What Constitutes an Observation?

We are re-running this article as a reminder for Administrators regarding what needs to be recorded during a classroom visit to count it as one of the required "multiple classroom observations." MASSP is partnering with MDE, MASA, Michigan ASCD, MIEM and MEA on a two-day workshop on Educator Evaluation at four locations throughout the next few months. For a full agenda, dates and locations, click here.

Under the new legislation our previous paradigms for observations are no longer valid. If you have a new collective bargaining agreement for this school year the new legislation is in practice. Those of you who are a year or two away will be under the new legislation in the near future and you will want to start laying the ground work with your staff for this change.

OLD REQUIREMENTS:

Conduct two full-length observations 60 days a part to count a classroom visit as an "observation." There was also likely to be contract language that required things such as: prior notice to the teacher, a pre-observation conference, etc. If your previous contract did not allow for classroom walkthroughs or stated that walkthroughs would not be part of the evaluation process - as a prohibited subject of bargaining this language should no longer be in effect. It is likely that you will need to do a combination of full length and walkthroughs to be able to meet the requirement of "multiple" classroom observations for all staff.

NEW REQUIREMENTS [MCL 380.1249 (2)(c)] :

1. Review of the lesson plan
   
   
2. Identify state curriculum standard (HSCE, GLCE or Common Core Standard)
   
   
3. Review of pupil engagement
   • Does not have to be an entire class period. No time frame requirements (such as 60 days apart). You do not have to give the teacher notice of an observation.
     
   • School Districts can create their own observation and evaluation schedules.
     
   • Evaluation must include an assessment of the non-tenured teachers progress in meeting the goals of their IDP.
     
   • Evaluation must be based on multiple observations (of ALL teachers every year).

Tips for Making this Shift:

1. Review of the Lesson Plan
   
   If your staff has not been required to turn in or post lesson plans you are likely to get push back on this new mandate. Don’t give in on this - it is required by law for you to observe the lesson plan. If you are doing classroom walkthroughs and you visit several classrooms in the course of hour you should not have to contact teachers afterwards to get their lesson plans- this makes it difficult to you to keep track and to have accurate records.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Gather a cross-disciplinary group of staff members to select a lesson plan to be used consistently in the building. This will allow the same planning components and lesson design requirements to be implemented and used by all teachers. There are many different lesson plan designs out there- a simple Google search will turn up hundreds of options. Click here to access one site that might be helpful.
     
     
   • Once a lesson plan template is selected offer options for displaying the plan:
     • Teachers can use the white boards in their classrooms to have the full lesson plan displayed (many teachers use colored tape to create a permanent lesson plan template that they fill in daily).
       
       
     • Teachers can be provided with a red 3 ring binder to store lesson plans in. The binder should be located in an easy to see/access place in the front of the classroom. Administration can take a look at the plan when visiting the room.
       
       
     • Teachers may choose to post lesson plans on their classroom websites daily. If you come in the room and it is not on the board or in their binder, you will know to check the website.
2. Identify state curriculum standard (HSCE, GLCE or Common Core)
   Once again, this may be a new requirement for your staff, but it is a legal requirement and must be followed. The intent here is to ensure that all instructional time is spent teaching to the standards. Every content area has state or national standards that should be followed. It is important to spend some time at a staff meeting explaining the difference between: A Learning Target (aka Essential Learning or Goal), a HSCE/GLEC and an Agenda Item.
   
   If your District is transitioning to the Common Core, the St. Clair RESA has a fantastic site with many resources to assist with the common core transition: www.sccresa.org/toolsforschools/commoncore.
   

3. Review of Pupil Engagement
   Begin by making sure you have a clear definition of "pupil engagement." This concept needs to be clear for the administrators conducting the observations and the staff who are being observed. There are a number of articles online that help define student engagement.
   
   Once you have a clear, working definition of engagement make sure that your walkthroughs and full-length observation forms require that engagement is noted.