1 Running Head: TEACHER EVALUATION PROJECT

Teacher Evaluation in the Mid-Del School District Project Sabrina Salmon Capella University

Teacher Evaluation in the Mid-Del School District Project

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Teacher evaluations are an annual process in most school districts. Evaluation systems come from the state or local level. Administrators usually evaluate teachers and provide feedback on the teaching and learning process. Specific criteria increase the effectiveness of teacher evaluation systems. These criteria include connecting evaluation to school goals, collecting and using data on teacher performance, providing feedback, and involving teachers in the evaluation process. Effective evaluations typically consist of a pre-conference, an observation, and a post-conference. Supervision and evaluation are separate functions that complement each other (Nolan & Hoover, 2008). This paper will analyze and provide recommendations for the Mid-Del School Districts teacher evaluation system. Goals and Assessment Midwest City High School has two school-wide learning goals. Our first goal is to increase students comprehension of printed materials to seventy percent accuracy. A group of teachers volunteered to do a book study to get background knowledge about ways to improve comprehension skills. The school based the study on research by Marzano (2004). Educators measure comprehension with a benchmark assessment every other week in all core subject areas. The core subject areas include language arts, mathematics, science, and social students. Students will also complete an end of instruction assessment during the last two weeks of each core class. The second school-wide learning goal is students will write coherently with seventy percent accuracy. All students write for ten minutes once a week during their third period class. Students keep writing samples in a notebook. Each teacher gives students feedback about their writing skills. Teachers track students progress. Every department analyzed data from the

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previous end of instruction and benchmark assessments. Departments chose three academic areas to improve. An academic coach reviewed the information from each department. The academic coach and our principal narrowed the suggestions down and announced the two school-wide learning goals that we will focus on this school year. The goals help all teachers work toward improving the schools annual progress. Elective teachers are now playing an important role in our schools improvement. Learning goals align with the schools vision. Eisner (2002) stated that having a school vision gives us a compass. Midwest City High Schools vision is for students to be safe, challenged, and ready. Administrators, a group of teachers, and community members assisted with creating a vision statement. Students should enter the building and feel confident that school staff will meet their basic needs. Learners go to a classroom and they teachers challenge them to make academic progress and expand their current level of knowledge. Educators and administrators are expected to work together to prepare students for life after high school. Individuals should graduate and be ready to begin to live independently. Most learners graduate and enroll in post-secondary education, enlist in the military, or join the work force. Stakeholders developed both the goals and vision through a collaborative process. During a faculty meeting, the lead administrator asked staff members to think about a shared vision for the school. Teachers and principals had a brainstorming session and collected ideas on how to summarize a focus for our school. Staff narrowed down a list of ideas at a subsequent faculty meeting. The curriculum council committee reviewed the list. This committee consists of six teachers, two principals, and a counselor. Committee members used ideas from the staff

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meeting to create a vision statement. School staff is committed to the vision because everyone had an opportunity to give input during the decision making process. One thing that I might have changed to motivate stakeholders is the demographics of the curriculum council committee. This group primarily consisted of veteran teachers who are in the forty to fifty year-old age group. Since the group was very diverse, it is likely that most group members had similar points of view. Individuals who are younger and have less teaching experience might have selected a different vision statement. Having a more diverse group could have led to different results. Educators, administrators, and an external team monitor progress toward goals. Individual teachers also monitor progress. An academic coach collects scores on benchmark and end of instruction assessments. The academic coach tracks progress and shares the results with staff members at the end of each semester. Educators report progress on writing skills every month at faculty meetings. Teachers reflect on instructional methods. Staff members believe that we can influence students performance and do not blame other variables for poor performance (Glickman, 2002). Our school has adopted a grading rubric that teachers have the option of using when assessing students work. Teachers who do not use the adopted rubric explain how they assess writing assignments. The principal uses the data collected by the academic coach and staff members to determine the schools progress toward the learning goals. A team visited our school in November. This team was checking to see if the school was working toward meeting the established learning goals. Prior to the team visit, each teacher received a copy of the schools goals and progress. It was easy to access this information. The

