www.rcu.msstate.edu

1. The RCU enhances intellectual and professional development of Mississippi students and educators while applying knowledge and educational research to the lives of the people in Mississippi. The RCU works within the contexts of curriculum development and revision, assessment and professional development and training for Mississippi students, teachers, and administrators. www.rcu.msstate.edu

2. Lois Kappler Project Manager MSTAR Certified Trainer www.rcu.msstate.edu

3. Getting to know you • Introduce yourself by telling me – • Your name • Your position in your district • Your experience with MSTAR • Share the trait you see FIRST on • the next slide. Write that word • on a post-it note, but do not • share it until you introduce • yourself.

5. Goals of This Training • To introduce the Mississippi Statewide Teacher Appraisal Rubric (M-STAR) • To help participants acquire the skills, knowledge, understanding, and confidence to observe lessons and make high standard judgments • To increase teacher effectiveness • To ensure higher levels of achievement for all students

6. Goal of M-STAR The research and data are clear! “teacher quality is the single most important variable impacting student achievement” (Rivkin, Hanushek & Kain, 2005; Rockoff, 2004).

8. Why an Appraisal system Now? • Under previous systems of evaluating teachers’ work, the scores teachers have received have become separated from the key output – student learning. • Teachers have received considerably higher ratings than test results suggest should be the case. • Meaningful evaluations start with a well-designed system. But ultimately the system’s success depends on strong implementation.

9. Most Important reason for effective appraisal • Student Achievement • U. S. ranks 17th in industrialized nations in education. • In Mississippi almost 50% of children in 3rd – 8th grade are below grade level in language arts and math. • Low graduation rates! • Students not equipped with 21st Century Skills! • Whose job is this? • All Mississippi educators!

10. Federal and State Theory of Action

11. U.S. Department of Education Priority for Identifying Effective Teachers Method for determining and identifying effective and highly effective teachers: • Must include multiple measures • Effectiveness evaluated, in significant part, on the • basis of student growth • Supplemental measures may include multiple • observation based instruments

12. TIF Grant Overview • 5 year pilot – 10 schools in 8 districts in MS • Funded by Federal Grant • Create a performance based compensation plan • Establish a teacher and principal evaluation system • Establish a data system • Establish professional development activities • Create career ladders for teachers

13. Previous Evaluation Systems Positives and Benefits Issues and Concerns • Talk with your neighbor and make a list of benefits and issues

14. How is M-STAR different?

15. MS Teacher Evaluation Pie Chart

16. The National Perspective:Research and Reports • Research confirms that teachers and leaders matter most to students’ achievement • Recent studies find current educator evaluation systems are deficient in three key ways: • Lack sufficient connection to goals for student learning and growth • Do not provide educators with adequate feedback for improvement • 3. Fail to differentiate educator effectiveness

17. M-Star Timeline • 2011-12 Pilot implemented (TIF/SIG) • January – July 2012 Focus Group Review and Feedback • July 2012 – July 2013 Training state-wide on the system • 2013-2014 Field Test the System • 2014-2015 Full Implementation

18. Observation Cycle Review lesson plan, understand context, + ask clarifying questions Key Questions: What are students learning? What is the evidence for this learning? Effective, concrete feedback + next steps are key! Observe feedback in action

19. five components of the teacher observation cycle • Teacher Self-Assessment • Professional Growth Goals (PGG) and Student Learning Objectives (SLO) • Walk-through Visits • Formal Observations and Conferences • Student Surveys (optional)

20. Great teachers change lives Like all professionals, teachers deserve quality feedback and support to excel at their jobs. When our teachers grow, our students grow, and that’s why we are transforming our approach to teacher appraisal and development. This new system is a big step toward activating our goal of placing an effective teacher in every Mississippi classroom!

21. M-STAR Overview • Five domains (weighted equally) • Planning • Assessment • Instruction • Learning Environment • Professional Responsibilities • 20 standards

22. M-STAR Ratings A teacher’s performance on each standard will be appraised in accordance with a four-level rating scale: • Level 4 Distinguished: indicates that the teacher’s performance consistentlyexceeds expectations. • Level 3 Effective: indicates that the teacher’s performance meets expectations. • Level 2 Emerging: indicates that the teacher’s performance inconsistently meets expectations. • Level 1 Unsatisfactory: indicates that the teacher’s performance does not meet expectations.

