Comments on: Evaluating Teachers In Order To Fire Them? http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/11/30/evaluating-teachers-in-order-to-fire-them/ ...For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:45:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sam Grumont http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/11/30/evaluating-teachers-in-order-to-fire-them/comment-page-1/#comment-7285 Sam Grumont Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:15:56 +0000 http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=6503#comment-7285 We have a similar worry in Australia about what test scores may eventually be used for. Great post, especially the evaluation ideas. Have you seen Daine Ravitch and Deborah Meier's correspondence at Bridging Differences on this issue? http://bit.ly/6pb3MR "I have been trying to figure out how a school would function if the advocates of tying test scores to teacher evaluation prevail. At least three years of data would be needed, though five years would be better. At the end of the three-to-five years, the teachers who did not get gains would be fired and replaced by teachers who have no track record at all. Every year, a new group of teachers who had not produced gains would be fired, and another untested group of teachers would take their place. Most teachers, as MacInnes points out, would be exempt because they don't teach reading or math. But for the unfortunate minority who do teach the tested subjects, there would be an annual game of musical chairs. There would be constant churn, with untried teachers thrown into the trenches. Some might make it (though it will take three years or more to be sure), but many will be ousted. Does any other profession work this way?" Diane Ravitch We have a similar worry in Australia about what test scores may eventually be used for. Great post, especially the evaluation ideas.

Have you seen Daine Ravitch and Deborah Meier’s correspondence at Bridging Differences on this issue?

http://bit.ly/6pb3MR
“I have been trying to figure out how a school would function if the advocates of tying test scores to teacher evaluation prevail. At least three years of data would be needed, though five years would be better. At the end of the three-to-five years, the teachers who did not get gains would be fired and replaced by teachers who have no track record at all. Every year, a new group of teachers who had not produced gains would be fired, and another untested group of teachers would take their place. Most teachers, as MacInnes points out, would be exempt because they don’t teach reading or math. But for the unfortunate minority who do teach the tested subjects, there would be an annual game of musical chairs. There would be constant churn, with untried teachers thrown into the trenches. Some might make it (though it will take three years or more to be sure), but many will be ousted.

Does any other profession work this way?”
Diane Ravitch

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