Struggle over how to evaluate special ed teachers

[proud2BlibKansan]

MIAMI -- Since the first day of class this school year, Bev Campbell has been teaching her students how to say their names.

Some of the children in her class have autism. Others have Down syndrome or other disabilities. "People don't understand where they've come from," she says. "It's slow."

Just one has learned how to say his name. Still, the South Florida teacher sees signs of growth in the nine kindergarten to second-grade students in her class.

Those little steps are what teachers like Campbell consider major leaps for students with the most significant physical and cognitive disabilities - and what are the most challenging to capture on a test. Yet that will be a significant part of the way school districts in Florida and in many other states will evaluate teachers.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/24/3573127/struggle-over-how-to-evaluate.html#storylink=cpy

[Hissyspit]

1. It is quite possible that there IS NO effective evaluation methodology.

Since most human individual performance evaluation methodologies involving the subjective are flawed and often produce the opposite effect of what is intended.

But don't tell anyone with any kind of vested interest that...

[Downwinder]

2. How could you evaluate Anne Sullivan with today's tests?

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Exactly

But I suspect Helen's parents would pitch a fit to opt her out of the test.

[Downwinder]

4. I doubt that her methods would be approved.

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. In my SPED district they use the Danielson Frameworks to eval teachers.

Even though they were designed for gen ed classrooms.

Everyone agrees they are inappropriate for spec ed. My principal says it. The Superintendent says it.

I emailed Danielson herself; even SHE says it's inappropriate.

Yet, they continue to use it to eval us.

The bureaucracy has its own logic. As does the ed "reform" movement.

I gotta get outta here.