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schools academic coach gets updated information about progress toward our school-wide learning goals. Each department keeps data to monitor academic progress in content areas. Each teacher has a copy of the schools goals. The administrator posts goals in various locations of our school. Teachers have access to assessment scores that they use to monitor progress. A summary report gives scores and the percentage of students who pass each assessment. Detailed reports show the students strengths and areas of needs based on state adopted skills. All teachers know the schools goals and they are aware of how to gain access to assessment information. Teachers who have questions about the goals or assessments may contact the academic coach or the principal for clarification. All teachers are required to have students participate in a writing activity each week. Each teacher is responsible for working toward improving our students writing skills. Core subject teachers are required to administer the designated assessments to monitor reading comprehension. Teachers are encouraged to adjust instruction based on assessment results. Staff development activities address progress and staff determines if the school or individual teachers should make modifications to the program. The curriculum development committee reviews modification suggests. Staff members make minor changes to the curriculum on-site as needed. Major adjustments are determined when the curriculum development team meets during the summer. The administrator discussed previous goals and progress at the beginning of the school year. Staff members, the academic coach, and the principal determine if the organization should develop new goals. Classroom Assistance

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Midwest Cit High School provides three types of classroom assistance. Structures for classroom assistance include clinical supervision, peer coaching, and a study group. Clinical supervision is the most widely used form of support. Peer coaching is a method for teacher support. A study or action research group is the most recent kind of support that is available for teachers. The team members participate in a group based on the content area in which they teach. Team members identify a problem or concern and develop a plan to resolve the issue. These structures are available to support all educators (Glickman, 2002). Each of these structures has strengths and weaknesses. Clinical supervision is a more traditional method for providing teachers with feedback. Each teacher has an administrator to contact for guidance and professional growth opportunities. At the beginning of the school year, the teacher and administrator have a preconference to discuss the teacher's goals and expectations. At this time, the administrator offers resources, gives suggestions, and communicates the format for an observation. Next, administrators conduct observations and send the teacher an electronic copy of the observation report. Teachers review this information and then the administrator and teacher have a conference. This process allows the administrator to set expectations for teachers. Educators receive feedback about their performance and possible ways to make improvements. Clinical supervision is the most prevalent type of classroom support at our school. The schools supervision model aligns with Danielsons framework (2007). This method of supervision follows a more traditional model for supporting teachers. Another available resource for teachers is peer coaching. Peer coaching establishes teaching teams. Educators work together as co-teachers. They also conduct observations and

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provide feedback for one another. Teachers volunteer to participate in peer coaching. Educators work with someone who teaches the same subject. They plan and implement lessons based on each other's strengths. Teachers collect feedback in a journal and discuss results during weekly meetings. An administrator meets with the peer coaches once a month to monitor progress. A study group is the third structure of classroom assistance at Midwest City High School. Currently this group consists of two teachers from each subject area, a counselor, and an administrator. The purpose of this group is to determine methods for improving student learning and their performance on standardized tests. Teachers, a counselor, and an administrator have collected data about the school's population. The team developed some strategies for improving performance in class and on assessments. This team meets after progress reporting periods and determines some techniques that will help improve students' performance. Classroom assistance promotes a positive school culture. School culture develops from the experiences that create a sense of community and team membership. A school culture that supports discussing all topics is desirable. Not discussing particular subjects creates an unhealthy school climate. People in a healthy organization agree on how to do things and what steps to follow (Barth, 2002). A few research-based tools are available to help administrators and improvement teams assess a schools culture. Wagner and Masden-Copas (2002) refined the School Culture Triage Survey. Survey results suggest a connection between school culture and staff satisfaction, parent engagement, and community support. The School Culture Triage Survey considers professional collaboration, collegiality, and self-determination. Survey scores range from a seventeen to an eighty-five. Based on my evaluation, our schools score is a fifty-eight. This score is in the category for schools that will

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benefit from modifications and improvements. The scoring rubric advises using a more in depth assessment to determine which area needs the most improvement. Conducting staff interviews is another way to gain insight on the school community. Educators have information on positive and negative aspects of the school culture. Administrators can use this feedback to determine aspects of the school culture that stakeholders want to reinforce or change. School culture, according to Richardson (2001) is a collection of individual values and norms. A group makes decisions about its expectations. Midwest City High School has clinical supervision, peer coaching, and a study group to provide classroom assistance. Supervision is in place to acknowledge excellent teacher performance and to provide support for educators who do not meet a minimum level of competency. Providing supervision is a method to hold teachers accountable for improving student performance. Peer coaching creates an opportunity for colleagues to observe one another and provide praise and suggestions for enhancing teaching strategies. A study group meets to determine strategies that will increase student performance on classroom activities and assessments. Improvements in student learning help to create a positive school culture. Peer coaching and the study group are two forms of support for teachers that capitalize on the diversity of the school community. Teachers have a variety of experiences that are shared during peer coaching. Educators volunteer to conduct observations and provide feedback to colleagues. Training information and experiences assist staff members during this process. The schools study group is composed of administrators, a counselor, and educators. This group has a wealth of background knowledge that it combines during meetings to determine

