Conducting Peer Observations with the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES)

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Conducting Peer Observationswith the North
Carolina Educator Evaluation System (NCEES)

• BRAWLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL
• 2012-13

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Purpose

• To ensure that Peer Observers are prepared to
  conduct the 2nd or 3rd cycle of the North
  Carolina Teacher Evaluation process for those
  teachers required to have a peer observation.

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Session Follow-Up Outcomes

• Peer Observers will understand
• Their role in the Evaluation process
• The 4 components of the of the peer observation
  process
• Accessing and using NCEES
• Observable differences between performance
  ratings
• Peer Observers Follow-Up
• Review and become familiar with content of
  Standard 2a and 4a-h

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Why the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process?

• To support and promote effective leadership,
  quality teaching and student learning.
• To improve instruction and enhance professional
  practice through a growth model
• Based on the Framework for 21st Century Learning
  and the Standards it is a vehicle to positively
  impact graduation rates and support students
  21st century readiness

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You might ask yourself How did I get
here? What are the benefits?

• Selection process
• Your role as a teacher leader
• Benefits to Peer Observer
• Further development of personal professional
  capacity
• Opportunity to further assume role of teacher
  leader
• A practice that supports higher performance
  ratings related to teacher leadership on the
  teacher evaluation rubric
• Benefits to Learning Organization
• Quality faculty, and high performing students

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Continuing Education Units

• To receive 1.0 CEUs for observation process
• Register for course 1886 in TNL
• Complete the peer observation training and
  observations
• Sign the Peer Observation Completion of
  Assignment form
• Administrator has it
• Form is submitted by June 3rd, 2013 to Teresa
  Shade

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Which Teachers Need a Peer Observation?
• Those teachers with a Probationary Teacher
  Status (Your Administrator will inform you)
• When is the Peer Observation conducted?
• Either for the 2nd or 3rd cycle of observations
• 2nd cycle 10/12/12 12/21/12
• 3rd cycle 12/21/12 2/15/13
• Who do I contact if I have questions about the
  evaluation process or NCEES management system?
• Your site-based NCEES Coach

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What is the relationship between Mentors Peer
Observers?

• A peer observer does not have to be a mentor to
  conduct a peer observation
• Mentors are to conduct peer observations on
  teachers other then their Mentee
• Recommend that peer observers conduct peer
  observations on no more then 2 teachers per year

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Overview of the teacher observation process
conducted by peer observers

• 4 components to peer observation process
• 1. Preparation
• Familiarization with Standards/Elements 2a, 4a-h,
  process, performance ratings and NCEES platform
• 2. Pre-Conference
• Authentication not required on Record of Teacher
  Evaluation Activities form (NCEES)
• 3. Classroom Observation
• Entered into NCEES during observation or paper
  process utilized and then entered into NCEES
• 4. Post-Conference
• Discuss Observation
• At conclusion complete digital signature process
  in NCEES

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1. Before Conducting Peer Observation

• Review
• Standard 2a
• Standard 4 Elements a-h
• (Could use your own self-assessment rather then
  print a rubric, or Condensed Peer Observation
  Rubric.)
• For each Element
• What is the main idea(s)?
• What are the observable teacher behaviors?
• What does being Proficient look like for each
  Element?
• How is Proficient different from Accomplished?
• Coaching Point Know your Rubric!
• Decide if you will use paper or digital process
  during observation
• Become familiar with accessing and using NCEES
• (Addressed later in power point)

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2. Pre-Conference

• Scheduled prior to classroom observation
• Duration 1/2 hour
• Intent for the
• Peer-Observer is to communicate their role and
  what to expect during the classroom visit
• Teacher is to convey a contextual setting of what
  the peer evaluator can expect during the
  observation
• Do not need to sign off in NCEES that it took
  place

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Pre-Conference

• Peer Observer Communicates
• Role
• Conduct follow process
• Expectations of the observation
• Focus Standards/Elements 2a 4 a-h
• Process

• Teacher Communicates
• Any pertinent information to prepare
  peer-evaluator for structure of class/lesson
• Context of the lesson
• Challenges/strengths
• Demographics
• Assessment data
• Instructional approach

Collaboratively schedule observation time.
Coordinate with administration.
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Pre-Conference Possible Questions

• What subject will I be observing? Time of day?
  Duration?
• Have you reviewed Standards/Elements 2a 4 a-h?
  Any questions?
• Classroom make up?
• Context of lesson?
• How is data being used to inform instruction?
• What does the data tell you?
• What instructional strategies are being used?
  Why?
• How do you communicate learning objective to
  students
• How often do you change the methodology during a
  lesson?
• Any new practices you are using that I might see?
• Any concerns/ issues you have about your
  classroom or lesson?
• Discuss approach/questions to use with your
  administrator

