Supervision and Evaluation

The principal affirms values through example, dress, behavior, attention and routines. The principal shapes and is shaped by the school's heroes, rituals, ceremonies, and symbols. The principal uses language to reinforce values and sustains the school's best image of itself.

~Anonymous

• • Too many administrators focus on the "needs improvement" portions of an evaluation. It is very important to take note of the success an individual has achieved between evaluation periods and have the evaluation reflect them.

  • Criticism and areas of improvement should be presented in a way that offers solutions or ways the employee could improve. To help the employee be successful it is important that the employer be prepared to offer proper assistance when needed, .

  • Evaluations and the tools used should be flexible enough to incorporate the goals of the organization and of the employee. If clear goals can be set with success indicators, then these should be the basis for evaluation.

  • Often times tenured teachers receive fewer evaluations then non-tenured teachers. It is often the case that tenured staff needs evaluating and assistance more then non-tenured teachers. Good administrators need to find ways within the contract requirements to exercise the right to evaluate all employees and follow through on the findings of the evaluation.

  • Administrators often get "hung up" with the evaluation tools and less on the processes. To be effective, administrators should always be evaluating and giving feedback. The tools that are used should be just that, a tool to document the findings and evidence that has accumulated since the previous formal evaluation period.

  • When presenting the findings in a formal evaluation, it is important that the process be professional, consistent, equitable, considerate and courteous, so that the employees' self-esteem, motivation, professional reputation, performance and attitude towards evaluations are enhanced, not needlessly damaged. There should be a pre-conference before the delivery of the completed tools and a follow-up conference to clarify any details.

• Every employee needs to be supervised in an individual way. Administrators should apply the proper amount of direct supervision to each employee to achieve maximum performance. Too much may stifle or smother an employee, whereas not enough may allow the employee to drift in an unproductive direction.

You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be.

~David Viscott