Wednesday, September 29, 2010
More on Value-Added Data
The discussion on linking student data to the evaluations of educators has been and continues to be volatile -- and generally somewhat biased. I addressed this issue in part with an earlier post (last Monday -- "Is The LA Times Correct?"). However, I recently ran across an article in Time magazine that provides a brief, reasoned perspective on the matter -- I thought you might find it interesting. There is LOTS more to consider and discuss before anyone rushes to judgment on this matter.
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There are MANY factors that must be considered and perhaps factored in or out when evaluating teachers:
ReplyDelete*How many EL students impact the class and at what levels they are, vs. how many Eng Only students and how these groups' test scores vary.
*How much effort the STUDENTs are putting into the equation...ie: Number of homework assignments turned in and how well the assignments are performed.
*Follow and factor in each student's homework and test scores in each class.
*Factor in the attendance of each student.
*Factor in the disciplinary record of each student.
*Perhaps we should consider doing what some charter schools are doing: keep students after school until the homework in every subject area is completed for the day. (That homework room should be a quiet, highly-structured environment with adults there able to answer questions, rather than a free-for-all play time.) After-school tutoring should be taken seriously where the adults are as engaged as the students should be...no cell phones, focused on helping students learn...the adults need to set the example that we take after-school learning seriously, because it is important for the children.
*When students are not doing their part with homework and the parents are not able to help with home enrichment, the students will not be able to benefit or greatly excel from the learning environment because they are only being introduced to the lesson in the classroom...they aren't digesting and learning the lesson unless they are doing their part...homework, class activities, review, memorization, note-taking, studying, making it meaningful, in short...learning. We need to allow students to assume some responsibility in the learning process.
*Perhaps we should be teaching effective study skills to the parents and students and give parents expected guidelines on the amount of time each afternoon/evening their child (based on age/grade) should be studying and what the appropriate study environment looks like...and how much time they should be spending each day reading, and how much time they should be spending each day memorizing math facts, etc.
*Let's teach parents and students that studying for an English, Sci, or History test, for example, takes more than 10 minutes on Thurs evening...let's teach parents and students how to break down the task of studying for an exam over 4 nights so that they are prepared for an exam.
*Can we raise our expectations of students and of parents to do their part in the learning process?
Our teachers are working very hard, but they can't do the learning for each student. They can't go to every home every day and sit and read with every student or sit and do the necessary homework with each student.
My guess is that parents who are able to reinforce learning in the home environment, and follow-up with their children being accountable with their homework and test grades, have successful students. Perhaps we as a district should consider how we can provide that highly -structured homework setting for students who need help with this.
Yes, we need to take education seriously! We are teaching the next generation of leaders!