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strategies that will improve the school culture and improve student learning. Several positive methods of assistance are available for teachers. These structures have room for improvement. The district implements classroom assistance in a manner that provides assistance for educators who perform below and above average. Individuals with an average level of

performance receive little or no assistance and tend not to make much progress. Corrective action measures are one strategy that school leaders implement when someone does not meet a minimum level of competence. Administrators or a colleague works with these individuals to help improve their performance. Educators who exceed expectations receive recognition and support for their accomplishments. These teachers usually volunteer to participate in peer

coaching. Often, these are the educators involved in peer coaching. People who are in the middle of the poor and excellent performers tend to keep doing the same things. This group is likely to miss opportunities to advance. Nolan and Hoover (2008) believe supervisors should start where teachers are and facilitate growth. Classroom assistance at our school is an area that leaders could improve by developing strategies to enhance skills of average performers. Analysis of Evaluation Process Principles that promote effective instruction are an area of focus for the school leader. When the evaluation time visited the school to assess progress toward school-wide goals, educators made a suggestion about questioning strategies. This team noticed that most teachers asked questions that require lower level thinking skills. Using higher order thinking skills increases students math and reading comprehension scores (Pogrow, 2005). The school leader

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requested that all teachers include higher order thinking questions in each lesson. Administrators visited classroom to observe teachers utilizing this strategy. Increasing student motivation is another aspect of effective instruction that the administrator could suggest. Learners are more motivated to learn when they have success in a content area. Students want to know that what they are learning is relevant. The leader asked educators questions about how the content that they teach applies to life. Teachers should activate prior knowledge and make connections to things that are relevant to students at the beginning of a new lesson. Educators can begin by asking questions to determine what students already know and what they would like to learn about a topic. Evidence is available to justify allocating resources to sustain some instructional programs. Researchers can measure the effectiveness of an instructional program by determining if students and staff met curriculum goals. Changes in the learners level of achievement demonstrate the usefulness of a procedure. If curriculum goals were appropriately set, then teachers adjust techniques to assist students with reaching the goals. Learners should have prior knowledge and skills to achieve instructional goals. Fads come and go, but sound instruction never expires. Slavin (1989) examined the importance of generational progress. This practice provides the next generation of instructional practices and shows improvement over the previous generation. Test data over consecutive years demonstrates areas in which to make adjustments that foster effective practices. Data collection includes results on standardized test scores, classroom performance, and attendance. Staff identified hard-working students who have regular attendance and scores

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slightly below the proficiency level to participate in a remediation group. One teacher received training on test taking strategies. These learners went through a class to learn test-taking strategies. The district allocated funding to teach test-taking skills. The budget included funds for the teacher to attend a training session. Money to pay for substitute teachers during the remediation process also comes out of these funds. Thirty percent of the students who did not pass the initial test made passing scores on the assessment after they participated in remediation. Teachers are currently researching some techniques to use with the remaining students who did not pass the test. These students will receive small group or one-on-one instruction to identify their learning styles and some strategies that they can utilize in test taking situations. Assessments are important because students must pass four of them to receive a high school diploma. Another instructional program is available for students who did not pass several classes. Credit Recovery is a program to assist these students with making improvements. Students must be able to work independently on computer-based instruction to be successful. Educators recommend learners for this program. An administrator must approve the recommendation. Once a student receives acceptance into the program, he/she completes assignments on a computer-based program that one instructor monitors. The instructor serves

as a facilitator to answer questions and assist with technology issues. Students work at their own pace and complete high school credits in less time that it would take in a traditional classroom setting. Credit Recovery gives students the opportunity to complete coursework to help them graduate with their peers. This program helps to decrease the dropout rate in our district. Students in the program remain motivated to complete tasks so they can complete high

