The Relationship Between Formative and Summative Observations

There is this ongoing belief among too many campus administrators that formative and summative classroom observations (and the subsequent data collected) can be co-mingled.  Let me be clear on this, this bad practice and wrong thinking.

Yes, formative and summative observation processes must be aligned.  After all. to be meaningful, skill enhancement and practice should impact the bottom line.

Yes, formative and summative observation processes must be symbiotic.  Not only must skill enhancement and practice impact the bottom line, end results must inform teacher and leader what skills and practices need to be enhanced, excised and/or honed.

But most importantly, formative and summative observation processes MUST be INDEPENDENT.

Otherwise, EVERYTHING is Summative.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference, Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference; The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Why You Don't Co-Mingle Formative and Summative Observation Data

The teacher observer paradox... The fewer observations you do, the more you think you know.  The more observations you do, the more you know you don’t know.

Though the summative and formative observation processes have similarities, they are SEPARATE entities.

To co-mingle data for both formative and summative purposes actually means that EVERY visit is SUMMATIVE, no matter what we tell teachers.  Which means that the safest course of action for a teacher when an observer enters the room is to maintain the status quo.  Better to be boring and safe, than risk stretching one’s practice, failing and having that one 3-minute observation coming back to haunt you. 

Formative observations can inform and focus summative conferences. But the bottom line is, practice is practice, and game time is game time.  For those who still don’t get it, here’s a clarifying analogy. 

In Texas, schools are rated based on the STAAR test (summative).  Schools use assessments and benchmarks (formative) to gauge progress and adjust instruction throughout the year, to better succeed at the STAAR test. Not one school has its rating impacted by the first 6-week unit test of the year.  That obviously would be asinine.  As is counting informal, unannounced walk-thru’s towards a teacher’s evaluation.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Aspiring Principal Workshop (Multiple Presentations), Learning for a Change Spring Summit (Keynote and Multiple Presentations) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of November 6, 2016

If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of November 6, 2016 when they were first posted.  And if you are on Twitter, you might want to check out the Tweeters who made this week’s list.

1. Congratulations to Ms. Gadeke (El Campo MS)! I observed all 5 of The Fundamental 5 instructional practices during a single PowerWalks observation! (By @LYSNation)

2. Expertise is not a destination. It is a pursuit. (By @LYSNation)

3. Great leaders don't always get great results right away. That's why their vision, guiding principles, grit and commitments are so important. (By @JonGordon)

4. Often times it's an educator's job to have high expectations for a child when no one else in society does. (By @BluntEducator)

5. Principals, any summative observation shorter than 15-minutes is unfair to the teacher. They need time to demonstrate a variety of practice. (By @LYSNation)

6. The most valuable resource all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives. -R.J.Meehan (By @DrMetz_MHS)

7. Just got the exciting news that The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird) is being used in Grand Canyon University's M.Ed. program!!! (By @LYSNation)

8. "Your master schedule and your budget reflect the values of the school." (By @smithdianemarie)

9. The ACLU report finds teachers are frequently turning to School Resource Officers (SRO) to resolve minor disciplinary matters. (By @JWalshtxlawdawg)

10. I find it laughable that the anti-public schoolers are now afraid of vouchers. They just figured out that with public money comes public accountability. (By @LYSNation)

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Aspiring Principal Workshop (Multiple Presentations), Learning for a Change Spring Summit (Keynote and Multiple Presentations) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

PowerWalks Alignment to T-TESS Domain 4

This is the final post of a four post series addressing each T-TESS domain and its relationship and correlations to PowerWalks.

Link to T-TESS Domain 1 Post

Link to T-TESS Domain 2 Post

Link to T-TESS Domain 3 Post

T-TESS Domain 4: Professional Practices and Responsibilities

The elements in this domain occur outside of the delivery of instruction in the classroom. Hence, they are outside the scope of a formative classroom observation tool. See the chart below. The areas highlighted with the color YELLOW represent areas of potential and conditional correlation.

PowerWalks Alignment and Correlation to Domain 4 

The elements of Domain 4 are generally outside the scope of a 3-5 minute formative classroom observation.  However there are three exceptions. 

1. The teacher has set goals based on improving pedagogy.  As a teacher gets better at the best practice addressed in the six PowerWalks modules, the appraiser is provided subjective evidence of improved pedagogy.

2. The teacher has set goals based on improving student performance.  The change in teacher practice is a leading indicator of improved student performance. As a teacher gets better at the best practice addressed in the six PowerWalks modules, the appraiser is provided subjective evidence that improved student performance is forthcoming.

3. The campus has provided training on instructional practices and programs. As a teacher gets better at the best practice addressed in the six PowerWalks modules, the appraiser is provided subjective evidence that the teacher is attempting to implement the elements of provided professional development.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Aspiring Principal Workshop (Multiple Presentations) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook