Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Really? An observation?

So my school district has mandated that all teachers be observed at least every two weeks (preferably every week).  The administrators use a web-based checklist to do informal observations.  Then, the data is compiled and shared with us at our monthly staff meeting.  The whole checklist is very Marzano-ey with points given for showing objectives and DOK.  I really don't mind being observed.  I teach how I teach and I can rarely be found slacking off (ok, there may have been a time or two when I -gasp- stopped to eat something or even worse...went to the restroom).  But, scoring me, in a special education setting, on the DOK that I am teaching seems a little far-fetched.  For one thing, I am not teaching content.  I'm teaching skills like Kind Talk or Flexibility.  These are newly acquired skills that just aren't generalized very often (when my student do that consistently, I'll be out of a job). 

But I digress...
This week is finals week (don't get me started on calling it finals).  So, a lot, lot, lot of my time has been spent accommodating my students according to their IEP's.  I have read the common assessment in Math 3 times (it is a doozy, too).  So imagine my surprise when my principal walked in with her Ipad in tow all ready to be wowed.  I thought to myself, "My scores are going to be so low because a).  I'm not teaching anything to this student, b). We aren't using any technology at all, and c).  I'm not even interacting with my other student in the room because he is taking a break/playing with Legos.  Great."  I think if it was me, I would have doubled up on the observations last week.  At least then I would have gotten to see something other than a bunch of kids taking tests and teachers proctoring/keeping the students on task when all they want to do is have Christmas.

2 comments:

  1. What the hell? How do your administrators even have that kind of time?!

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  2. Oh, Frau! You are hilarious! I checked out your first blog and I ♥love, ♥love, ♥love it! You should write comedy...you'll make a killing and everyone will have better health. Laughter is the best medicine, you know. :)

    Melly<><

    Stapler’s Strategies for Sizzlin' Second Graders!

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