IT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE: PREPARE FOR THE AFTERMATH

Houston Independent School District is in the process of developing a new teacher evalutaion tool that includes students' achievement/performance.  I wouldn't have a problem with that aspect of teacher evaluation, except that the teachers who teach the AP or GT classes have an easy-breezy time motivating their students to learn.  On the other hand, you have the middle-of-the-road and off-the-road students who just come to school for the free food, the time to socialize with their friends and catch up on the latest news from their homeboys. 

Those poor teachers can't hand-pick the motivated students; the students who care about education; the students who will try their hardest to complete the assignments; or even the students who come to school on a regular basis.  When the teacher is assigned the students, those students don't come with a money-back guarantee.  Students show up to class with factors that aren't measured by any standard that the district/state can provide.  If the student is homeless; pregnant; abused; abusing drugs/alcohol; surviving a home life that one wouldn't wish for anyone or any other negative aspect the ability to learn is affected. 

• No where on the teacher's evaluation form does it take into consideration that the student who made a 55 last week has improved because the teacher has taken extra time to help motivate the student to care.

• No where on the form does it take into consideration that the teacher has worked with that kid off to the side, who just arrived from out of the state, to help her catch up to the point the class is working.  She hasn't passed yet, but she has improved in the last two exams. 

• No where on the evaluation is a place to mark that the students have improved in their school attendance, because the teacher is motivating them to achieve. 

Do you understand my point?  I think evaluations are wonderful; however, the factors that go into the evaluation should all be considered and not just students' grades.  In all my years of dealing with the educational system in Texas and the evaluations, I've yet to know of one bad teacher who was asked to leave, even when "growth plans" weren't followed.  Many good teachers on the other hand, resort to the "dog and pony shows" in order to keep their jobs.