Reimagining Appraisal

The verdict is in: traditional approaches to evaluation and appraisal do not positively impact student achievement (Stecher, 2018). So, how do we find the balance between accountability and a system that empowers teachers to work collectively and lead their own professional growth? “When we look at collaborative cultures ... the systems that have strong degrees of collaboration ... have built in a growing and increasing sense of responsibility about what they’re doing and how they need to explain themselves—not just to themselves, but to the wider system.” (Fullan, 2017) There is tremendous evidence that a collaborative culture has the power to make a very large impact on student achievement (Hattie, 2017). Using participatory leadership practices, school teams can develop a truly meaningful design for teacher appraisal. The result is a Professional Learning Process: differentiated experiences for teachers aligned to a common school wide evidence-based model. The participatory leadership approach is…