Union Chief Seeks to Overhaul Teacher Evaluation Process

[tonysam]

DUer madfloridian has posted a similar thread over at GD, but I thought I would post Randi Weingarten's outrages here, too.

First article, which is from the NYT:

Facing criticism that her union makes it too hard to get rid of bad teachers, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, on Tuesday announced a union-backed effort to develop a new model for how public school teachers should be evaluated, promoted and removed.

The effort will be run by Kenneth R. Feinberg, the federal government’s special master for executive compensation.

In a speech at the National Press Club, Ms. Weingarten sought to present a more flexible, cooperative face for her union as she announced Mr. Feinberg’s new role and called for sweeping changes in how school districts evaluate teachers and work with teachers’ unions.

She scoffed at the predominant method of evaluating teachers — visiting their classroom a few minutes each year and then giving an evaluation at year-end. Instead, she proposed a system of year-round evaluations as part of an effort to improve teaching and weed out ineffective teachers.

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The pro-Rhee Washington Post:

Weingarten, also a key player in the District's drawn-out teacher contract talks, outlined a four-step approach to teacher evaluations: States should adopt standards for what teachers should know and be able to do; teachers should be assessed through multiple measures, including student test scores that gauge individual academic progress; administrators should be held accountable for putting the standards into motion; and teachers should receive help through mentoring and professional development.

But Weingarten added a caveat on the use of test scores. She said that teachers should not be evaluated on results that compare their current classes with the previous year's classes, which is the system states typically use under the No Child Left Behind law. That would appear to disqualify much, perhaps most, of the currently available state testing data from use in evaluation.

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Some "pro-teacher" union chief. Weingarten is absolutely corrupt. The rank-and-file of AFT should force her out.

"Administrators should be held accountable for putting the standards into motion." What a crock of shit; they aren't held truly accountable for anything, for the districts will ALWAYS support principals no matter what (barring sexual misconduct with students or flagrant cheating on standardized tests). Once again, teachers will be screwed over.

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. One has to be extremely careful about Ms. Weingarten.

Her UFT reign more or less coincided with Bloomberg's reign at NYC city hall. Bloomberg is , in addition to being the mayor, the wealthiest man in New York City.

I don't think it's unfair to be at least vigilant to the prospect that he may have tried to use his almost unfathomable $$$ to influence her thinking. He Freudian-slipped a couple years back that Christine Quinn, ex-ultra progressive City Council Speaker ( #2 in the line of succession), who became abruptly and unexpectedly "cooperative" with the mayor when she took over the council, would probably have a "bright future" ahead of her in the "private sector" one day.

I don't think it's unusual for private capital to try to influence union chiefs this way. I'm not saying that this necessarily happened in the case of Ms. Weingarten, but a lot of us in her home union were (and are still) puzzled over the softening of her leadership ( and of her *thinking*: see OP ) particularly during Bloomberg's second term.

I'm not saying anyone did anything wrong. I'm saying skepticism is in order.

[tonysam]

2. I learned from my experience everybody has a price, including union officials

As I've written, the person who represented me in the two hearings prior to my dismissal hearing, the union's executive director, took a bribe in the form of a job working for the very person who spearedheaded my dismissal, the assistant superintendent of human resources.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Yeah I'm not too impressed with Randi

Our leadership hasn't been the same since Shanker.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. I have been arguing for years that metrics based teacher evaluations are coming

as are compensation based upon them. I have also stated that this unions need to get out front on this to make sure it is fair and equitable. I get flamed for it, but I am still sure that is what is coming. This however is capitulation.