocre Teaching

The Skillful Leader: Confronting the Conditions That Undermine Learning

Popejoy & McManigle (2002) Managing Conflict with Direct Reports

Scott (2004)

Sharpe & Johnson (2002)

Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a Time

Managing Conflict with Your Boss

Solomon (1990)

Stanford-Blair & Dickman (2005)

Working with Difficult People

Leading Coherently: Reflections from Leaders Around the World

Stone, et al (1999) Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

Tate & Dunklee (2005)

Weitzel (2000)

Wheatley (2009)

Whitaker (2002)

WEBSITES

Vital Smarts (authors of Crucial Conversations)

Strategic Listening for School Leaders

Feedback That Works: How to Build & Deliver Your Message

Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Resotre Hope to the Future

Dealing with Difficult Teachers

www.vitalsmarts.com

Mind Steps (Robyn Jackson) www.mindstepsinc.com

Nancy Colflesh, Ph.D. Colflesh & Associates, LLC 5688 Bayonne Avenue Haslett, MI 48840(517) 339-5268 ncolflesh@gmail.com

PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES

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National & State Associations American Education Research Association (AERA) Basic $150, Student $40 � www.aera.net

Association of School Administrators (AASA)Basic $63 www.aasa.org

Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Basic $89 � Basic online $39 www.ascd.org

Learning Forward (formerly NSDC) Standard $99 � Digital $69 www.learningforward.org

Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA) First Line $400; Affiliate $85 � www.gomasa.org

Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) Professional $390, Assoc. $150 � www.mymassp.com

Michigan School Business OfficialsMember $125 � www.msbo.org

Michigan Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (MASCD)Basic $75; Student $20 www.michiganascd.org

Michigan Elementary & Middle School Principals Association (MEMSPA) � www.memspa.org $555

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Active - $215; Aspiring - $70 www.naesp.org

National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Individual - $226; Associate - $76 � www.nassp.org

Phi Delta Kappan (PDK) Student $52.50 � www.pdkintl.org

Michigan Assessment Consortium (MAC)Member $50 � www.michiganassessmentconsortium.org

MI Association of School Personnel AdministratorsMember $115 � www.maspa.org

Other Resources

Marshall Memo � $50 www.marshallmemo.com

A weekly roundup of important ideas and research from articles in K-12 education.

The Main Idea � $49 � www.themainidea.net 8-page summary of a current education book each month

Solution Tree � www.solution-tree.com

Corwin Press � www.corwin.com

What Works Clearinghouse www.ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc

Marzano Research Laboratory marzanoresearch.com

Mid-continent Research for Education & Learning www.mcrel.org

Research for Better Teaching � www.rbteach.com

ASSIST Beginning Teachers www . assist.educ.msu.edu

New Teacher Center www . newteachercenter.org

Curriculum 21 www.urriculum21.com

Vital Smarts www . vitalsmarts.com

Plan Book www . planbook.com

Better Lesson www . betterlesson.com

National School Reform Faculty www . nsrfharmony.org

All Things PLC www.allthingsplc.info

Mind Steps www.mindstepsinc.com

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Types of Collaboration

Teachers may feel that they already engage in regular collaborative activities, and they generally may — to a degree. Many experience at least four types of collaboration with regard to teaching and instructional practices:

Informal conversations. This is the most basic stage of collaboration and generally takes place in the hallway, lunchroom, or at times when teachers meet informally during the school day. While teachers may discuss instruction, researcher J.W. Little (1990, p. 6) is skeptical of the idea that “brief stories told of classrooms could advance teachers’ understanding and practice of teaching.” These types of conversations can, however, promote collegial relationships among the staff.

Individual assistance. Teachers generally are agreeable to advising colleagues when asked. How much this advice actually improves a colleague’s teaching practice depends on the quality of the questions asked, the quality of the advice given, and the follow-up provided. Formal coaching and one-on-one or mentoring programs often produce genuine benefits and advancement for teachers. However, a coaching or mentoring program alone may not be enough to overcome the norms of isolation and individualism that pervade a school’s culture.

Group sharing. When groups meet, teachers often share ideas, lesson plans, and materials with one another. Most learning team meetings begin with this stage. In fact, group sharing may even be a necessary first step in developing more meaningful collaboration. Inger (1993) notes that teachers need time to overcome years of habit and organizational separation, and sharing can be a safe and enjoyable activity for them. While such sharing is a good use of time in early meet-ings, without careful guidance teams may never deepen and expand their collaborative work to the next level.

Joint work. When groups of teachers work together as interdependent colleagues and rigorously examine together teaching and learning, they are engaging in mature, collaborative work. In this type of collaboration, teachers learn together. They jointly develop and coordinate their instructional practices. Teachers develop a collective sense of responsibility for each team member’s success and feel joint responsibility for the students they teach. When this type of collaboration occurs school-wide, the school becomes a professional learning community in the truest sense.

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Phases of First-Year Teaching

irst-year teaching is a difficult challenge. Equally challenging is figuring out ways to support and assist beginning teachers as they

enter the profession. Over the course of the last two years, Ellen Moir, Director of the Santa Cruz Consortium New Teacher Project and Director of Student Teaching at UC Santa Cruz, has been working with six colleagues to support the efforts of new teachers. In their day-to-day interactions with new teachers, they have noted a number of phases in the development of new teachers during their first year. While not every new teacher goes through this exact sequence, Ms. Moir believes these phases are very useful in helping everyone involved – administrators, other support personnel, and teacher education faculty – in the process of supporting new teachers. These teachers move through several phases from anticipation, to survival, to disillusionment, to rejuvenation, to reflection; then back to anticipation.

