USA falls under the OECD countries aiming to raise the standards and quality of education. Plans towards upgrading the performance of the teachers is a good practice. The major drive behind this are the policies, which aims to uplift the quality of academics. Undertaking continuous improvement helps in planning effective programs and lesson plans for the learners. The main focus of teacher evaluation is the appraisal of pedagogy, which helps in excavating the areas, which needs modification (Santiago & Benavides, 2009). Feedbacks from the stakeholders and shareholders is assistance in terms of seeking support and opportunities for attaining professional development. Meeting with the higher authorities helps in preparing conceptual frameworks, which are integral in terms of evaluating the performance exposed by the teachers.
The main parameters, which are considered for developing the teacher evaluation framework are: who, by whom, what, how, for what and with whom. Societal parameter adversely affects the functions of teacher evaluation policies. As a matter of specification, these factors are political, demographic, cultural diversity, labor market conditions, media, public and private resources and evaluation and assessment policies. Teacher evaluation has two aims:
Educational authorities are responsible for evaluation the performance of the teachers. As a matter of specification, these authorities set learning outcomes, professional standards for the teachers and set norms, which the teachers need to abide by, for catering to the educational needs of the students (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Arlington, 2002). Inspectors pay visits to the schools and the other educational institutions for assessing the effectiveness of the adopted pedagogical methods. Feedbacks on the conducted inspection assists the educational institutions to work on the modifications needed for attaining the growth and development in case of the learners.
Like other countries, educational institutions in USA implements regulations on the pedagogy, which are centrally regulated. The school authorities play the role of leaders towards evaluating the performance of the teachers. This is in terms of developing professional standards for evaluation and averting the intervention of bureaucratic professionals. On the other hand, in Finland, director of the schools play the role of leaders for evaluating the performance of the teachers.
In some of the cases, peer influences shapes teachers’ evaluation. This influence is more productive, yet there is greater sense of responsibility. Along with this, there is much scope for evaluating the areas, which needs to be improved for upgrading the standards of learning process for the students. According to the Darling-Hammond, Jaquith & Hamilton, (2012), peer observation in case of lesson plans, uplifts the standards of instructions. Feedbacks help in excavating the areas, where the lessons lacks alignment to the identified and the specified objectives.
Mention can be made of edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment). This is a national, subject specific portfolio based assessment, where the students perform the teachers’ evaluation. This approach reflects their readiness towards full classroom teaching assignments. The applicability of the policy lies in licensing the teachers towards making effective use of the pedagogical methods. Although the policy is based on California, other five states including Minnesota have adopted the policy for appraising the performance of the teachers. The performance assessment is conducted during the course of teacher preparation programs. The students, teachers and other candidates have the allowance for completing these assessments. For completing the assessments, the candidates need to apply for recapitulating on what they have learnt in the coursework. Here, strategies and theories are applied for adding value to the artefacts (Oecd.org, 2009). Research in this direction lasts for one week, where the performance of the teachers are tracked on the basis of their approach towards explaining the basic concepts to the students. Within this, the main focus is on the inculcating reflective skills within the students regarding the learning process.
In the framework, the policy is divided into three segments, where there are three tasks. Task 1 is Planning for the Instruction and Assessment. Task 2 involves Instructing and Engaging the Students in Learning. The actions in Task 3 consists of learning assessment in case of the students. The meetings with the higher authorities results in evaluating the effectiveness, appropriateness and feasibility of the proposed pedagogical methods. The officials, while preparing the frameworks for teachers assessment and evaluation, take into consideration the following five principles:
When it comes to Finland, the teachers are recruited from the top list of the candidates. There is diversification within this dynamics. Initial teacher education is the concept, which gains important position in terms of developing the “best and the brightest” policies for improving the learning processes of the learners. Support from the Ministry of Education and Culture is assistance in terms of appraising the performance of the teachers. Without the framework, this appraisal is impossible. The local government personnel and the members of the trade union indulge in contract. Through these contracts, negotiations are made in terms of the labour market. Both the parties adhere to the guidelines, which helps in achieving positive results in appraising the performance of the teachers (Oecd.org, 2009). The identified goals and contents of the curriculum are considered in comparison to the development plan for the following year.
Mention can be made of the use of Danielson’s Framework, which covers all the domains of the education. These domains are: planning and preparation, classroom environment, instructions and professional responsibilities. In planning and preparation, emphasis is laid on enhancing the knowledge of the teachers regarding the learning of the students. Hiring skilled and trained teachers lays a proper foundation for providing a good start to the academic development of the learners. Interviews are conducted for assessing the proficiency of the teachers towards the learning of the students.
