Beyond Charlotte: Reflection for Continuous Improvement of Practice

Abstract

Little positive correlation exists between teacher performance, or value-added teacher assessment, and student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2014; Harris, Ingle, & Rutledge, 2014). “Thus, evaluation in its current form, often contributes little … to teacher learning…” (Darling -Hammond, 2014, p. 1). Minnici (2014) summarizes “teachers are the most important in school factors that influence student achievement” (p. 1) and yet she questions whether the current systems of teacher evaluation improve teaching practices and engages teachers in necessary, continued professional development and growth during their careers. Additionally, Nolan and Hoover (2008) express concern about the current practice of ill-defined, mixed use of teacher evaluation and supervision used to enhance teaching performance. These authors are emphatic that this trend will not improve teaching or student achievement unless there is clear differentiation of the processes of evaluation and supervision as they are intended.