 As I began a new administrative job a few years ago, I was introduced to a new form of teaching evaluation–at least, new to me. It was a three page long self-evaluation form. It might be startling to some, but in twenty plus years as an educator, both public and private, I had not been part of a system that had used written reflection as part of an annual performance evaluation. I was eager to try it.
After observing in classrooms as an administrator, I filled out a form for each teacher while my teachers filled out their own. It felt hospitable. “You evaluate yourself, and I will too.” We met and exchanged papers, reading through comments and discussing them page by page. We were all new to the practice. Some teachers left their comment sections blank while others left copious notes. Those who filled in every comment box were often harsh on themselves while those who left entire pages blank didn’t see a need for it, revealing much by omission. Both choices allowed for good discussions, but I quickly realized that two forms versus one still left a gap. The two-part system was fair and decent, but I wondered how much we could gauge, or better yet, how much we should. Measures require standards, and we need concrete measures in our employee records. My husband has filled out dozens of these forms for decades in the IT world. In business, a good employee is a productive one. Standardized years ago, words like integrity, accountability, timeliness, leadership, dedication, populate any annual performance review. The key is in the title since entire sections ask how well you maintained the company vision. Did you increase scale and scope? Did you step up to challenges? Did you architect projects? Did you streamline support? Did you handle requirements? Were you, in fact, productive for the mighty corporation? However, an annual performance review or regular feedback can only measure a handful of character traits and job skills, never the whole person. I’m convinced no evaluation truly can, nor should it, if we look at work alone. I must manage my teachers in one sense, but how do I measure part of a person if my chief goal is success? Is success my chief goal? It might sound strange, but I am not looking for a new evaluation form for myself or my teachers. I don’t need another checklist with skills, observations, behaviors, virtues or vices. How should I really assess a person? Or more importantly, how do I think about measuring myself and others? As Dorothy Sayers said in her 1942 essay “Why Work?”, we might need a “thoroughgoing revolution in our whole attitude toward work." Comments are closed.
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