Supervision & Evaluation: Formative Phase Stage I

Initial Investigatory Stage & Communicative Devices:

Pre-Observation

During the initial investigatory stage, the goal of the pre-observation meeting is three-fold: Gather information about instructional challenges, Gather information about student needs, and Gather information about cultural norms specific to the school, grade leve, and curriculum (Knight, 2007).  During the pre-observation meeting the observation form and corresponding criteria that will be used during the classroom observation is provided to the teacher for explanation and discussion.

Observation

The initial observation is scheduled to occur during class instruction and focus on the three domains attributed to effective teaching as outlined on the observation form: Classroom Management,  Curriculum use, and Instructional delivery (Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering, 2009).

Domains Attributed to Effective Teaching [The Observation Form]

• Classroom Management:  This domain includes a concise set of critical behaviors that take into account the classroom as an environment.  Classroom structure, rules, procedures, and the consistency with which the teacher implements those components compose the basis of the section.

• Instructional Delivery:  This domain focuses on identifying to what extent a teacher delivers instruction using evidence-based strategies aligned with research.  Primary sources used in creating the critical behaviors in this section were derived from: Coyne, Kame'enui, & Carnine (2007), Friedman, Harwell, & Schnepel (2006), Hattie (2009), and Lemov (2010).

• Curriculum Use:  This domain is interchangeable as schools address a variety of curriclum and use a varitey of programs.  The critical behaviors focus on the teacher's execution of predefined formats, routines, and sequence of instruction as outlined within the respective program.

Post-Observation

The post observation meeting focuses on the provision of critical feedback related to the observation.  The post observation meeting begins with a review of the information gathered during the pre-observation meeting: identified instructional and students needs, and pertinent information regarding cultural norms.  Information extracted from the completed observation form is coordinated with information gathered during the pre-observation meeting to establish [develop] themes.  The completed observation form is shared with the teacher and any themes that emerge are reviewed [by domain].  Affirmation of effective teaching are highlighted for the teacher and suggestions of support derived from patterns of need are shared.  Support is aligned with evidence-based strategies identified as having a positive impact on student achievement in the domains attributed to effective teaching.

References

Coyne, Kame'enui, E., & Carnine, D. (2007). Effective teaching strategies that accommodate diverse learners, 4th Edition. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Friedman, M.I., Harwell, D.H., & Schnepel, K.C. (2006). Effective instruction: A handbook of evidence-based strategies. Columbia, SC: The Institute for Evidence-based Decision-making in Educatioin Inc.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. New York, NY: Routledge Publishing

Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching: A partnership approach to improving instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Lemov, D. (2010). Teach like a champion: 49 techniques that put students on the path to college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Marzano, R., Marzano, J., & Pickering, D. (2009). Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every teacher. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Supervision & Evaluation: Formative Phase

Formative Phase of Supervision:

The formative phase of the curriculum and instruction appraisal model includes two stages, an initial investigatory stage and a coaching stage.  The investigatory stage includes as communicative devices the use of a formal pre-observation meeting, a classroom observation, and a follow-up meeting upon completion of the observation.  The coaching stage follows respectively and includes the use of a coaching form and a post-coaching conference.

Engagement in the formative phase of the model results in two possible outcomes that influence the frequency and intensity for future support.  For example, if a teacher is identified as lacking in proficiency in a specific curriculum or instructional domain, that teacher will be assigned coaching at a frequency of two visits per month until the coach and teacher provide evidence that proficiency in the domain has been achieved.  If a teacher is identified as a model teacher in each of the domains, then follow up coaching is scheduled less frequently and additional professional development opportunities are presented.  The process is cyclical and adheres to a developmental approach to providing support that accommodates teachers various levels of proficiency.  As indicated in Figure2 the teachers' mastery and consistency of use of the support provided drives future coaching visits in content and frequency.

  NOTE:  Links to corresponding forms referenced as located in an Appendix will be made available.    

Supervision & Evaluation: A Model

The purpose of the following posts is to provide an example of a Curriculum and Instruction Appraisal model that includes both formative and summative phases of support focused on increasing student achievement by increasing teacher proficiency through supervision.  The process involved in creating this portion of a greater evaluation model as indicated in figure 1 began with the application of a backward design approach (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).  Beginning with the goal in mind, an increase in both student achievement and teacher excellence, the model was built to be incorporated into an evaluation system that focuses on an alignment among professional development, supervisory support, and evaluation.

Figure 1

Conceptual Framework:

The conceptual framework from which the model of supervision was derived included aspects from three primary theories: Clinical Supervision, Instructional Coaching, and Developmental Learning.  As aspects from each theory converge, a comprehensive model of supervision targeted to promote teacher growth emerges.  Three critical forms were developed within the model to assist with teacher interactions, to monitor progress [the acquisition of skill], and to document the allocation of resources: Pre-observation, Observation, Post-observation.

The Hunter model (as cited in Glatthorn, Boschee, & Whitehead, 2009) and clinical supervision provided the framework upon which the observation form was based upon.  The observation form was created in alignment with the concept that a template consisting of critical behaviors steeped in evidence-based practices could be created as an anticipatory set that teachers could draw upon and increase teacher proficiency (Glatthorn, Boschee, & Whitehead, 2009).  The critical behaviors from which the observation form subscribed were derived from research aligned with Coyne, Kame'enui, and Carnine (2007), Freidman, Harwell, and Schnepel (2006), Hattie (2009), and Lemov (2010).

Instructional coaching is the mode from which the supervisor delivers support using the three observation forms.  Instructional coaching is defined as a non-evaluative means from which to provide support to teachers in the delivery and organization of instruction (Taylor, 2008).  Instructional coaching as applied in this model purposefully strayed from the popular literature use of a partnership/collaborative model (Knight, 2007) and instead approached the process of coaching from a consultant/expert construct that focused on a modified Dreyfus model of skill acquisition.  This provided for the seamless application of a developmental approach to the provision of individualized support to teachers.  The frequency and intensity of the support provided to teachers could then be assigned and differentiated based on the level of skill acquisition demonstrated by the teacher.

References

Coyne, Kame'enui, E., & Carnine, D. (2007).  Effective teaching strategies that accommodate diverse learners, 4th Edition. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Friedman, M.I., Harwell, D.H., & Schnepel, K.C. (2006). Effective instruction: A handbook of evidence-based strategies. Columbia, SC: The Institute for Evidence-based Decision-making in Educatioin Inc.

Glatthorn, A. A., Boschee, F., & Whitehead, B. M. (2009). Curriculum leadership: Strategies for development and implementation (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. New York, NY: Routledge Publishing

Knight, J. (2007). Instructional coaching: A partnership approach to improving instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Lemov, D. (2010). Teach like a champion: 49 techniques that put students on the path to college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Taylor, J. E. (2008). Instructional coaching: The state of the art. In M. M. Mangin, & S. R. Stoelinga (Eds.), Effective Teacher Leadership: Using research to inform and reform (pp. 10-35). New York, NY: Teacher’s College Columbia University.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.