Principal Versus Teacher-Led Evaluation and Change in Teacher Practice and Motivation

• In Event: Working With Teachers: Leadership That Fosters Collaboration for Improvement

Abstract

In their role as supervisor, principals have traditionally conducted teacher evaluations. Increasing principal job demands and continued struggles to improve teacher evaluation practice raise the question of how peers might play a role. Using a robust international sample (TALIS2013), the goal of this paper was to test the hypothesis that teacher-led evaluation leads to higher positive changes in teacher classroom practice and motivation than principal-led evaluation. Findings demonstrate no significant difference in motivation or positive change in practice between administrator versus teacher/mentor led evaluation with respect to teacher observations or analysis of student surveys. However, teacher/mentor-led assessment of teacher content-knowledge and analysis of test score data was associated with higher teacher motivation and positive changes in practice.

Author

• Timothy G. Ford, University of Oklahoma