As administrators prepare for the 2020-21 school year, many are concerned about how they will evaluate teachers who are teaching online. Obviously, the process will be somewhat different than the way evaluations are conducted in “normal” school settings. Over the past several years, both before and during the current Covid situation, I was engaged to evaluate the work of several …
The nexus of mentoring and evaluation
While school administrators are expected to evaluate the teachers in their schools, many are inadequately prepared for this task. Yet, teacher evaluations are a major contributor to the success of independent schools. They are vitally important to the quality of teaching and learning and in that way, are a key to building positive reputation and enrolment success. Poorly designed and …
Mentoring and evaluation don’t mix
A mentor cannot be a supervisor. It’s just that simple. One of the most important features of mentoring is that it is non-evaluative. The mentoring relationship only works when the mentee feels able to be completely frank with the mentor, and can share difficulties, doubts and dilemmas, as well as triumphs and successes. Such frankness is not possible with someone …
Making the case for mentoring
You probably know that a mentor, a seasoned fellow professional, can help you be more successful, whether you are a new or an experienced leader. You are probably also aware that a mentor will provide you with valuable, confidential, feedback, make suggestions, and, through discussion, help you arrive at your own insights that will lead to your greater success. While …
Do clients do what you tell them?
An acquaintance with whom I was discussing my consulting work asked “Do they do what you tell them?” I explained that I don’t tell my clients what to do. Instead, we discuss the issues, sometimes crises, that the client has raised. Together we explore their implications, possible courses of action, and the risks and benefits of each. The value of …