@theignitEDteach After the debacle, I had last year I returned from summer vacation with something to prove. Little did I know my administrator was thinking the same thing. Not in a good way.
I’m a firm believer that a person's actions always speak louder than their words. My principal’s actions were saying a whole lot! So, it was no surprise when I was called into his office and was told that that the Teacher Development Specialists said, “The teachers feel like if I don’t do something they don’t have to do it.” As I sat there I thought to myself, “You all give me too much credit!”
Needless to say, I immediately knew that I was in for a fight because one thing I knew about my principal was he was vindictive and sends other people to do his dirty work.
The Novice Administrator
On our campus, it’s common knowledge he would often use your evaluation as a way to render you powerless or to make you conform. In September our grade level decided we needed to move our gifted and talented students and some high achievers into one class because they were controlling the pace of the classes. My principal was against this idea and tried to deter us from moving students by putting restrictions on moving the students. Despite his attempts, we moved the students anyway. So, it was not surprising my assistant principal always used this newly formed class for my evaluation.
So They Say “I’m an Ineffective Teacher”
After my first evaluation, the dam broke! The assistant principal came down to my classroom to let me know that I was being put on a PPA. A PPA is a Prescriptive Plan of Assistance or a growth plan. As she was telling me all of her reasons for doing this I just sat there. While she was talking I was thinking, ” I guess she’s trying to tell me that I’m an ineffective teacher.”
After our conversation, I received an email with the PPA attached. If you have never been put on a growth plan your evaluator chooses the area of instruction that you need “help” . My jaw dropped when I read my area of improvement was a -1 -Facilitates organized, student-centered, objective-driven lessons. When I saw this, I knew this was intentional because the prior year my principal had tried to discredit my math content knowledge.
The Invisible Power Struggle
For some unknown reason, my principal hired a Math Teacher Specialist who had only 2 years of teaching experience. He knew she had not taught any level higher than 3rd grade. All the teachers knew he put her on a pedestal and we were supposed to listen to her every word because she had 100% of her handpicked based on the results of passing the 3rd-grade math standardized test. So, I knew this move was his way of attempting to discredit my 16 years of teaching experience and content knowledge.
Most experienced teachers would have filed a formal complaint but I decided not to for three reasons.
Not So Ineffective
In our state 5th grade is a promotional level, so the 5th-grade students take their standardized test in March. The test scores came back in April. We all knew the scores were back. When they came back the math scores had improved by 15 points! You probably already know what happened to that PPA. Yep, you guessed it! At the end of the year, I went from being rated ineffective to effective. Hmmm…..imagine that!
I don’t view my success as a teacher on test scores because that is just one data point. I determine my success by how well my math students perform in 6th-grade math/middle school. In the eyes of the school district, the test scores of my students would suggest we had a successful school year.
Moving On
At the end of every school year, the teachers have a summative meeting with their evaluators to discuss their evaluation ratings. Before my meeting, my principal and I had an extensive conversation about me returning to the school. The conversation was much needed and ended with him saying that if I couldn’t get on board that I find another campus. I’m a no-nonsense person who doesn’t wear their feelings on their sleeves. So I stood up, shook his hand, and said, “I respect that.” So often as I did during the school year, I let my actions speak louder than my words. I sent him an email that said I decided to transfer to another campus for the 2017-2018 school year.
To learn more about Michelle L.Williams click here!
I’m a firm believer that a person's actions always speak louder than their words. My principal’s actions were saying a whole lot! So, it was no surprise when I was called into his office and was told that that the Teacher Development Specialists said, “The teachers feel like if I don’t do something they don’t have to do it.” As I sat there I thought to myself, “You all give me too much credit!”
Needless to say, I immediately knew that I was in for a fight because one thing I knew about my principal was he was vindictive and sends other people to do his dirty work.
The Novice Administrator
On our campus, it’s common knowledge he would often use your evaluation as a way to render you powerless or to make you conform. In September our grade level decided we needed to move our gifted and talented students and some high achievers into one class because they were controlling the pace of the classes. My principal was against this idea and tried to deter us from moving students by putting restrictions on moving the students. Despite his attempts, we moved the students anyway. So, it was not surprising my assistant principal always used this newly formed class for my evaluation.
So They Say “I’m an Ineffective Teacher”
After my first evaluation, the dam broke! The assistant principal came down to my classroom to let me know that I was being put on a PPA. A PPA is a Prescriptive Plan of Assistance or a growth plan. As she was telling me all of her reasons for doing this I just sat there. While she was talking I was thinking, ” I guess she’s trying to tell me that I’m an ineffective teacher.”
After our conversation, I received an email with the PPA attached. If you have never been put on a growth plan your evaluator chooses the area of instruction that you need “help” . My jaw dropped when I read my area of improvement was a -1 -Facilitates organized, student-centered, objective-driven lessons. When I saw this, I knew this was intentional because the prior year my principal had tried to discredit my math content knowledge.
The Invisible Power Struggle
For some unknown reason, my principal hired a Math Teacher Specialist who had only 2 years of teaching experience. He knew she had not taught any level higher than 3rd grade. All the teachers knew he put her on a pedestal and we were supposed to listen to her every word because she had 100% of her handpicked based on the results of passing the 3rd-grade math standardized test. So, I knew this move was his way of attempting to discredit my 16 years of teaching experience and content knowledge.
Most experienced teachers would have filed a formal complaint but I decided not to for three reasons.
- I knew that I could beat him at his own game
- The complaint would have taken away my ability to focus on instruction
- I didn’t want to file a complaint against the assistant principal because I knew that the decision came from the principal
Not So Ineffective
In our state 5th grade is a promotional level, so the 5th-grade students take their standardized test in March. The test scores came back in April. We all knew the scores were back. When they came back the math scores had improved by 15 points! You probably already know what happened to that PPA. Yep, you guessed it! At the end of the year, I went from being rated ineffective to effective. Hmmm…..imagine that!
I don’t view my success as a teacher on test scores because that is just one data point. I determine my success by how well my math students perform in 6th-grade math/middle school. In the eyes of the school district, the test scores of my students would suggest we had a successful school year.
Moving On
At the end of every school year, the teachers have a summative meeting with their evaluators to discuss their evaluation ratings. Before my meeting, my principal and I had an extensive conversation about me returning to the school. The conversation was much needed and ended with him saying that if I couldn’t get on board that I find another campus. I’m a no-nonsense person who doesn’t wear their feelings on their sleeves. So I stood up, shook his hand, and said, “I respect that.” So often as I did during the school year, I let my actions speak louder than my words. I sent him an email that said I decided to transfer to another campus for the 2017-2018 school year.
To learn more about Michelle L.Williams click here!