23. Process Manual • Check out these pages

24. A closer look • Look at your copy of the • M-STAR appraisal rubric • Find Domains • Locate Standards • Identify the Indicators • Examine Domains III and IV

25. Domain III: Instruction Domain Standard Indicators

26. What did we learn this morning? Any confusion or questions? Are you ready?

27. Performance ratings Description • Level 4 is the most effective level of teacher performance. Rating at this level indicates that the teacher’s performance is exemplary; consistently exceeding expectations. • Level 3 is the expectation for all teachers. Rating at this level indicates the teacher’s performance consistently meets expectations. Teachers who receive this rating should receive professional development and support designed to address the identified area(s) for growth. • Level 2 indicates either a beginning teacher or a teacher who needs focused professional development. Rating at this level indicates the teacher is sometimes meeting expectations, but not doing so consistently. Teachers who receive this rating should receive professional development and support designed to address the identified area(s) of challenge • Level 1 is the least effective level of teacher performance. Rating at this level indicates the teacher’s performance is not acceptable. Teachers who receive this rating rarely meet expectations. Teachers who receive this rating should receive immediate and comprehensive professional development and support designed to address the identified area(s) for growth. DISTINGUISHED Levels of Performance EFFECTIVE EMERGING UNSATISFACTORY

28. Method of Evaluating Standards

29. Method of Evaluating Standards

30. Method of Evaluating Standards

31. Scoring

32. Scoring Process • Teachers will receive a rating (on a point scale) for each standard • Distinguished – 4 points • Effective – 3 points • Emerging – 2 points • Unsatisfactory – 1 point • Within each domain, the points will be averaged. • The averages from each domain will be weighted equally to arrive at a summative rating.

33. Example: Creating A Domain Score Domain Score (Average of standard scores under domain) 2.75

34. Example: Creating A Domain Score Domain Score (Average of standards under domain) 4

35. Example: Creating A Domain Score Domain Score (Average of standard scores under domain) 2.4

36. Example: Creating A Domain Score Domain Score (Average of standard scores under domain) 3.4

37. Example: Creating A Domain Score Domain Score (Average of standard scores under domain) 2.5

38. Example: Summative Observation Rating (2.75 + 4 + 2.4 + 3.4 + 2.5) 5

39. SELECTED Scripting • Only the 10 standards found in Domain III (Instruction) and Domain IV (Learning Environment) are to be observed and scripted. Be concerned only with Standards 7 -16. • What is scripting?

40. Selected scripting is useful for collecting information about the following: • Types of questions asked by the teacher and students and types of responses that are given • How the teacher uses those responses to guide instruction • How a lesson is differentiated, adapted, modified • What students are doing throughout the lesson (time on task, engagement) • How the physical room arrangement facilitates or impedes instruction • The teacher’s movement during the lesson

41. Selected scripting process • Use the divided page (T-chart) format to script. Use lined paper or the designated form. The divided page illustrates teacher/student or cause/effect. • Include identifying information at the beginning of the notes. • Record the times of transition during the lesson. • Use abbreviations to streamline the process (T-teacher, S-student, OH-overhead, etc.) • Notes should contain descriptions and exact quotes when possible. Use evidence that is seen and heard! • Notes should be as factual as possible (preponderance of evidence). Avoid personal opinion, bias, and assumption.

42. Using the Rubric during observation • During the observation, best practice is to focus on the impact of teaching on learning. • Having a rubric with you at all times is a great help; it is a prompt and guide to use. • As soon as the observation is completed, reflect on the evidence recorded using the rubric and match it to the standards. • Concentrate on the most important strengths and areas for improvement. • Focus on student learning. View everything through the students’ eyes and ears. • Use the rubric immediately after the observation visit to record indicator numbers on the appropriate areas of the scripting to link specific evidence to specific indicator numbers.

43. Talking with the Students • With a partner discuss the following: • Why should I talk with students in a formal sense as a lesson observer? • Should I move around the classroom? • What protocols should I follow? • What should I do with the information?

44. Suggested Questions to Ask Students • What are you expected to learn and understand by the end of the lesson? • Why are you learning this? • Is the work challenging? Is it interesting? Does it make you think? • Is the lesson too difficult? Is it too easy? What makes you say that? • What does the teacher do while you are working?

45. Time to practice

46. Lesson Observation 1 • Grade 7 Language Arts • During this initial lesson observation, participants will follow the selected scripting example. • After the video, pairs/groups will indentify the performance ratings for standards 7-16 using the selected scripting and the rubric. • The whole group will discuss the rating determinations.

47. Observing Lessons Warning! We observe all the time, which means that it may be easy to do but hard to do objectively. • Remember • We tend to see what we want to see • We have to be aware of and avoid bias, particularly personal idiosyncrasies • We have to avoid preconceptions • Observations should be based upon agreed criteria

48. Lesson Observation 2 • Grade 7 Science • Selectively script the lesson. Focus on teaching and learning in standards 7-16. • Individually use the rubric to identify performance ratings throughout your selected script. Place the ratings in the Performance Rating Chart on the wall. • Think about the feedback you would give to this teacher based on the evidence.

49. M-STAR Key Points • Student-centered vs. teacher-centered • Rubric is not a checklist, but used to evaluate where “preponderance of evidence” points to on the rating scale • Conversation and FACE TO FACE feedback are key pieces in improving teacher practice

50. Stay focused on . . . • Clear communication Successful implementation requires a clear and consistent message about the evaluation system’s purpose. • Teachers need it so that they can get useful feedback and support that helps them reach their instructional best. • Schools need it so that they can make smart decisions and build strong instructional teams. MSTAR will help put teachers and instructional managers on a new path to instructional excellence.