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school requirements at an accelerated rate. Funding is important to give students another option to gain skills that learners need in life and to earn a high school diploma. These instructional programs are valuable assets to our school. Our school leader consistently applies two best practice strategies to student learning. Time on task is our school leaders main concern. He asked teachers to complete a time analysis activity to determine the percentage of a school day that educators dedicate to providing instruction. Assistant principals visit classrooms and walk down hallways to assess time on task. Based on teacher reports and administrator observations, most educators could spend more time on teaching and student learning. The leader made a proposal for the districts school board to change the schools schedule. This week our school board unanimously voted to change the local high schools from a block to a traditional schedule. This change means students will have seven fifty minute periods instead of four ninety-minute periods per day. Our leaders main concern is students were not staying focused and on task for an hour and a half in each class. Now students enroll in the same seven classes all school year instead of changing their schedules in January. Keeping learners focused is one strategy to improve student learning Marzano and Pickering (2005). Creating a positive classroom environment is another best practice strategy that our leader encourages. Positive learning environments involve students in the planning process. Teachers provide clear expectations and a rigorous curriculum. When students are involved in the classroom, they develop a sense of ownership in their learning. Discussions, labs, projects, and other student-centered activities can keep most students engaged. Once engage in learning, the interactions between other learners and the teacher become more productive. Classroom

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expectations should be positive and support a respectful environment. Our school leader gave some suggestions for creating and maintaining a positive classroom environment at the beginning of the school year. He reminded teachers that classroom expectations is a positive way to state class rules. Comprehensive Professional Growth Plans Our school leaders management style includes treating educators with respect and sensitivity. He uses a combination of direct instructional and collaborative techniques. Our administrator encourages educators to become problem solvers. Some students have struggled to pass high stakes assessments. The principal posed questions for teachers to consider some options that would increase test scores. Administrators used data from teacher performance to determine the teachers who should work on strategies to enhance student performance on standardized assessments. Other educators gave input on a program that would enhance student performance. A group of teachers collaborated to develop a remediation process that will help improve student performance. Students scores are improving and this strategy. This strategy used equality to design a technique that has been effective in enhancing student learning. A supportive school culture creates a climate to enhance teaching and lesson planning (Nolan & Hoover, 2008). All teachers are required develop one annual professional and a personal goal. Administrators provide resources and guidance to assist educators with accomplishing these goals. The goals connect to the evaluation process. Teachers with less than three years of experience in the district have a professional development cycle that includes four formative and

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two summative evaluations each school year.

The process begins with teachers and a

supervising principal having a pre-conference to discuss the evaluation process and techniques that will support the teachers performance. An observation is the next step. The evaluating administrator sits in the classroom and observes the teachers planning, instruction, and classroom environment. After the observation, the principal and the teacher have a post-

conference to discuss the evaluation. This cycle seems to be an appropriate method to monitor and support new teachers. Veteran teachers have a three-year evaluation cycle. During the two years that the teacher does not receive an evaluation, the supervising administrator uses teacherdeveloped goals to have an informal conversation about an educators performance and desire for assistance from administration. The evaluation process for veteran teachers has room for improvement. Educators might experience an increase in professional growth if they are more actively engaged in monitoring their performance during the two years that they are not having a formal evaluation. Peer coaching is one option for assisting teachers with improving teaching strategies. According to Nolan and Hoover (2008), this method of support allows teachers to play an active role in supervision. Peer coaching can contribute to mutual respect between educators and administrators. Teachers can volunteer to have a colleague make observations and give feedback on performance. When teachers provide their expertise and share ideas it can lead to collegiality (Hoover and Nolan, 2008). Collegial relationships develop when teachers discuss problems and concerns. Educators share information and exchange teaching strategies. Supportive relationships have a positive impact on schools. Teachers have an opportunity to work together while improving instruction

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and student learning. Collegiality increases the capacity for change and improvement. An environment that is conducive to change supports professional growth and increases student learning. Mid-Del School District offers educators the opportunity to participate in collaborative professional development. Last year a group of teachers attended training sessions on

collaboration and teaming to prepare for the implementation of our Freshman Academy. Educators who primarily teach freshman level courses observed a school that was using a teaming approach to teach ninth grade students. collaboration and teaming. The group also attended a workshop on

Counselors and administrators participated in a conference to

reinforce conflict resolution skills. This two-day conference took place in the local area. Peer coaching and professional learning communities (PLCs) are the two avenues for colleagues to collaborate while enhancing professional knowledge and skills. Teachers volunteer to participate in peer coaching and the study group. Observing and getting feedback from another educator is a valuable experience for teachers who are willing to discuss their performance with a co-worker. District level PLCs align with other educators in a content area. Educators explore situations that occur in their schools and conduct research to gather more information or solve a problem. Teachers enjoy discussing their experiences and getting ideas from other professionals about methods to improve teaching and learning. Currently, peer coaching is limited to one department at our school. Face-to-face relationships are important (Fullan, 2006). Many educators prefer collaborating with their colleagues instead of working in isolation. Collaborative professional development activities can enhance collegiality.

