What Are Your 2015-2016 Teaching Goals?

Massachusetts, in my opinion, has implemented a worthy system of educator evaluation. The system represents many dimensions of what it means to teach well. When the system is employed in an ethical, streamlined, effective way, it serves teachers, administrators, and students well. It's important to consider how you will manage this system for best effect. If you're not a Massachusetts' educator, this system offers you an avenue to good work, a path that I recommend.

Soon administrators in Massachusetts will meet with all educators under their charge. Those administrators will ask educators if they've assessed their strengths and challenges related to the Standards for Professional Practice outlined in the Massachusetts' Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Teacher Evaluation System. Then they'll ask educators to share both a professional learning goal and a student learning goal. After that a discussion with ensue, and then teacher and administrator will work together to create goals, rationale, action plans, and a list of possible evidence.

There are many ways that you can tackle this process.

I suggest the following.

Assess
First, assess your strengths and challenges. I created the chart at the bottom of the page to support that effort if you're interested. Each element connects to a short reflection I wrote about the element to lead your assessment.

Draft Goals
Next, draft your goals. I recommend drafting your goals on a google document and then uploading the goal to your professional ePortfolio. Here's an example of my goals draft for 2015-2016 and ePortfolio. I recommend the use of an online ePortfolio since it provides an easy vehicle for revising, cutting and pasting, and sharing your goals/evidence with any interested party. Of course you don't have to share your ePortfolio with the world as you can adjust the privacy settings. This handy guide will help you to create an ePortfolio.

Meet With Your Evaluator
After that ,when you meet with your evaluator bring your computer and ePortfolio with you. Discuss your draft with your evaluator, make changes, and then add the goals, rationale, action plans, and possible evidence points to your organization's evaluation system. The school system I work for uses TeachPoint.

Regularly Assess, Reflect, Revise, Enrich, and Design
Then, as you teach and learn, update your online information. Keep your lists current. Add evidence links as available. This ongoing process will prevent you from having to search for evidence and write long descriptions at the end of the year when you might not remember all the details as well. Make this process one of ongoing assessment, reflection, revision, enrichment, and design.

I wish you well on your teaching/learning year's journey. If you have further ideas for successful management and implementation of your teacher evaluation efforts, please let me know.

Evidence Chart and Links: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rFpIcsaUUnp_HsG7wDiHG69cYCMeHse7rxWj6aafP4Q/edit?usp=sharing

Standard I Curriculum Planning and Assessment	Standard II Teaching All Students	Standard III Family and Community Engagement	Standard IV Professional Culture
A. Curriculum and Planning     Indicator Subject Matter Knowledge Child and Adolescent Development Rigorous Standards-Based Unit Design Well-Structured Lessons	A. Instruction Indicator Quality of Effort and Work Student Engagement Meeting Diverse Needs	A. Engagement Indicator Parent/Family engagement.	A. Reflection Indicator Reflective Practice Goal Setting
B. Assessment Indicator Variety of Assessment Methods Adjustments to Practice	B. Learning Environment Indicator Safe learning environment. Collaborative learning environment Student motivation	B. Collaboration Indicator Learning expectations Curriculum support	B. Professional Growth Indicator Professional Learning and Growth
C. Indicator Analysis Analysis and Conclusions Sharing Conclusions with Colleagues Sharing Conclusions with Students	C. Cultural Proficiency Indicator Respects differences. Maintain respectful environment	C. Communication Indicator Two-way communication Culturally proficient communication	C. Collaboration Indicator Professional Collaboration
	D. Expectations Indicator Clear expectations High expectations Access to knowledge		D. Decision-Maker Indicator Decision Making
			E. Shared Responsibility Indicator Shared responsibility
			F. Professional Responsibilities Indicator Judgement Reliability and Responsibility