negative teacher evaluation experience

[ekhirisheyes]

Does anyone have any stories to explain how they overcame a negative evaluation experience? This has been an extremely stressful year for me and I have worked my tail off. My principal is a perfectionist and it is very hard to meet his expectations. I have been given a conditional reappointment and I am devastated about that. My past teacher evaluation with my other principal who is retired now totally contradicts this one. That is why this is so disturbing! I have been teaching since 2000. I am trying to leave my school and start fresh again. It is an intense place and the morale is down. There have been other teachers receiving this type of evaluation too. I think this is an issue where the principal is just not the right match for me. He has changed my school and there have been other staff members that have left because of him. If I stay in the county I may have this label travel with me. My principal said that he would be flexible if I got a job offer from another school- meaning that he would lift this label if HR agrees. I feel like this label is going to hurt my career. Next year, I will have what is called an intervention team. If I do not make any progress I will be fired. Has anyone gone through this and been successful? I don't want to lose my job. The economy is terrible right now so that is why this is so scary. I met with my union rep yesterday and I am going to write a rebuttal. All I know is that I don't want my teaching career hurt. I have worked way too hard and invested too much time into teaching- hours, professional development, etc. I am committed! Please let me know how you can help me. Thanks!

[Boxcar]

I would start looking for another position. You said it yourself - this school and adminstration is not a good match. I wouldn't gamble on things improving in the coming year.

Personally, I rather sub or work a crummy job for a year rather than risk a label that last longer than that time. While I do that, I can always be looking for something better.

It is really up to you, but your post made me think you are ready to move on to another place.

[dsmms]

I wouldn't wait around and let this principal trash your career. As Boxcar suggested, now is a good time to look for another position. Sometimes these things happen for a reason. Fate has a way of working out like that sometimes. Good luck! :)

[Trampoline]

Don't let this principal drive you away from teaching, if you believe it's your life's work. If you can get a transfer, go for it. If you can't, spend all summer preparing your appraisal lessons...and blast him away next year.

But don't let him mess up your self-esteem!

[lynn bambusch]

I agree that you should look for a new job. But in the meantime, have a union rep with you whenever you meet with the principal for any evaluation talk. That is where a Union is really helpful, use them!

[bella mundi]

I switched jobs.

And now I am the happiest ever, and my principal gives me glowing evaluations!

[WGU Grad]

I have worked for two principals in my three years of teaching 2nd grade. Both of these fine people emphasize often that their job is to support the staff, not break them down.

Yes they take action when they see a problem, but the actions they take are meant to increase a teacher's confidence and ability, not to cause them to want to look elsewhere for work. I still consider myself a new teacher, and this kind of positive support is extremely valuable.

It sounds to me like it is your principal who needs to find a new job.

Larry

[hweber]

Your year sounds like mine. I really looked hard for another position, but did not find one (think I am a bad interview). Teaching positions are far and few between in Ohio. I am going back this fall, and hope that things get better. If not, I may not be a teacher after next year. I waited to go back to school till my kids were in high school, and really love teaching and the kids (despite the behaviors), but it is really hard to function in an adversarial atmosphere.

Did you find a new position? If so, good luck, if not double good luck.

[Chef Dave]

Does anyone have any stories to explain how they overcame a negative evaluation experience? This has been an extremely stressful year for me and I have worked my tail off. My principal is a perfectionist and it is very hard to meet his expectations. I have been given a conditional reappointment and I am devastated about that.

As with your situation, I went from having an outstanding evaluation last year to being below expectations this year. I was placed on an improvement plan and basically smiled and jumped through all the administrative hoops that my former supervisor laid out for me.

Even though I disagreed with her highly subjective assessment, I looked at her sources of "concern," formulated an improvement plan for each area, implemented the plan, and documented what I did each week. Not only did I send copies of my documentation to her via e-mail, but I also sent copies to my district superintendent.

Despite the fact that my supervisor profoundly disliked me, she really had no choice other than to recommend me for a contract renewal.

I left a huge paper trail behind me showing everything I did to address each of her concerns.

For example - when she said that I didn't vary instruction enough, I had them give presentations via song and skit. I engaged them in simulations for job interviews. I had them research jobs in the food service industry using the internet.

