Following are discussion questions on peer observation for you to consider with your local union and labor/management team.
Moving Forward - Taking Stock of Capacity
What does your local need most to move forward?
- Better tools and instruments
- More knowledge and expertise (for whom? about what?)
- Increased commitment and trust (between/ among whom?)
- Redefined roles for principals and peer observers
- Assistance in bargaining a new evaluation system
- Assistance in selecting or training evaluators
District Reflections
Discuss your district's current evaluation process.
- Is it geared primarily to assessment, development, or a balance between the two?
- Does your evaluation instrument provide multiple ratings and rubrics that can help the teacher improve? Are all observations followed with feedback? If so, is it in person, in writing/online, or both?
- Who currently observes and assesses teachers? Do any teachers observe and assess their peers?
- Are current evaluators trained to conduct standards-based observations?
- How would you characterize the labor-management relationship in your district? Collaborative? Neutral? Adversarial?
- Are there notable labor-management accomplishments that can serve as the basis for developing a peer observer program?