the PRofessional eDucatoR - Continuous Improvement - Making Evaluation a Tool for Increasing Teacher-and Student—Learning

Oct 15, 2026

Continuous improvement in teacher evaluation is presented through the perspectives of professional educators and AFT leaders. The article argues that traditional “drive-by” checklist evaluations provide limited or no meaningful feedback, lack rigor, ignore differences in resources and learning conditions, and often suffer from evaluators’ insufficient content knowledge and inadequate training. A collaborative, trusting school culture is proposed, combining professional development, helpful evaluation, and adequate resources to equip teachers with time and support to meet students’ needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Continuous Improvement

Making Evaluation a Tool for Increasing Teacher-and Student—Learning

Teachers’ Needs and Support Systems

Editors’ Questions on Traditional Teacher Evaluation

Perspectives from AFT Leaders

the PRofessional eDucatoR Continuous Improvement Making Evaluation a Tool for Increasing Teacher—and Student—Learning Professional educators—whether in the classroom, library, counseling center, or anywhere in between—share one overarching goal: seeing all students succeed in school and life. While they take great pride in their students’ accomplishments, they also lose sleep over their students’unmet needs. Professional educators routinely meet with students before and after school, examine student work to improve lesson plans, reach out to students’families in the evenings and on the weekends, and strive to increase their knowledge and skills. And yet, their efforts are rarely recognized by the society they serve. The AFT is committed to supporting these unsung heroes. In this regularfeature, we explore the work of professional educators—not just their accomplishments, but also their challenges—so that the lessons they have learned can benefit students across the country. After all, listening to the professionals who do this work every day is a blueprintfor success. illustrations by nenaD JaKeseViC T eachers are dedicated to their students. They do their best to ensure that all students learn as much as possible—and they have a strong desire to improve their teaching. No teacher wants a lackluster colleague in the classroom next door. But atthe same time, no teacher wants a competent colleague to be punished when a few troubled students turn the school year into a struggle. Listening to the various proposals across the country on how to increase teaching quality, it seems as though few policymakers have grasped these simple truths. Because they know so little about teaching, or about the day-to-day reality of working in a school, these policymakers are unable to offer plans that have much potential to enhance the quality of instruction. Who can create such a plan? Teachers. Teachers know what they need: a collaborative, trusting school culture that provides a system of supports aimed at continuous improvement. As for that small percentage of teachers who cannot attain a reasonable level of performance after having been given real opportunities to improve, they need help finding other careers. The details may vary from school to school, but all effective support systems will share the same basic formula: a seamless combination of professional development, helpful evaluation, and adequate resources such that all teachers have the tools, time, and trust that are necessary to do their jobs well. To better understand how such support systems could be designed, American Educator spoke to four AFT leaders: Maria Neira, an AFT vicepresident and a vice president of the New York State United Teachers; Marcia Reback, anAFT vicepresident and president of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals; Mary Cathryn Ricker, president of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers in Minnesota; and Brenda Smith, president of the Douglas County Federation and ofAFT Colorado. –editors 36 AMERICAN EDUCATOR | SUMMER 2010 Editors: How would you describe the traditional or typical approach to teacher evaluation? Are the results useful? Maria Neira: Many evaluations can be described as “drive by”and are of little value in helping teachers improve their instructional skills. Typically, teachers are evaluated once or twice a year by the principal or another building administrator. In New York, the tool is usually a checklist that includes 10 or so criteria covering everything from instruction to teacher attitudes. Teachers are rated satisfactory or unsatisfactory, but differences in teaching environment, resources, and learning conditions are not taken into account. Most administrators are not content specialists in the areas being evaluated, may not be up-to-date with the latest research on pedagogy, and—contrary to New York’s regulations governing evaluations—may have limited training on how to evalua

FAQs

Why does the article criticize the traditional teacher evaluation approach?

It criticizes it as “drive by” and of little value because evaluations are often infrequent, checklist-based, and provide little meaningful feedback for improving instruction.

What does the article say evaluators often lack in order to conduct useful evaluations?

Administrators may not be content specialists, may not be up-to-date with the latest pedagogy research, and may have limited training despite regulations governing evaluations.

What kind of support system does the article propose for continuous improvement?

It proposes a seamless combination of professional development, helpful evaluation, and adequate resources, enabling teachers to have the tools, time, and trust needed to do their jobs well.

Oct 15, 2026

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