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School-wide learning goals are included in the evaluation process. This is an area of strength for our district. Supervisors look for evidence that teachers plan lessons and deliver instruction to help students reach learning goals. At our school, supervisors document if teachers are incorporating activities to improve reading comprehension and writing skills. Student learning is another positive aspect of our districts evaluation process. Student learning is the focus of teacher evaluation. The district uses the first three domains that are in the framework created by Danielson (2007). School leaders and educators document lesson planning and preparation. Teacher knowledge on planning activities that emphasize thinking, availability of student choice, and encouragement of depth are a part of the assessment to determine if teachers are competent in the first domain. Classroom environment is the second domain. Administrators observe teachers to monitor if educators have high expectations for all students and to evaluate an indication of poor classroom management. The final domain is instruction. Supervisors observe to see if teachers give clear instructions and engage students in learning. Assessment and Recommendations Focusing on student learning is a strong point in our districts evaluation and supervision process. Adult learning theory is also included in teacher evaluations (Nolan & Hoover, 2008). Classroom assistance structures are an area of strength in the Mid-Del district. A variety of classroom assistance structures provides resources for educators. Teachers can volunteer to have peer coaches conduct observations and give feedback on their performance. Action research groups study a specific area of need and develop an improvement plan. Data is collected and the

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group meets to discuss necessary changes. Teachers participate in Professional Learning Communities to discuss teaching and learning strategies (Glickman, 2002). Classroom assistance connects to school-wide goals and student learning. Professional development is another positive aspect of our districts evaluation process. Educators create a professional and personal goal at the beginning of the school year. Supervisors assist teachers with creating self-direct growth plans (Nolan & Hoover, 2008). The professional development committee reviews professional development opportunities in the area. This committee makes suggestions about guest speakers, workshops, and conferences that align with school-wide goals. Individual teachers can make a request to attend a professional development event. The professional development committee determines if the activity is connected to school and an individual teachers goals. Supervision and instructional leadership approaches are both areas of strength and weakness. A clinical supervision model is an evaluation tool for educators. This process is an area of strength because it includes a pre-observation conference, an observation, and a postobservation conference. Administrators communicate with educators to determine methods that will improve instruction and enhance student learning. According to Nolan and Hoover (2008), an effective evaluation system eliminates poor performance and nurtures excellent performance. Supervision does encourage great teaching. A weakness of supervision is this process does not effectively address poorly performing teachers. Administrators tend to make minimum suggestions for improvement and avoid placing certain students in classes when teachers do not perform well.

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Two types of instructional leadership styles used at the school. These two styles are a collaborative and a direct instructional approach. Leaders collaborate with committees and individual teachers on designated topics. Sometimes leaders present information using a more direct approach. Using both approaches and giving educators input in some situations is an area of strength. A weakness is leaders often use a directive approach when they are communicating negative information. Leaders might allow their emotions to dictate their statements and approach to interact with staff members. Maslow (1970) discussed a hierarchy that exists in individuals and organizations. The majority of our staff members are at level three. The primary focus is on belonging to a social group. When people reach level five they do what is best for stakeholders. Our school currently has about half of the staff at level three and approximately ten percent of people are at level five. Group members who are at a lower level of the hierarchy tend to focus on personal needs. The school environment and student learning would improve if more members of the organization utilize their expertise and knowledge to do what is best for students and the community. Some strategies can be used to enhance the effectiveness of our educational system. The first recommendation is to improve the supervision process. Our current method of supervision does not lead to improved performance for poorly performing teachers. Supervisors are reluctant to discuss inadequate performance with veteran teachers. Teachers with seniority can get away with not complying with some policies and procedures. Often educators are not accountable for poor academic performance. Several of our experienced teachers do not provide modifications for students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). These teachers might say the students do not need modifications for they modify the grade instead of modifying

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the assignment. Failure to adhere to the requirements in an IEP is a violation of federal regulations. The school and individual teachers can face legal repercussions for not complying with federal laws. Ginsberg and Murphy (2002) discussed how supervisors usually visit classrooms only for evaluations. Some leaders believe that teachers prefer being left alone to independently work in their classrooms. Having more informal classroom visits could create more dialogue and collaboration between administrators and educators. My second recommendation is for leaders to encourage and participate in a reflective analysis of the teaching and learning process. Nolan and Hoover (2008) discuss how reflective journal entries can promote teacher growth. Teachers could reflect in their journals and then share some of these ideas with supervisors. Leaders can use this information to help teachers improve professional and personal performance. Leaders could use 2+2 feedback to give

compliments and suggestions for making improvements (Allen & Leblanc, 2005). This feedback method would keep teachers actively involved in the evaluation process. reflection might change the leadership approach. Including more

