| Reform movements, restructuring initiatives, and research combine forces in attempts to improve teaching and learning. The challenge is to discover the best possible approach for a school system to take relative to teacher evaluation in order to bring about improvement. This research study focused on what was learned when educators in a suburban school district participated on a Teacher Evaluation Committee to construct a new teacher evaluation system. The focus of the study was to find answers to these questions: When educators came together to construct a new teacher evaluation system, what did educators learn? How was this learning put into practice in the development of a new evaluation system for district-wide use? What issues emerged in the process? In this qualitative study, the researcher, a participant-observer, documented teachers and administrators' responses to initial and exit interview questions.; Findings indicate that gathering information with a survey of the faculty was vital to understanding the needs of end users. Having participants bring research literature, educational materials, and models to share was an effective way to develop a shared knowledge base. Sharing personal experiences, framed in non-threatening ways that provide concrete examples, proved helpful. The issues that surfaced suggested needs to refocus, to be attentive to equity in structure, and to implement the new system effectively in order to achieve system-wide cultural change.; This study can provide a model for school districts whose constituents plan to do collaborative work on teacher evaluation. This Committee constructed an evaluation system that is standards-based, is graduated with stages in order to support teacher growth, encourages reflection, opens lines of communication, and has the potential to bring about positive changes in the schools system's culture. The Committee reported learning through self-directed study, team learning, and collegial, collaborative group process.; The results of the study warrant further exploration in the areas of providing effective professional development, building new cultures, and implementing system-wide change. The issues raised indicate there is interesting work yet to be done in group dynamics. |