At the meetings, journey mapping is considered for assessing the effectiveness of the chosen pedagogy. This assessment helps in making plans for upgrading the standards and quality of the education. This exercise enhances the visual skills of the personnel towards growth and development of the learners. As per the opinions of Darling-Hammond, Jaquith & Hamilton, (2012), territory mappings are assistance in terms of gaining an insight into the areas to which the educational services can be spread for increasing the sales revenue and the profit margin. After the creation of the maps, they are shared with the mentors for rewarding the professional standards.
After reviewing both the policies, it can be said that edTPA is more effective. This is because assessment of the teachers’ performance would assist in upgrading the standards and quality of the learning process. Providing the students with the opportunity to evaluate and assess the performance of the teachers would act as their empowerment in terms of academic development. Consciousness towards utilizing the best teaching practices reflects the initiatives towards upgrading the standards and quality of the pedagogy and the learning methods. Adopting the policy after thorough meetings would be effective in terms of ensuring positive outcomes towards the academic development of the students (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Arlington, 2002).
Frequent revisions of the teacher preparation programs would help in excavating the areas, which needs modifications. Involving the stakeholders and shareholders in this process would prove beneficial in terms of enhancing the cultural diversity. Dividing the programs equally within the trimester periods would be fruitful for completing the activities within the stipulated deadlines. Application of the students regarding what they have learnt enhances the awareness of the personnel regarding the proposed pedagogical and the learning methods. Classroom observations help in assembling the documents and artefacts selected. These documents would be effective in terms of preparing effective lesson plans for the learners.
Review of the documents in the meetings would be effective in terms of gaining an insight into the adopted pedagogy. Conducting 3d prototyping for the review would enhance the awareness towards areas covered for enhancing the learning for the students. Along with this, reviewing the artefacts would act as an agent in terms of excavating the difference between the teacher quality and the teaching quality. Classroom environment needs to be considered for assessing the performance of the teachers. The lessons planned by the teachers would help in determining their approach towards the fulfilling the educational needs of the students.
For assessment, instructional pedagogy is important. This is in terms of gaining an insight into the resources used for planning the courses for the learners. Within this, interaction with the students is vital for measuring the communication. Feedbacks and surveys would be crucial for collecting the approaches towards catering to the educational needs of the learners. Support from the Education Ministry and Culture would be effective in terms of getting quality educational services. Cultural aspect is necessary for both the teachers and the learners. The curriculum involves the teachers and the students from different socio-cultural backgrounds. In order to cater to the needs of the teachers and the learners, assessments are necessary. Using frameworks for assessment, covers every aspect of the efforts produced by the teachers. Sharing the results of the frameworks with the government personnel would enhance the cultural diversity of the educational parameter within USA.
Interviewing the teachers would be a crucial part of the assessment. As a matter of specification, considering the full time teachers as the samples would be effective in terms of collecting data on the modifications, which needs to be made for upgrading the standards and quality of the learning processes.
Finland’s educational policy is effective, as it aims to develop “best and brightest” for the education. However, not considering frameworks for assessment is a drawback for appraising the performance of the teachers. In this case, USA’s edTPA is effective, as it involves planning for assessing the performance of the teachers and the learners. Instructing and engaging the leaners in the assessment process is fruitful, which enhances the aspect of cultural diversity. Assessment of the learning processes for the students is missing in the educational policies of Finland. This absence necessitates the frameworks, which would seem effective for appraising the performance of the teachers. However, adherence to the legislative requirements would help in averting the illegal instances towards enhancing the learning process for the learners.
References:
Danielson, C. (2011). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. ASCD.
Darling-Hammond, L., Jaquith, A., & Hamilton, M. (2012). Creating a comprehensive system for evaluating and supporting effective teaching. Stanford, CA: Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Arlington, Va. (2002). What teachers should know and be able to do. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Santiago, P., & Benavides, F. (2009). Teacher evaluation: A conceptual framework and examples of country practices. Paper for presentation at the OECD Mexico, 1-2.
Teacher Evaluation: Current Practices in OECD Countries and a Literature Review OECD Education Working Paper No. 23 By Marlène Isoré, (2009), Retrieved 26th Nov 2018 from https://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?doclanguage=en&cote=edu/wk
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