Special Issues in Supervision

and Evaluation
by Ms. Marian G. Vinluan
Desired Competencies:

• 1)Provide an appropriate list of questions and scenarios to ask of a

potential teacher for your school
• 2)Create a list of desired qualities in a potential teacher that would
support the goals and needs of your school
• 3)Determine pertinent policies and/or applicable laws regarding
dismissal of teachers
• 4)Determine pertinent policies and/or applicable laws regarding due
process and a remediation plan
• 5)Create a remediation plan to address the needs of a problem teacher
Issues in Supervision and Evaluation
• Working Conditions
- Lack of staff
- Lack of means
-Absence in the mnost remote schools
• Role Conflicts
- Overload of tasks
- Tensions between administrative and pedagogic duties
-Tension between control and support
• Interviewing is an important step in the job search process. For
teachers, interviews are especially critical because the position
requires strong presentation and interpersonal skills. Thoughtful
planning for your next interview can help you feel confident and
prepared.
What employers look for in teacher
candidates
• While different employers will seek out different qualities in candidates based on
the school and opening, there are several things hiring managers are typically
seeking in their candidates:
1. Relevant skills
Employers will likely first ensure you’ve got the basic skills to meet their
needs. Depending on the opening, they may also be looking for teachers with
specific specialties or technical skills such as bilingual teaching experience.
2. Qualifications and certifications
Most employers will also ensure you’ve got the right background
in education and training to teach the subject matter. Depending on the
school, they may be looking for specific experience or certifications.
What employers look for in teacher
candidates
3. A good fit for the culture
This can include qualities such as dependability, responsibility,
innovation, creativity, patience or adaptability, as well as being a
strong team player.

4.Enthusiasm for the role

It's important that teachers enjoy teaching, as well as interacting
with students and other teachers, and that they bring enthusiasm to
the role.
Most common teacher interview questions
• 1. Why do you want to teach?
• 2. What makes you a good fit for this school?
• 3. What characteristics do students want their teachers to possess?
• 4. How does a teacher's personality affect their success?
• 5. What role does discipline play in teaching and what is your approach?
• 6. How do you incorporate parents/guardians into students' education?
• 7. What do you believe is the role of technology in the classroom?
• 8. Tell me about your teaching philosophy.
• 9. What questions do you have for us?
• 10. How do you handle a parent that blames you for a child’s poor performance?
Top qualities and skills of a good teacher.
• There is a huge difference between becoming a teacher, and
becoming a good teacher. Good teachers have a huge impact on
learners and help them engage in lifelong learning. Good teachers can
make a world of difference on a child from any age.
 Traits of a good teacher.
Teaching is such an important and noble profession, but there are some
characteristics that can really help you ben an even more effective teacher.
Every teacher is different, and that’s a good thing. Different teachers can
reach different students in unique ways, which is valuable for their success.
However, there are some fairly consistent traits among great teachers.
Traits of a good teacher.

