I'm interrupting the flow of Green Deeds with this post on evaluation. Teachers are constantly being evaluated. The most recent was one in which students filled out evaluations on their teachers (don't even get me started on what I think of asking kindergartners whether they like being at school or not).
We all do best when we believe we are held in high regard by our superiors and colleagues. Even when we are not doing great the belief that others hold us in high esteem propels us toward what John Wesley would have called "perfection."
When I arrived at school on Friday morning, later than usual because of a tornado warning, I was surprised. I pay no attention to things like School Librarian's Day and while April is National Library Month, I usually am too busy with teaching projects to do much in the way of honoring libraries. I was unaware that Friday April 4th was School Librarian's Day -- until I walked into the library where I found a delicious continental breakfast waiting. Then I was flashmobbed by Ms. Foster's 2nd grade singers, and then deluged all day by cards and letters to tell me that what I do matters.
It was impossible to focus on work with so much joyful chaos around me. My school is filled with outstanding teachers who love and care about their students, who lose sleep over them, who come in on weekends and stay late at night only to hear that they are failures --that our schools are failing. I'd like to deliver a message to education commissioner Huffman and Governor Haslam. Perhaps the measures that evaluate student and teacher performance are hopelessly flawed. I am not convinced that we understand what we want to evaluate.
Maybe there needs to be a question on the evaluation form for children, "My teacher throws the best tea parties" with radio buttons for yes, no and maybe!
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