Teacher as Evaluator

The quality of mercy is not strain’d
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless’d
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein does sit the dread and fear of kings
But mercy is above this scepter’d sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself,
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
-Shakespeare Merchant of Venice

For several generations we have been fooled into believing that if we could name a thing, we could understand it; anything we could quantify and give a number to had been evaluated, and that evaluation was an objective act, somehow bestowing understanding. This is the legacy of the first one hundred years of actively forming the study of human beings into a science. Unfortunately, by quantifying or naming a thing, we do not necessarily understand it, and we cannot say that in all our measuring and labeling, we know how to be better teachers or serve children more effectively.

we would be redefining the role from the past training we have received
we need new tools to look at the whole child rather than the student IQ
it would not be enough to measure or understand only a small part of the student
much of the time spent in evaluation in the past has been to determine a grade, so our function in evaluation would change
A very real part of the function of evaluator would be self evaluation
it would be vital to reassess the pros and cons in subjective assessment and to give more credence to our own ability to measure
nonverbal clues would take on more meaning and be important to consider
training students to be evaluators would be an unwelcome additional task to some teachers
setting up students as evaluators might be seen as giving too much power to the child
adding a new dimension or role to a “full plate” shuts down the minds of people who already feel stressed or over-burdened
because we have so little practice admitting we evaluate constantly, it might feel threatening to take on an assessment dimension
this would really add to seeing ourselves and the role of teacher as a professional

Scott reviewed the points for conducting a successful parent teacher conference. Plan ahead.

Begin with a positive statement.
Listen actively.
Establish a partnership.
Plan follow-up contacts.
End with a positive statement. (Wolfolk, 1995).

1. Try to recognize your own norms or expectations, why you have them for these students, who gave them to you and if they really fit the current classroom situation

2. Keep expectations fluid and current and work to share them with students rather than keeping them unspoken or believing that students should discover them
   

3. Be consistent among what is being proposed as achieveable, the lessons that are provide and the behaviors or outcomes that are evaluated. Is there a match?

4. Stress a student’s own improvement and progress rather than comparing one student with another

5. Involve students in their own goal setting and evaluation of self

6. Use the progress of the groups and students to determine possible progress rather than setting a universal expectation or ceiling for achievement

7. Focus as much as possible on the areas of competence rather than on weaknesses

8. Communicate positive expectations for every student and verbalize encouragement rather than comparison

9. Involve students in setting standards and assist them to become more and more equitable in group treatment of each other rather than focusing on “fairness” or competitive comparisons of one another or self

10. Provide a good model for students by monitoring nonverbal behaviors and not setting up a grading process which does make comparisons and does pit one student against another, all the time verbalizing that it is inappropriate

The model or lens we choose to look through often determines what we will see, and of those things we see, what we will pay attention to or value. In evaluating or assessing a child our lens is a crucial factor. During the 20th century great progress has been made in determining the normal sequence of growth across many areas of child development. Although that has not yet been translated into a change of focus in education, it has made it feasible for us to educate the whole child. Now it is essential for us to incorporate these precious tools into the lives of the children we teach.

Education is still the crux; teacher and student still the main players, but cognitive learning assumes its proper perspective. It is a significant part of the learning process. Acquisition of knowledge is easily measured, a crucial part of the developing child -- perhaps a vehicle for moving other developmental tasks forward. The ability to learn, after all, has fueled much of our distinctions of who needs special services. However, in perspective, it can be recognized as a part of the process of educating humanity, and not pursued as the only primary outcome.

Viewing the child as a whole person
To help teachers change to a more whole child approach, it is important to have ways to recognize more dimensions in the child, to have more knowledge about the development of the child, and to have ways of showing and discussing the child in a more whole manner. The PEPSI model provides that kind of container for teachers and for parents.

The concept of a PEPSI screening devise came about through recognition of the importance which child development has in assisting us to identify patterns in child behavior, and perceived misbehavior. Important as the concepts are, there is little instructional time or educational energy devoted to training teachers in developmental concepts. Further, there is such a mass of information available for study and consideration that it is difficult to manage and utilize it effectively with respect to individual children even when development is studied. The schema of developmental delay also suggests the need for a simple format for screening a child's potential strengths or delays across several dimensions.

The PEPSI model has been developed to assist in viewing the child across five areas of development. As shown in the following materials, the five charting areas are: physical, emotional, philosophical, social and intellectual. It works as a teacher's "hands-on" device, showing guidelines for recognizing and confirming a pattern of child behaviors and providing insight into child needs. By using the detailed charting which is provided as a reference guide, the teacher effort is enhanced, increasing the ability to pinpoint levels of development in any (each) of the five progressing areas and then discern a child's individual pattern of growth or delay in those established areas.

