Considering the Appraisal of Teacher Practice in Context: Bringing Situated Teacher Quality Into the Public and Policy Discourse

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  In Roundtable Session: Better Tools for Measuring Teacher Effectiveness

Abstract

This manuscript reflects findings from a case study of Rebecca, an experienced teacher who moved schools, that illustrates the ways in which teacher quality is situated. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews and participant observations, the findings demonstrate how the school leader shaped Rebecca’s practice through intensive intervention in planning, tightly controlling the resources she could use, and enforcement of a rigid schedule. This limited Rebecca’s capacity to meet the needs of her students as she had in her previous school contexts, and this was reflected in her students' standardized test scores. Implications focus on appraisal of teachers, teacher policy, and school leadership.

Author

• Joni Kolman, City College of New York - CUNY