A growing body of literature recognizes the affordances of video in education, especially in relation to lesson observation and reflection as part of teachers' initial teacher education and continuing professional development. Minimal attention has been paid to the outcomes of video-enhanced observation as a source of multiple modes of data for…

Teacher evaluation systems commonly rely on observation of teaching practice (OTP) by school principals. However, the value of OTP as evidence of teacher effectiveness depends on its psychometric quality. In this study, we address a key aspect of the psychometric quality of principals' OTP ratings. Specifically, we investigate the degree to which…

The study reported in this article investigated the influence of a research-informed, school-based, professional development workshop programme on the quality of classroom dialogue using the interactive whiteboard (IWB). The programme aimed to develop a dialogic approach to teaching and learning mediated through more interactive uses of the IWB,…

New assistant high school principal, Gwen, and veteran English teacher, Anita, disagree on Gwen's approach to instructional leadership. Gwen's focus as a supervisor is on raising student achievement test scores. She prefers to make brief visits to classrooms, and she knows exactly what she wants to see happening during those visits. Anita views…

Suggests a method of evaluating teachers that includes a daily lesson plan form to be completed by the teachers being evaluated. The form lists the general and specific objectives of the class period, the concepts involved, teaching methods and teaching materials, and the methods for testing the students. (Author/RW)

Offers 22 characteristics of a good reading lesson and suggests that administrators keep four things in mind when observing a reading lesson: motivation, clarification, application, and satisfaction. (FL)

Administrators seeking the cooperation of teachers in the classroom observation phase of teacher evaluations should establish well-defined criteria in the areas of planning, technical skills, instructional skills, and classroom management so that teachers can recognize the evaluation process as an objective attempt to encourage their professional…

Advises principals to back up their impressions of teachers' performance by using three types of documentation: informal (logging incidents and actions during the school year), formal (classroom observations); and summative (year-end, written evaluations of each teacher's overall performance). Sound instructional leadership requires documentation…

The author explains a school-specific lesson observation format that meets the specific needs of teachers and evaluators. The lesson observation components of teacher evaluation become a positive experience for both teachers and evaluators using this system. (MD)

Principals unable or unwilling to conduct thorough teacher evaluations using classroom observations should consider two other sources of evaluation data: "artifacts of teaching," including lesson plans, tests, activity instructions, and bibliographic handouts prepared by teachers, student work, peer testimony, and similar materials; and…

Describes the Professional Improvement Commitment, a written agreement developed between teacher and evaluator/supervisor at the end of a supervision/evaluation cycle, designed to increase teacher effectiveness. (MM)

Two feedback forms have been developed to improve communication between curriculum developers and evaluators during a pilot project involving all subject areas in eight Indonesian schools. The first form involves time factors, teacher difficulties, student achievement, and evaluation team comments; the second focuses on diagnosing poorly achieved…