• Patience. Every student will have their own unique struggles. Some
will have a difficult time reading. For others, math will not come
easily. For others, being able to sit still during school is the struggle!
Patience in a teacher is key to helping students overcome their
struggles. With large classrooms and many students who are all
different, patience is a must for a good teacher. And, demonstrating
patience as a teacher is a great way to be a role model to students.
Patience is an important characteristic for effective teachers in both
practice and as a model.
• Empathy. Empathy is an important quality for teachers. Children and
youth have big feelings and are often dealing with more than we know
outside the classroom. As a teacher, it’s important to be able to
empathize with what they are feeling, even if it may not seem like a big
deal. Children and youth need to have their emotions validated in order
to understand and process them well. This is crucial in helping them
become emotionally mature. Teachers who aren’t empathetic can’t
help students overcome real difficulties, trivial or severe. As a teacher
it’s vital to be able to put yourself in a student’s shoes and help them
feel understood. When you teach, it's important to be sensitive and
thoughtful to make sure the learners feel they're in a safe environment.
• Drive for self-improvement. A great teacher should be able to look at
themselves objectively and see where they can improve. That can be
in teaching methods, subject matter, or people-skills. When teachers
can review themselves and know where to focus their attention, they
can become even better. Teachers should also be willing to engage in
lifelong learning, whether that be going back to school for a master’s
degree, attending conferences to help them learn more about
education, or reading books and articles about their field. Anything
that teachers can do to increase their understanding is vital to their
success. Educators who are willing to learn as well as teach are
important to the future of learning.
• Adaptable. When working with other people, students or other
teachers alike, certain expectations may not always be met. Your
teaching methods may not work in a certain way with a certain class,
schedules may change, adjustments may need to be made with little
or no notice. A great teacher can adjust their teaching methods and
expectations so they can still find success. They are willing to always
evaluate what is working for their students, and adjust where needed.
This trait is vital for teachers who want to help each unique individual
find success in their classroom. It's an important characteristic when
teaching to always move your lessons around in the way that
promotes learning in the best possible way.
Skills of a good teacher.
When it comes to teaching, there are also many interpersonal skills that
teachers need in order to reach the next level of success.
• Suspension of bias. A teacher won’t be able to accurately assess the
needs of students if they can’t see past bias. They need to be able to
objectively look at each student to help them in whatever way they
need. Additionally, bias could prevent teachers from presenting
material correctly and accurately. So teachers need to be able to
suspend their personal bias in order to do the best for their students.
Learning needs to be done in a safe environment, so when you teach
you need to remove anything that can make you see students in a less
favorable light.
• Stress management. Teachers are faced with stressful situations every
day. They need to be able to keep their cool in order to be good role
models for their students. Outbursts could be discouraging or even
frightening for students, leading them to lose trust and interest in
education. It could also lead to a loss of respect from students, which
can create chaos in a classroom. Stress management is key to being a
great teacher. As you teach, it's important to be prepared for all kinds
of situations that can arise. Make sure you can create a great learning
environment no matter what comes.
• Communication. Teachers need to be good communicators in able to
meet the needs of their students. They can’t effectively assess the
needs of students if they can’t communicate openly with them.
Teachers also need to be able to communicate with other teachers
and parents well. Communication is key for teachers to be successful
in their profession. Learning and teaching are connected through
good communication.
• Teaching rather than instructing. A good teacher should be focused on
making sure their students truly understand the material, rather than
just lecturing and hoping it will compute. Great teachers are
concerned with the retention of their students, making sure they
really know and can do the work, not just checking off the boxes for
the lesson plan. Great learning comes from teachers who are focused
on that comprehension.
How to become a better teacher.
There are a variety of things that teachers can do to become even better
in their profession including:
• A master’s degree that can help you learn more about the educational field and improve your skills.

• Attending education conferences to help you connect with and learn from other teachers.

• Reading articles and blogs about new studies in education and new teaching techniques.

• Listening to podcasts to help you increase your knowledge.

• Connecting with other teachers on social media to help you gain new insights.

• Asking colleagues and superiors for insights.

• Having these skills are vital to helping you become a great teacher. Experienced teachers and principals learn
how to identify the best candidates for teaching positions quickly; that makes it essential to embody the
qualities of a great teacher not just in the classroom, but throughout job applications and interviews.
 TEACHER AND SCHOOL
STAFF CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS.
• Constitutional provisions provide protection to teachers and school staff at public schools that are generally not
available to teachers at private schools. Since public schools are state entities, constitutional restrictions on state action
limit some actions that public schools may take with respect to teachers or other employees.

