Comments on: Bill Gates: The keys to effective teacher evaluation http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/07/17/bill-gates-the-keys-to-effective-teacher-evaluation/ Just another eSchool Media site Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:37:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: meiselsgerry http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/07/17/bill-gates-the-keys-to-effective-teacher-evaluation/comment-page-1/#comment-165397 meiselsgerry Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:28:50 +0000 http://www.eschoolnews.com/?p=103913#comment-165397 Mr. Gates is bright as well as wealthy, and does not have to curry favor from anyone. I accept the motivation he states because he seems to recognize that there is nothing more important to America's future than a well educated citizenry (and therefore also workforce). I also agree that teacher evaluation cannot be based on a single dimension such as student performance especially not if the metric is just a standardized high-stakes test. However, Gates seems not to distinguish clearly between formative and summative evaluation. The same evaluation methodologies do not serve both purposes well. The two evaluation types have different purposes, constraints, and consequences. To use a simplistic parallel, formative evaluation can help you manage your money better, but summative evaluation is the bottom line of how well you live within your means (Bancruptcy is a clear F). Mr. Gates is bright as well as wealthy, and does not have to curry favor from anyone. I accept the motivation he states because he seems to recognize that there is nothing more important to America’s future than a well educated citizenry (and therefore also workforce). I also agree that teacher evaluation cannot be based on a single dimension such as student performance especially not if the metric is just a standardized high-stakes test. However, Gates seems not to distinguish clearly between formative and summative evaluation. The same evaluation methodologies do not serve both purposes well. The two evaluation types have different purposes, constraints, and consequences. To use a simplistic parallel, formative evaluation can help you manage your money better, but summative evaluation is the bottom line of how well you live within your means (Bancruptcy is a clear F).

]]> By: msthomaslm http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/07/17/bill-gates-the-keys-to-effective-teacher-evaluation/comment-page-1/#comment-164898 msthomaslm Sat, 21 Jul 2012 03:38:52 +0000 http://www.eschoolnews.com/?p=103913#comment-164898 While I agree that we should take out time creating a proper teacher evaluation form. I hear very little about administration evaluations. The weight of the world is on our shoulders we not only have to teach children how to learn, achieve and master content, we must provide supplies, food for those that do not have it, teach manners and become parents for those that do not have parental guidance(etc.). Administrators are there to tell us what we are not doing and to force us to do what they want and not what's best for our students. I do wonder why Bill Gates has decided to select education as his flag to fly. What are his motivations? This is the first article that he gives teachers some appreciation. Previous articles have only condemned teachers, their additional education and pay. Perhaps its a first step in finding common ground. While I agree that we should take out time creating a proper teacher evaluation form. I hear very little about administration evaluations. The weight of the world is on our shoulders we not only have to teach children how to learn, achieve and master content, we must provide supplies, food for those that do not have it, teach manners and become parents for those that do not have parental guidance(etc.). Administrators are there to tell us what we are not doing and to force us to do what they want and not what’s best for our students.

I do wonder why Bill Gates has decided to select education as his flag to fly. What are his motivations? This is the first article that he gives teachers some appreciation. Previous articles have only condemned teachers, their additional education and pay. Perhaps its a first step in finding common ground.

]]> By: melissaprzy http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/07/17/bill-gates-the-keys-to-effective-teacher-evaluation/comment-page-1/#comment-164869 melissaprzy Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:41:34 +0000 http://www.eschoolnews.com/?p=103913#comment-164869 As a Montessorian part of our training is to learn how to observe. It is not simple, but it is quite effective in understanding your subject, how they learn and how you can help them become better at anything. I certainly hope that the text by Bill Gates gains momentum finds a place in our educational system. My fear however, is that the we will fall behind even more with a republican majority government who cares only for the wealthy and the corporations. Do they know they are hurting the future of our country by restricting growth to all of our citizens? Life is not all about who has the most money. As a Montessorian part of our training is to learn how to observe. It is not simple, but it is quite effective in understanding your subject, how they learn and how you can help them become better at anything. I certainly hope that the text by Bill Gates gains momentum finds a place in our educational system. My fear however, is that the we will fall behind even more with a republican majority government who cares only for the wealthy and the corporations. Do they know they are hurting the future of our country by restricting growth to all of our citizens? Life is not all about who has the most money.

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