Teacher Career in Middle School Report (Assessment)

Introduction

The education sector is being monitored just like the other sectors and is expected to remain under substantial scrutiny in the probable future. However, the obligation of managing certain schools is devolved even further. In this case, leaders and managers of such institutions will surely need to find equilibrium between reasonable, external demands for institutional accountability and the conception that effective administration of people in the institution is vital for effective personal and team performance.

Therefore, rigorous self-evaluation in institutions tends to replace the rather expensive and sledgehammer approach to external evaluation. Thus, the management and evaluation of individuals and teams will rightfully recognize the significance of self-review, mediation, consideration, and feedback. These are essential to successful and professional performance. In this case, it is probable that 360-degree feedback would ultimately become the norm in the most successful institutions (Rothwell et al., pp. 101-105).

The job description of a teacher-middle school

The career of a teacher in middle school was instituted with the objectives of facilitating student achievements in academic and interpersonal abilities. This was to be attained through academic and vocational programs of study and by executing district sanctioned curriculum, detailed teaching and learning progress, outcomes, and activities. The teacher should also concentrate on the student requirements and facilitate a safe and conducive learning environment. He should also deliver feedback to students, administration, and parents on student progress and prospect goals.

Some of the essential functions of a teacher may include carrying out continuous assessment of students’ progress, prospects, and goals. This is with the sole objective of providing feedback to the administration, parents/guardians, and students. The teacher should also work in collaboration with other teachers during the development and implementation of the school curriculum. He should manifest the methods required to carry out assignments with the objective of facilitating an effective school program and tackling the needs of individual students.

The teacher should provide learning to a student with the objective of attaining success in academic, interpersonal, and life skills through a defined program of study. He should carry constant evaluation of students’ activities in the classroom, playing ground, and lunch break with the objective of providing safety and welfare to the students. The teacher should also collaborate with the school management, community agencies, and parents with the objective of improving the standard of student outcomes, inventing solutions, and planning curriculum, among other functions (Berk, pp. 38-42).

The job requirements and minimum qualifications include skills, knowledge, and abilities. Skills are needed to execute multiple, extremely complex and technical activities with a view to improving skills periodically in order to keep in touch with the ever-changing job conditions. Special skill-based requirements needed to carry out the functions of the job satisfactorily include making and maintenance of reliable records; creation and management of projects, employing assessment instruments; exploiting pertinent software programs; upholding safety practices and running standard office equipment’s (Rao, pp. 1-5).

Aims of performance management

When carrying out performance appraisal, the teacher managers have certain aims in focus. The aims include cultivating a culture of trust to enhance the optimum performance from the staff. Intelligent school managers will have a strategic interpretation, outlook, or observation of the future of their institution. It may be a culture of not involving appraisal. However, with respect to national requirements, this might not be in line with regulations. Within the philosophy of trust, the perception of ownership that individuals feel about administration processes and innovations is critical. This is the sense of ownership projects from the manager to the staff carrying out the modest tasks (Bell & Bush, pp. 128-131).

Irrespective of how plans come from the national level, they are reinvented at the institutional level to meet the requirements of the individual schools. It is essential to make sure that everything is encompassed in what a leader perceives to be a good employer practice. In addition, this should be in line with appropriate and challenging institutional goals. Individuals and teams should be facilitated to realize what is there for them.

This is in an effort to comprehend that the institution is offering its staff as much as it demands from them. Managers and leaders are required to show respect to individuals and teams by being frank about what is asked, how the program works and underscoring confidentiality where it is appropriate. Other features of human life nay may influence performance. Nonetheless, this may not be of concern to the manager unless the employee wants them to be (Berk, pp. 39-40).

In the modern context of profound emphasis on learning, there is a need to be constantly knowledgeable about the ever-changing nature of what teaching entails or constitutes. This will constantly be changing. In this reality, managers should make sure that their teacher performance and appraisal should focus on procedure greater than outcomes. Measurers should be established to identify teachers who increase students’ self-esteem and enthusiasm and those that enable students to remain stimulated for learning.