1. The PEPSI assessment model is based on an humanistic philosophy, a belief in health and positive growth and maintains a child-centered focus.
   
2. The basic concepts come from the wealth of research in developmental literature.
   
3. The screening procedure is informal, partially intuitive and instructive, with a PEPSI for a child being viewed as a starting point for assisting in recognizing patterns of behavior and general levels of child growth.
   
4. The PEPSI model is not intended as a set of criteria for labeling or diagnosing in any setting or with any child.
   
5. The PEPSI is intended to be a flexible tool which can be adjusted to meet individual teacher needs.
   
6. Viewing the child through a PEPSI model may provide adult awareness of areas which can be strengthened and nourished in the child.
   
7. Once a PEPSI is constructed for a child there may be a visible image of strengths, weaknesses and areas of developmental progress which can assist in production of the IEP and which may be included in a child's portfolio.
   
8. PEPSI can be a self help tool when taught to adolescent students to assist them in developing self awareness and setting personal goals for growth.

In a First Grade classroom we recently observed a student with a set of behavioral problems which led the teacher to refer the child to special education services. The teacher reported a belief that the child was retarded and emotionally disturbed. The child appeared infantile and vindictive in a setting of responsible and motivated students. In an informal observation a cursory PEPSI was developed. By charting the child's behaviors and reactions and then comparing them to developmental sequences it was possible to recognize that the child was operating in patterns typical of a 4 1/2 year old socially, morally and emotionally. The child's chronological and physical age of 7 effectively masked the educator's ability to recognize immaturity as the real reason for the child's apparent dysfunction. Looking at the child's work habits and report card history were not good clues to the real issues or cognitive capability. That is frequently the case when a child is viewed as being at risk.

Begin the process by observing one child and gathering data in several situations. Interview the child when possible and ask those who are close to the child to furnish some of the information. A PEPSI model can be worked out with limited information, though the more that is known the better the outcome. Compare the data gathered with the charts from various developmental frameworks. The behavior can be compared one age at a time using those charts. Go through this sequence for all five developmental (PEPSI) areas and then draw an overview of the child's progress. A set of charts have been included in the appendix.

PEPSI Screening

1. Gather information about the child.
   
2. Compare the child's behaviors with the age charts supplied.
   
3. Draw out a PEPSI chart for a "typical"child.
   
4. Diagram an illustration of the findings for the individual child.
   
5. List strengths and weaknesses which are apparent from the profile.
   
6. Review suggestion list for enhancing safety and increasing student growth.

1. Once the teacher recognizes a delay, a goal can be generated to address growth
2. The teacher will be able to facilitate the most progress through increased safety and structure in the educational environment
   
3. Student energy can be enhanced by showing pleasure in the student strengths as well as focusing on concerns
   
4. The teacher can provide practice in missing skills which would be the likely behaviors to surface next, according to the indications from the charting
   
5. Remember to reward close approximations rather than focusing on errors to achieve an optimal level of development
   
6. Get each student involved in monitoring progress, in making and working on personal growth goals
   
7. Keep shifting more and more of the responsibility for self control to the student

1. Consistency and structure
   
2. Caring
   
3. Comfort when hurting, anxious, alarmed
   
4. Closeness and reassurance when child is defensive
   
5. Choices given - possible, well defined, well drilled, thoroughly outined up front
   
6. Consequences for behavior -
   
   
   lined out and explained
   consistently applied,
   logical and natural in the flow
   never punitive or used punitively, angrily

The power base for the evaluator role comes primarily from Personal Power and involves Expert Power and Information Power. Teachers who possess expert power are perceived by their students and the students’ parents as possessing the right kind of education, experience and ability to work with students. Students who are proud of the expertise and dedication of their teachers react with an increase in cooperative and supportive behaviors. Teachers are much more likely to be perceived as experts if they view children as whole people, not just as minds. In addition, teachers who learn about students from many different perspectives will, indeed, be more expert.

Every parent wants to know that “the best teacher in the school” is at the head of his/her child’s classroom. Parents who know or believe that their child’s teacher is an expert are much more supportive of the teacher’s efforts and of the education process in general. The wise teacher builds upon that foundation.

Go back to Teaching Roles

E-mail J'Anne Ellsworth at Janne.Ellsworth@nau.edu

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