Administrators' dual role as evaluator and coach can undermine the observation process's professional learning benefits¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · qualitative r2 · q1
Currency · newest study 2013 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q1 i? Because ratings carry stakes, some teachers mask instructional weaknesses rather than seek support from the administrator who also evaluates them. → Susan E. Sporte 2013

Evidence¶

Susan E. Sporte 2013¶

Susan E. Sporte, W. David Stevens, Kaleen Healey, Jennie Jiang, and Holly Hart. (2013). Teacher Evaluation in Practice: Implementing Chicago's REACH Students. UChicago CCSR Research Report. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/teacher-evaluation-practice-implementing-chicagos-reach-students

q1 · i? · qualitative · r2

Interview data from teachers in six randomly selected CPS schools. One teacher reported feeling forced to present favorably rather than have honest discussions; another said a request for help with classroom management was used against her in an observation rating.

"Because there is such an emphasis placed on assessing the quality of teachers, there is no incentive for teachers to admit insecurity or talk about areas in which he or she struggles."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Teachers who report coaching as a partnership report more improvement in classroom challenges and higher technology-use confidence; voluntary participation and non-evaluative support correlate with improvement in classroom challenges — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Most teachers and administrators report that the REACH observation process supports teacher professional growth and improved instructional conversations — reports the opposite
• Teachers and administrators diverged on using evaluation ratings for personnel decisions, with 85 percent of administrators supportive — related
• Teacher leaders can play a valuable role in supporting the professional learning of their colleagues — related
• REACH observations consumed substantial administrator time—about six hours per observation cycle and roughly two to three full weeks per year — related
• When district administration encourages a culture of coaching, teachers feel more comfortable participating in coaching and taking ownership of change — related
• The complexity of coaching responsibilities may fragment the coaching process and reduce its impact — related