When my supervisor said that I didn't use technology in the classroom, I digitally recorded my creative lessons (see preceding paragraph). I also recorded my culinary demos, downloaded them to my laptop, edited and sequenced them, and played them back for students. Instead of doing demos at a workstation, the students watched a demo on an overhead monitor.

I am sure that my sincere efforts to demonstrate improvement annoyed my supervisor to no end.

The sad thing is that after I resigned at year's end, I got a job offer at another district. The offer was withdrawn after the building administrator spoke to my former supervisor.

I retained an attorney who hired a defamation investigative service. While posing as a potential employer, an investigator recorded the reference check and essentially caught my former supervisor red handed saying the most outrageous things about me.

I am now suing my former district for defamation.

There are many ways to handle the situation you're in. The most important thing is to document-document-document.

Get in the habit of documenting everything you did to address every possible concern. Identify dates and times. Keep copies of lesson plans. Take digital pictures or recordings. If you team taught, identify who your cooperating teacher was.

Keep copies of ALL correspondence with your supervisor whether it's a handwritten note or an e-mail. No matter how hurtful, date it and file it because you'll never know when this information will come in useful.

For example, on my evaluation, I was written up for meeting with the state director of Family and Consumer Science Education without permission and without prior notification of the building administration.

Not true.

I had an e-mail from my supervisor to prove it.

I was also written up for skipping out on my class to meet with the state director. Again - not true. I had written permission from my supervisor to monitor my class through a window in my office. At no time was I out of sight or out of earshot of my class.

My former supervisor was made to look like an idiot. Had it not been for the fact that I kept every piece of correspondence with her, I would have been stuck in a he said/she said scenario.

If you decide to stay with your district, be smart and don't gossip. You never know who's listening and if you're relatively new to a school, you also wont' know what the political under currents are i.e. who's buddy-buddy with whom etc.

The best rule of thumb is not to gossip. Don't gripe about how unfair your supervisor is because every time you do so, there's a chance it'll get back to that person. You can then be written up for unprofessional conduct or any other muck that this person cares to throw at you.

Smile. Be professional. Feel free to vent at forums like this without naming names.

Best wishes,

Chef Dave

[FitzShina]

Chef DAve has summarised it all. I think what you have to do is to make the best of the assessment even though they are not the real you. And, one major thing you need to do to your principal is forgiveness. It is when you don't hold anything to him you can actualise your resolution to forge ahead. Don't quit! Rise to the situation but be a valiant soldier.

[veterankteacher]

Someone in the Central Administration needs to take a look at this Principal. I hope you find a position elsewhere. He certainly should not be a an administrator. Please let me know if I can help you in any way. This is my 34th year and I empathize with you having to deal with such a disheartening situation.

[Melinda]

Sometimes having taught "forever" does give one some perspective on topics like "bad evaluations." I had several "lost years," with a certain principal at our middle school. I came back, after having been with my mother who had surgery, to find a "letter" in my box that reprimanded me for my student's behavior the day before. Keep in mind, I was 300 miles away when this incident took place! I went in my room and was furious. I fired off a letter of rebuttal to our superientendent and mailed it the same day. I didn't realize he had not sent it to the School Board Office, it was only meant to intimidate! It was poorly written and was not very flattering to have come from a principal! I included in the letter I wanted to be transferred to another school, ANY school in our county. I was so excited when another position opened up and I could get out of this situation. I hated leaving friends, but your sanity has to count for something! Never underestimate your own ability as a teacher, based on how others perceive you! I knew I had parent support, great students, and I felt I was doing a good job! Had I listened to him, I would have given up! I have noticed that many administrators come and go in our system. Twice I have been nominated for "Teacher of the Year" in our county, won "Teacher of the Year", competed in State Teacher of the Year, and have been nominated and won several other honors along the way. I only say this because you need to see beyond the people who would tear you down, and have confidence in yourself. If you really love this job, fight for your chance to prove them wrong! I love all the suggestions above. One bad evaluation DOES NOT make a bad teacher! Hang in there!

[sgallag2]

Chef Dave's post is 'spot on'... Be proactive and compliant while ‘weathering the storm’, for it will pass. Ultimately, if you perceive the situation to progressively get worse and in the likelihood that resolution is futile, make note of your attempts to reconcile. This will allow you to rebuttal any negative caveats that may appear and substantiate your ability and competencies. Good Luck and wishing you the best.