Educator Effectiveness

Teachers' Top Three from ESE - August 27, 2015

1. Get Involved: Become a Guidebook Partner
   Created by Massachusetts educators, the Educator Effectiveness Guidebook for Inclusive Practice includes tools for districts, schools, and educators that align to the Massachusetts Educator Evaluation Framework and promote evidence-based best practices for inclusion following the principles of Universal Design for Learning, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, and Social and Emotional Learning.
   
   We need your help! The Department is looking to partner with educators at the classroom, school, and district levels who can provide feedback on the usefulness and impact of the Guidebook's tools throughout the 2015-16 school year. More information on participating is available at Guidebook Partners – Call for Applications   .

2. New Resource: TEEM Videos: Transforming Educator Evaluation in Massachusetts
   In 2014-15, ESE partnered with Amherst-Pelham, Manchester Essex, Northbridge, and Revere to look at how these districts have reinforced the primary purpose of the evaluation process: professional growth that supports student learning. The result was TEEM Videos: Transforming Educator Evaluation in Massachusetts.
   
   The TEEM videos highlight aspects of the 5-Step Evaluation Cycle and innovative district systems that support effective evaluation. Explore the TEEM Videos to:
   

   • See high-quality implementation in practice
   • Cultivate a shared understanding of the evaluation processes
   • Generate new ideas for continuously improving your own professional growth
   
   With school starting, two that may be of particular interest are Self-Assessment: Using Data & Reflecting on Practice and Developing Professional Practice & Student Learning Goals. View the entire series.

3. What We're Reading: The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Teacher Development
   Earlier this month, TNTP, a national research, policy, and teacher support organization, released a report about professional development in which they sought to answer the question: "Do we know how to help teachers get better?" After surveying over 10,000 teachers and over 500 school leaders and studying data from three large districts and one charter network, they found that the answer to that question is more complicated than they initially thought.
   
   Read the report and share your reflections on Twitter (Find us at @MASchoolsK12 and #Top3fromESE). In addition, a quick web search will reveal many blog posts from teachers and others responding to the report.