The author suggests that, although measuring creativity is a challenge, it is not impossible. Measures of the creative process are available, such as the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. (CL)

Now that educational reform has targeted principal performance as a key to school excellence, methods and procedures for evaluating these administrators have become an increasing concern. Current studies suggest that evaluation practices used in many districts are ill-suited to improving principals' performance and professional competence. Many…

The role of therapeutic recreation in psychiatric settings is examined. The importance of establishing a positive communication pattern is emphasized. Elements of assessment in the therapeutic recreation setting are considered, including thought processes and verbal behavior, nonverbal behavior, and awareness of feelings. Treatment planning is…

These journal articles examine the issues of evaluation and art education. In (1) "Self Evaluation for Secondary Art Students, Why Bother?" (Margaret Scarr), the article recommends that involving students in assessing their work contributes to learning. (2) "Evaluating for Success" (Arlene Smith) gives practical suggestions for…

Five recent studies included in this annotated bibliography highlight the diverse facets of an effective principal evaluation system. A technical report by Jerry W. Valentine and Michael L. Bowman includes a clinical instrument for assessing teachers' perception of principals' effectiveness. In a second report, Daniel L. Duke and Richard J.…

Improving communications between administration and staff members is an urgent, ongoing need. Schools should adopt a communications philosophy in conjunction with continuing communication effectiveness. These evaluations must have clear and understandable objectives, mainly to pinpoint communication strengths and weaknesses. All essential…

This newsletter issue focuses on the subject of mandatory testing of prospective teachers prior to certification. The following questions are discussed: (1) What are the major types of teacher tests? (2) How prevalent are teacher tests? (3) What are the major teacher tests? (4) What problems do teacher testing programs address? (5) What are the…

Seeking to clarify the purpose of teacher evaluation, the author advances a strategy in which improvement of instruction is the primary goal of evaluation. The paper divides the activities and strategies involved in evaluation into three broad categories: observation, judgment, and assignment of value. It recommends a process in which only those…

This fact sheet answers frequently asked questions about psychological evaluations for infants, children, and adults who are deaf-blind. It also considers how to use psychological evaluation quality indicators and identifies desired outcomes to maximize benefits to the student. Questions addressed include: (1) what skills and abilities are…

Effective leadership is more than the ability to demonstrate specific skills. The validity of early effective principal and leadership trait research has been questioned by recent studies. School improvement formulas that are narrowly focused on basic skills could easily lead to more demanding treatment of students. Recent studies show that…

What educators around the country are finding out as they work with portfolios is reviewed, focusing on the classroom. Portfolios are purposeful, collaborative, self-reflective collections of student work generated during the process of instruction. Although they can be used in any academic discipline, portfolios are widely used in English and…

With accurate information, educators are better able to make effective decisions. Besides being used to assess student performance, a complete program of data collection and use can also show educators how management skills, individual learning styles, and other elements affect student achievement. This digest provides an overview of how…

One of a series dealing with current issues affecting language arts instruction, this paper focuses on writing evaluations. The paper begins by noting that any practical discussion of the evaluation of writing must address the question of how to obtain reliable, informative judgments about students' writing. The paper then discusses the purposes…

Suggestions for providing more effective performance appraisals for school media specialists address questions of what performance items and evidence are appropriate for evaluating media specialists in schools of different levels and sizes, and what procedures will successfully involve media specialists, principals, and district level personnel.…

Numerous studies indicate that climate, the prevailing "feeling" of the environment, not only contributes to behavioral and situational outcomes, but that climate can be changed to help bring about the behaviors and outcomes desired. Researchers have identified characteristics of positive school climates and ways of determining the…