To PDAS or not to PDAS?

As I pondered the goals of my current course on Human Resources I wanted to reflect on what parts of the evaluation process are meaningful to me.

In regards to evaluating teachers, I think that the most difficult aspect will be maintaining perspective. As administrators we must use data to paint a picture of a teacher’s effectiveness but like our students it is not the only picture. It is the necessary picture to the goal of graduation but we must foster the learning of all through various means and draw out the necessary skills through sometimes unconventional ways; like so with our teachers. We are all gifted in something.

I also believe that it is important to remember to build up our teachers through recognition of their strengths. It is more effective to build an already strength, than to focus on a weakness. Naturally we will overcome or adapt our weaknesses when we have a firm foundation in our strengths. As an administrator I think that I must focus on supporting my staff through open communication and utilizing the “sandwich” comment philosophy as much as possible. It is also important to have personalized and meaningful staff development opportunities.


What criteria should I use, you say?

While data is driving our country, our economy, and our livelihood, it should support the picture that I see when I view with my eyes and listen with my ears. When the two don’t match I need to listen with my heart and feel with my gut and problem solve outside of the box to help a teacher be effective. I read in an article by Talana Vogel a quote from Enid Lee: “Equity does not mean treating everyone the same way. It means doing whatever it takes to get everyone to the same place.” This will become my mantra for my classroom as well as my role as a principal.

While this post does not directly relate to my action research project I thought it important to chronicle my current thought process in relation to my development as an administrator.



Update on action research...I postponed my snapshot date to Monday since I was off at a training today and cannot access my current rosters. I am also behind on getting kids to complete the initial survey. I will be working on that process next week. I have at least identified the kids that have not completed the survey. It is amazing how time flies by and I am not keeping up.

Update on Research Progress

School has been in session for 3 weeks and I have already implemented the beginning phase of my research project. I have been using a survey with all my students and have 95 returned already. My project for next week is to get the remaining surveys. I have also begun the reporting process which will be updated on a biweekly basis. My snapshot date is next Friday. Which ever students are on my rosters and meet the requirements to remain as part of my sample group will be used for final reporting.

Next phase of the project...Continue to encourage my students to progress, keep up with the reporting, and design the next survey.

Teach Like A Champion

Over the holidays I began reading Teach Like A Champion by Doug Lemov. It advertises "49 techniques that put students on the path to college." I have not finished it yet but I thought that the first two techniques seemed interesting. They are No Opt Out and Right is Right. I look forward to reading more about these techniques.

In other notes, I enjoyed my Christmas break. I really needed it. It has been a busy first week and a half back and tonight is the first time I have stopped to think about my reactions over the last week or so and how they reflect on me as an administrator. I will admit that my week has been nothing short of stressful and I find myself not really liking the me that has come out. When I looked at it with the lens of an administrator, I see that I still have a lot to learn. Stress brings out an interesting side to people. I am not looking forward to add more stress of another class but I think that the discipline that it forces me to have will be well worth it in the long run.

As for progress on my action research project, I have already begun collecting the initial surveys. Not sure I am "teaching like a champion but here we go on again. On to a new semester...