Understanding Teaching: A Model for Assessment

Abstract

Porter provides a framework for thinking about teacher assessment. Good teach ing is characterized and target domains for teacher assessment are outlined. A number of challenges to existing assess ment and plans for future assessment practices are identified. New systems of teacher assessment should be designed to triangulate across domains ofteacher knowledge, skills, and beliefs; teachers' classroom behaviors; and student out comes. Because an ideal system of teacher assessment will almost surely exceed available resources of knowl edge and effort, the costs and benefits of implemented teacher assessment practices must be evaluated to see if the expense is worth the results and to guard against undesirable side effects, such as elimination of minority teachers from the teacher corps.