F

Anticipation Phase

The anticipation phase begins during the student teaching portion of preservice preparation. The closer student teachers get to completing their assignment, the more excited and anxious they become about their first teaching position. New teachers enter with a tremendous commitment to making a difference and a somewhat idealistic view of how to accomplish their goals. “I was elated to get the job but terrified about going from the simulated experience of student teaching to being the person completely in charge.” This feeling of excitement carries new teachers through the first few weeks of school.

Survival Phase

The first month of school is very overwhelming for new teachers. They are learning a lot and at a very rapid pace. Beginning teachers are instantly bombarded with a variety of problems and situations they had not anticipated. Despite increased field experiences and required courses in teacher preparation programs, new teachers are caught off guard by the realities of teaching. “I thought I’d be busy, something like student teaching, but this is

crazy. I’m feeling like I’m constantly running. It’s hard to focus on other aspects of my life.”During the survival phase most new teachers are struggling to keep their heads above water. They become very focused and consumed with the day-to-day routine of teaching. There is little time to stop and reflect on their experiences. New teachers spend up to seventy hours a week on schoolwork. Particularly overwhelming is the constant need to develop curriculum. Veteran teachers routinely reuse excellent lessons and units from the past. The new teacher, still uncertain of what will really work, must develop much of this for the first time. Even depending on unfamiliar prepared curriculum such as textbooks is enormously time consuming.

“I thought there would be more time to get everything done. It’s like working three jobs: 7:30-2:30, 2:30-6:00, with more time spent in the evenings and on weekends.” Although tired and surprised by the amount of work, first-year teachers usually maintain a tremendous amount of energy and commitment during the survival phase.

Disillusionment Phase

After six to eight weeks of nonstop work, new teachers enter the disillusionment phase. The intensity and length of the phase varies among new teachers. The extensive time commitment, the realization that things are probably not going as smoothly as they want, and low morale contribute to this period of disenchantment. New teachers begin questioning both their commitment and their competence. Many new teachers get sick during this phase.

Compounding an already difficult situation is the fact that new teachers are confronted with several new events during this time frame. They are faced with back-to-school night, parent conferences, and their first formal evaluation by the site administrator. Each of these important milestones places an already vulnerable individual in a very stressful situation.

Back-to-school night means giving a speech to parents about plans for the year that may yet be unclear in the new teacher’s mind. Some parents are uneasy when

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they realize the teacher is just beginning and sometimes pose questions or make demands that intimidate a new teacher.Parent conferences require that new teachers be highly organized, articulate, tactful, and prepared to confer with parents about each child’s course of study and progress. This type of communication with parents can be awkward and difficult for a beginning teacher. New teachers generally begin with the idea that parents are partners in the learning process and are not prepared for parent’s concerns or criticisms. Unfortunately, these criticisms occur right at the time when their self-esteem is waning.

This is also the first time that new teachers are formally evaluated by their principal. They are, for the most part uncertain about the process itself and anxious about their own competence and ability to perform. Developing and presenting a “showpiece” lesson is time consuming and stressful.

During the disillusionment phase classroom management is a major source of distress. “I thought I’d be focusing more on curriculum and less on classroom management and discipline. I’m stressed because I have some very problematic students who are low academically, and I think about them every second my eyes are open.”

At this point, the accumulated stress of the first-year teacher coupled with months of excessive time allotted to teaching often brings complaints from family members and friends. This is a very difficult and challenging phase for new entreys into the profession. They express self-doubt, have lower self-esteem, and question their professional commitment. In fact, getting through this phase may be the toughest challenge they face as a new teacher.

Rejuvenation

The rejuvenation phase is characterized by a slow rise in the new teachers’ attitude toward teaching. It generally begins in January. Having a winter break makes a tremendous difference for new teachers. It allows them to resume a more normal lifestyle, with plenty of rest, food, exercise, and time for family and friends. This vacation if the first opportunity that new teachers have for organizing materials that have accumulated and prepare new ones. This breath of fresh air gives novice teachers a broader perspective with renewed hope. They seem ready to put past

problems behind them. A better understanding of the system, an acceptance of the realities of teaching, and a sense of accomplishment help to rejuvenate new teachers. Through their experiences in the first half of the year, beginning teachers gain new coping strategies and skills to prevent, reduce, or manage many problems they are likely to encounter in the second half of the year. Many feel a great sense of relief that they have made it through the first half of the year. During this phase, new teachers focus on curriculum development, long-term planning, and teaching strategies.

“I’m really excited about my story-writing center, although the organization of it has at times been haphazard. Story writing has definitely revived my journals.” The rejuvenation phase tends to last into spring with many ups and downs along the way. Toward the end of this phase, new teachers begin to raise concerns about whether they can get everything done prior to the end of school. They also wonder how their students will do on the tests, questioning once again their own effectiveness as teachers. “I’m fearful of these big tests. Can you be fired if your kids do poorly? I don’t know enough about them to know what I haven’t taught, and I’m sure it’s a lot.”

Reflection

The reflection phase beginning in May is a particularly invigorating time for first year teachers. Reflecting back over the year, they highlight events that were successful and those that were not. They think about the various changes that they plan to make the following year in management, curriculum, and teaching strategies. The end is in sight and they have almost made it; but more importantly, a vision emerges as to what their second year will look like, which brings them to a new phase of anticipation. “I think that for next year I’d like to start the letter puppets earlier in the year and introduce the kids to more letters.”

It is critical that we assist new teachers and ease the transition from student teacher to full-time professional. Recognizing the phases new teachers go through gives us a framework within which we can begin to design support programs to make the first year of teaching a more positive experience for our new colleagues.

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Phases of First Year Teacher’sAttitudes towards Teaching

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Aug Sept Oct NovDec Jan Feb Mar Apr May JunJul

Anticipation

Survival

Disillusionment

Rejuvenation

Reflection

Anticipation

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