Data used in appraisal performance should be more qualitative rather than quantitative in its approach. Individual teachers may be more encouraged and less threatened in the event that personal outcomes fall below the desired expectation. However, personal action or progressive plans can be initiated from this process. This conforms with the notion of certain teachers’ specialized career profiles, a concept that could probably spread to several countries (Grote, pp. 289-293).

Managers need to cultivate the use of a 360-degree feedback system. Managers who start by addressing the subject of collecting qualitative information from a progressive range of applicable sources may be on the right path to this process. This is often recognized when the feedback from students and parents is broadly accepted. It also has a probable chance of influencing various features of the teacher’s attitude more effectively than the judgment of a leader.

A leader’s remarks on a teacher’s attitude may be a cause of stress in view of personal criticism. The principle of trust from which teachers can comprehend this feedback is generated from students and parents as constructive criticism. This may not be accepted quickly in some areas, but such feedbacks would be expected in effective schools. Managers also need to carry out team appraisals.

Collaborative organizations, where teachers have created powerful and professional relationships, have been identified as aspects of effective and refining schools. It has been observed that collaborative working was a significant contributor to the increased educational success in nations of the pacific edge. Team performance appraisal may be incorporated into the administration of institutions with a lot of ease. This can permeate the institution easily and may be economical with regard to time (Rothwell et al., pp. 101-105).

Summative rating form: Answers (Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)

• Criteria 1: centering instruction on high expectations for student achievement
  • Setting instructional outcomes.
  • Establishing a culture of learning.
  • Communicating with students.
• Criteria 2: demonstrating effective teaching practices
  • Designing coherent instruction.
  • Using questioning and discussion techniques.
  • Engaging students in learning.
  • Reflecting and teaching.
• Criteria 3: recognizing individual student learning needs and developing strategies to address those needs
  • Demonstrating knowledge of students.
  • Demonstrating knowledge of resources.
  • Demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness.
• Criteria 4: providing a clear and intentional focus on the subject matter content and curriculum
  • Demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy.
• Criteria 5: fostering and managing a safe, positive learning environment.
  • Creating a conducive environment.
  • Managing classroom events.
  • Managing student conduct.
  • Organizing physical space.

Conclusion

These suggestions do not provide a solution for the effective administration of performance and appraisal. However, in the realm of education and liberalization, the successful manager will have knowledge of the importance of managing both the current situation in the relevant institution and the envisioned long-term situation. If the second is not addressed, occurrences will quickly influence the decisions made by the manager.

It is probable that, in developed countries, representations of learning will progress. This may totally alter the function of the teacher. However, the teachers’ part is destined to remain central in educational institutions. Therefore, effective ways of administrating and monitoring teachers’ performance shall continue to be pursued and contested. Effective leaders will always be conversant with the changes in the environment within which their schools are located. Effective leaders will also be aware of any performance appraisal strategy that is flexible and appropriate.

Works Cited

Bell, Les, and T. Bush. The Principles and Practice of Educational Management. London [u.a.: Paul Chapman, 2002. Print.

Berk, Ronald A. Thirteen Strategies to Measure College Teaching: A Consumer’s Guide to Rating Scale Construction, Assessment, and Decision Making for Faculty, Administrators, and Clinicians. Sterling, VA: Stylus Pub, 2006. Print.

Grote, Richard C. The Complete Guide to Performance Appraisal. New York: AMACOM, 1996. Print.

North Mason School District/Danielson Framework. 2012, Teacher Evaluation – Levels Of Performance by State Criteria. Web.

Rao, Venkateswara, T. Performance Management and Appraisal Systems: Hr Tools for Global Competitiveness. New Delhi: Response Books, 2004. Print.

Rothwell, William J., et al. The Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management. San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 2012. Print.

The form

Circle the corresponding number that best fits your experience with the teacher for each item. The number ratings are as follows:

1. Disagree,
2. Somewhat Disagree,
3. Somewhat Agree,
4. Agree,
5. Not Observed

You may also provide additional optional comments in the space below each question.