Running Head: THE WIDGET EFFECT 1

The Widget Effect

Natalie Torti

Gannon University
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The Widget Effect

Our teacher evaluation system needs revision, according to the The Widget Effect, a

report published by the New Teacher Project, and written by Daniel Weisberg, Susan

Sexton, Jennifer Mulhern, David Keeling. The current system allows poor instruction to

go unaddressed, encourages complicity in mediocre teachers, and fails to reward

excellence in education.

There is a culture surrounding evaluation that places value on observation and

evaluations, only when a teacher needs remediation or to be terminated. This causes a

fixed mindset that teachers are either good or bad and works against the growth

mindset we hope to inspire as educators. Likewise hypocritical, is the way that

evaluation systems do not differentiate. Teachers are seen by the district as both equal

in their effectiveness and in the needs they have for support, training, and remediation.

This also leads to teachers being viewed as interchangeable widgets in the system

rather than diverse, unique, and human (Keeling, Weisberg, Saxton, & Mulhern, 2009).

Many blame the components of public school systems such as tenure and the

protections of due process for the failure. The authors of the Widget Effect, did find that

it is very rare that a tenured teacher is fired. But remark that our system as whole

seems to be indifferent toward quality instruction completely. The binary rating of

unsatisfactory or satisfactory leaves little room for grey area or for excellence. It

discourages administrators from using the unsatisfactory rating which is only used in

1% of all evaluations. This inevitably leads to poor performance by teachers who have
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little threat of termination and no incentive to challenge themselves to grow as

instructors (Keeling, Weisberg, Saxton, & Mulhern, 2009).

Local Efforts to Improve

In Pittsburgh Quarterly, Julia Fraser shines a light on local efforts to redefine the

teacher evaluation process. Pittsburgh Public Schools hope to create an atmosphere

where teachers are celebrated and supported to grow. The highlight of this atmospheric

shift was a gala to celebrate teachers in the district (Fraser, 2015).

With the help of a $40 million grant from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,

Pittsburgh Public has worked to redefine their teacher evaluation mechanisms which

include student surveys, observations, as well as student outcomes. In conjunction with

the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, PPS was also able to create a modified career

ladder, offer incentives for distinguished teaching, and increase professional growth

opportunities (Fraser, 2015)

As PPS continue to develop their RISE system of evaluation and document their

progress, national attention is being given that highlights PPS as a lone leader in this

work. Fortunately, we can all learn from their journey as we continue to develop

systems and innovate evaluation techniques.

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References

Keeling, D., Weisberg, D., Saxton, S., & Mulhern, J. (2009). The Widget Effect [PDF].

The New Teacher Project

Fraser, J. (n.d.). Teachers Matter. Retrieved September 20, 2017, from

http://pittsburghquarterly.com/2017-spring-issue/item/1206-spotlight-shines-on-pittsbur

ghs-bumpy-ride-to-teacher-evaluation-reform.html