• Rights that are constitutional in nature include the following:

• Substantive and procedural due process rights, including the teacher right to receive notice of termination and right to
hearing
• Freedom of expression and association provided by the First Amendment
• Academic freedom, a limited concept recognized by courts based on principles of the First Amendment
• Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures by school officials of a teacher's personal property

• Though private school teachers do not generally enjoy as much of the constitutional protection as public school
teachers, statutes may provide protection against discrimination. The CIVIL RIGHTS Act of 1964, for example, protects
teachers at both public and private schools from racial, sexual, or religious discrimination. Private school teachers may
also enjoy rights in their contracts that are similar to due process rights, including the inability of a private school to
dismiss the teacher without cause, notice, or a hearing.
DENIAL OR REVOCATION OF
TEACHING CERTIFICATE.
• Courts have held consistently that teaching certificates are not contracts. Thus, requirements to attain or
maintain a certificate may be changed and applied to all teachers and prospective teachers. The certification
process is administered by state certifying agencies in each state, and most of these agencies have been
delegated significant authority with respect to the administration of these rules. Despite this broad delegation,
however, the state agencies may not act arbitrarily, nor may these agencies deny or revoke certification on an
arbitrary basis. Some state statutes provide that a certificate may be revoked for "just cause."

• Other common statutory grounds include the following:

• • Immoral conduct or indecent behavior
• • Incompetency
• • Violations of ethical standards
• • Unprofessional conduct
• • Misrepresentation or fraud
• • Willful neglect of duty
TEACHER DISMISSAL.
• A school must show cause in order to dismiss a teacher who has attained tenure status. Some state
statutes provide a list of circumstances where a school may dismiss a teacher. These circumstances are
similar to those in which a state agency may revoke a teacher's certification.

• Some causes for dismissal include the following:

• • Immoral conduct
• • Incompetence
• • Neglect of duty
• • Substantial noncompliance with school laws
• • Conviction of a crime
• • Insubordination
• • Fraud or misrepresentation
DUE PROCESS RIGHTS OF TEACHERS
AND SCHOOL STAFF.
• The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, like its counterpart in the Fifth
Amendment, provides that no state may "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law." This clause applies to public school districts and provides the
minimum procedural requirements that each public school district must satisfy when dismissing
a teacher who has attained tenure. Note that in this context, due process does not prescribe
the reasons why a teacher may be dismissed, but rather it prescribes the procedures a school
must follow to dismiss a teacher. Note also that many state statutory provisions for dismissing a
teacher actually exceed the minimum requirements under the Due Process Clause.

• The United States Supreme Court case of Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill is the
leading case involving the question of what process is due under the Constitution. This case
provides that a tenured teacher must be given oral or written notice of the dismissal and the
charges against him or her, an explanation of the EVIDENCE obtained by the employer, and an
opportunity for a fair and meaningful hearing.
TEACHER CONTRACTS.
• The law of contracts applies to contracts between teachers and
school districts. This law includes the concepts of offer, acceptance,
mutual ASSENT, and consideration. For a teacher to determine
whether a contract exists, he or she should consult authority on the
general law of contracts. This section focuses on contract laws specific
to teaching and education.
RATIFICATION OF CONTRACTS BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

• Even if a school official offers a teacher a job and the teacher accepts
this offer, many state laws require that the school board ratify the
contract before it becomes binding. Thus, even if a principal of a
school district informs a prospective teacher that the teacher has
been hired, the contract is not final until the school district accepts or
ratifies the contract. The same is true if a school district fails to follow
proper procedures when determining whether to ratify a contract.
TEACHER'S HANDBOOK AS A
CONTRACT.
• Some teachers have argued successfully that provisions in a teacher's
handbook granted the teacher certain contractual rights. However,
this is not common, as many employee handbooks include clauses
stating that the handbook is not a contract. For a provision in a
handbook to be legally binding, the teacher must demonstrate that
the actions of the teacher and the school district were such that the
elements for creating a contract were met.
BREACH OF TEACHER CONTRACT.
• Either a teacher or a school district can breach a contract. Whether a
breach has occurred depends on the facts of the case and the terms
of the contract. Breach of contract cases between teachers and
school districts arise because a school district has terminated the
employment of a teacher, even though the teacher has not violated
any of the terms of the employment agreement. In several of these
cases, a teacher has taken a leave of absence, which did not violate
the employment agreement, and the school district terminated the
teacher due to the leave of absence. Similarly, a teacher may breach a
contract by resigning from the district before the end of the contract
term (usually the end of the school year).