When teachers are more aware of their

teaching styles, they are likely to need less direct instruction from supervisors. Then, more collaboration could take place between educators and administrators. When teachers and

supervisors collaborate more, it is likely that everyone will get comfortable with sharing constructive criticism and suggestions for enhancing student learning. These recommendations considered individual and group needs. Everyone can develop and implement a plan of continuous improvement. Improving the supervision process will benefit students because teachers will continue to enhance their teaching strategies. Educators can participate in training opportunities to enhance their ability to meet the needs of diverse

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learners.

Reflecting on current practices allows educators to process information on their

teaching styles. Colleagues can provide 2+2 feedback to give teachers another perspective on their current teaching strategies. Educators would have the option to participate in feedback sessions with other teachers. All legal and ethical principals will be followed when developing and implementing strategies to improve the schools supervision and evaluation process. Teacher evaluation systems can improve a schools overall performance. Supervisors should have a good understanding of what effective teachers do. Educators should be actively involved to ensure that they understand standards of performance and evaluation expectations. Multiple sources of data assist with assessing teacher performance. Data collection comes from lesson plans, student work samples, assessment results, and teacher observation. Effective

leaders play a positive role in the evaluation process. They provide feedback and encourage teachers to reflect on their teaching strategies. Supportive evaluation environments focus on teaching and learning for all students, collaboration among educators, and reflective practices (Nolan & Hoover, 2008). This analysis considered a variety of aspects of teacher evaluation. A districts teacher evaluation system should be broad and comprehensive to account for all duties and expected performance. The system should use a variety of sources of data to give reliable information on performance. Administrators know how to make summative judgments on teacher performance. Continuous professional development is essential for

members of the organization. Various stakeholders have an opportunity to participate in the evaluation process. Evaluations align with research on teaching strategies and student learning. Due process rights protect educators during teacher evaluations. Veteran teachers who continue

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to demonstrate satisfactory performance receive evaluations with techniques that differ from the process used to evaluate novice or poorly performing educators. Mid-Del School District collaboratively implemented goals and a vision for each school. Administrators were responsible for helping staff members build a shared commitment to the vision. Schools measure progress toward student goals by input from individual teachers, the academic coach, on-site groups, and outside evaluators. Goals are assessment data

communicates progress to teachers during staff meetings. Classroom support is available to assist with teacher learning. Clinical supervision, peer coaching, and a study group are the three forms of classroom assistance that are available at our school. Teachers have the option of volunteering to participate in peer coaching and study group activities. The clinical supervision model is helpful to evaluate all teachers. Veteran teachers who perform well have fewer observations and can be more actively involved in developing a plan that meets their professional needs. Resources that sustain

programs to enhance student performance should continue to be available at our school. The school leader involves staff member in a collaborative decision making process when considering implementing new policies that can be negotiated. The districts current evaluation process has strengths and weaknesses. Improvements on developing a process to enhance teaching strategies of educators who do not meet minimum levels of competency would add to this effectiveness of this system. Staff members should be encouraged to reflect on their Developing a team concept will create an

performance and collaborate with colleagues.

environment for meaningful change to improve teaching and enhance student learning.

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References Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Fullan, M. (2006). Leading professional learning. School administrator, 63(10), 10-14. Eisner, E. (2002). The kind of schools we need. Phi Delta Kappan, (83)8, 576-584. Marzano, R. J. (2004). Building background knowledge for academic achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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Nolan, J.F, & Hoover, L.A. (2008). Teacher supervision and evaluation. Theory into practice (2nd ed.). Hoboken, N.J: Wiley & Sons. Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and personality (2nd ed.). New York: Harper & Row. Pogrow, S. (2005). A thinking development approach to reducing the learning gap after grade 3. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(1), 64-75. Richardson, J. (2001). Shared culture: A consensus of individual values. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council. Slavin, R. (1989). Pet and the pendulum: Faddism in education and how to stop it. Phi Delta Kappan, 70(10), 752-758. Wagner, C., & Masden-Copas, P. (2002). An audit of the culture starts with two handy tools. Journal of Staff Development, 23(3), 42-53.