Evaluation/Reflection

I love my blog. (It is here that I get to write my thoughts, experiences, and ideas.)

I love the blogging community. (The friends I have made are supportive, caring, and sharing.)

Some of my currents thoughts/ramblings on teacher evaluation:

1. I don't like the word evaluation. It sounds harsh. Like I may not measure up. It comes from the outside, from others.

2. I like the word reflection. It allows me time and space to think, clarify, and make changes. It sounds supportive. It comes from within me. It is my choice.

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In my district we have formal evaluations every 3 years.

And it's my turn coming up in 2014-2015.

And we have a newish (it will the 2nd year) evaluation tool called McRel.

And we need formal training on this tool before we can use it.

My day for training was yesterday.

Overall the day was good. I liked learning the "Professional Teaching Standards." 

I liked the conversations I had with other teachers who will also be evaluated this year.

I liked (or not) one of the comments from the presenter.

**If a student has an ineffective teacher for three years in a row, there is little hope that the child can catch up.**

Man--I was ineffective that first year, and the second. I'm getting better. I'm professionally developing myself. But those poor kids. I sure hope they had an effective teacher that next year!

Anyway, I'm pretty hard on myself. I expect the best of me in all lessons, in all situations. And this evaluation is meant to help me? All I see is the box marked "developing" and it means--you suck at this, better fix that soon or else...

But seriously--I know I do some things well. I know I need to improve on some things. But it is really hard for me to take constructive criticism and that's what I'm looking at for next year.

So, I am going to have to find a way to reflect (which I do all the time) on my teaching and be open to the evaluation and not go crazy or have a panic attack.

And figure out how to become a highly effective teacher. 

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I love Conscious Discipline and what it has taught me. Here are some good ones:

1. I am in control (or not) of myself. No one else controls me. I choose how I react/respond in EVERY situation. -- I'm still working on this, sometimes I just want to blame someone else and not take responsibility for my behavior.

2. Choose ONE thing that I want to improve or implement. Do it. When I have a handle on that add another. Keep going by doing one at a time. If I choose more than one, I get overwhelmed and nothing changes. My friend Rachel is the best at reminding me of this--"Alyce, choose one thing."

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Now think about it...

If I have multiple areas marked on my evaluation that are marked "developing" or "proficient" I am to work on ALL of those areas. By February.

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Is this how my children (or students in my class) feel every time I encourage them to be or do something just a little bit better?

Like they can never measure up to what I expect of them?

That is so NOT true. My children (and students) amaze me every day.

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New goal: find a way to support and encourage the people (big and little) around me that feels like "reflection" and not "evaluation."