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3. Classroom Observation

• Peer-observers schedules with teacher
• Coordinates with administrator
• Lasts 45 minutes or duration of lesson
• Focus is on Standard/Elements 2a 4 a-h, and all
  supporting Descriptors
• Use either
• Digital process and NCEES platform
• Paper process with condensed peer observation
  rubric then enter into NCEES
• Might need to get additional information during
  post-conference to assign a performance rating

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• Peer Evaluators can utilize paper version
  Condensed Rubric during Observation. However,
  Observation needs to be entered into NCEES.
• Paper template can be accessed
• Sign in to iss-schoolwires from ISS homepage
• Click Departments
• Click Human Resources
• Click Evaluation Resources
• Click Teachers
• Click Condensed Peer Observation Rubric

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So How Do I Determine and Document Performance
Ratings?

• Made with professionalism objectivity
• Are confidential
• Ratings supported by observable data within the
  context of the classroom observation through the
  lens of the Evaluation Rubric (Criteria in
  Standard, Element and Descriptors)
• Capture a supporting comment/note for each
  Element
• Might need to verify or clarify supporting
  evidence for a given descriptor before rating at
  post conference (i.e. 4a)

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Performance Rating (cont.)

• Teachers performance will be noted on one of
  five levels
• Not Demonstrated, Developing, Proficient,
  Accomplished or Distinguished.
• These levels are cumulative across the rows of
  the rubric.
• The developing teacher may exemplify the skills
  expected of a teacher who is new to the
  profession or an experienced teacher who is
  working in a new content area or grade level, or
  who needs a new skill in order to meet the
  standard.

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Performance Rating (cont.)

• A proficient teacher must exhibit the skills
  and knowledge described under the developing
  header as well as those under proficient.
• Likewise, a distinguished teacher exhibits all
  of the skills and knowledge described in the
  descriptors for that element, across the entire
  row.

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Performance Rating (cont.)

• Occasionally, a teacher might not demonstrate
  evidence of proficiency on a particular element.
  In that case the column Not demonstrated
  would be selected.
• An observer would use this option if, during an
  observation, the lesson did not lend itself to
  demonstration of a particular skill or knowledge.
  
• If that column is chosen, then a comment must be
  made as to why it was selected. (Not Observed)
• Not Looked For must be checked for all
  Elements other then 2a and 4a-h in NCEES

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4. Post-Observation Conference no later than ten
days after the observation (sooner the better)

• Purpose is to
• Discuss the classroom observation and the
  associated performance rating through the lens of
  the rubric
• And to identify/verify areas of strength and
  those that could be strengthened
• Process is collaborative but final decisions on
  performance rating rests with the peer observer
  as the end of year summative performance ratings
  rests with the administrator

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Post-Observation Conference (cont.)

• After review, discussion and finalization of
  observation entered into NCEES
• Peer observer digitally signs then Teacher
• Teacher can attach comments if so desired after
  signatures are authenticated
• They login and add comments at end of rubric
• Email will be automatically sent notifying
  administrator that comments have been added

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Performance Measures Discussions

• Not personal
• Evidence based
• Within the context of the rubric, This is what I
  observed and my data (bulleted comments) to
  support it is
• Disagreement you might ask What data leads you
  to say that?
• Within the context of this observation

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Post-Conference Conflict

• You can table post-conference discussion and
  ask that the administrator mediate the process

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Utilizing NCEES to complete Peer Observation
process (Required)

• Following slides provide direction on how to
• Access peer evaluation rubric
• Fill out and complete rubric
• Digitally sign

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2012-2013
Select School Year 2012-2013 Select School
should default to your school Under Select
Teacher Click on the name of the teacher you
will be conducting a peer evaluation on. Note
You will only be able to see the evaluations you
have conducted. You will not be able to see
other teachers self-assessments or the
principals Evaluations.
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Then Click
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Complete the top section of the rubric as
outlined in next two slides
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Obtain Status Year from administrator.
Clicking on Do not allow teacher to view this
rubric. will prevent teacher who is being
observed from viewing rubric. When Peer Evaluator
is ready to share rubric then uncheck this box.
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At Anytime You Can

• Save your work with SAVE icon at top of page
• Spell check with icon at top of page
• Save and Log-out and return to complete rubric

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In Preparation for Observation

• Click the Not looked for boxes on Elements
• 1a-e
• 2b-e
• 3a-d
• 5a-c

These Elements are not part of the Peer
Observation
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You can uncheck a Descriptor by
simply clicking on the box again.
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(After Standard 2 and 4)
Area to capture your bulleted comments to support
performance ratings is located at end of Standard
2 and 4.
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At conclusion of classroom observation Record end
time of observation.
You can save work at anytime by using the Save
icon
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To Re-access the Peer Evaluation Rubric you are
working on (after logging out)

• Login to NCEES
• Enter NCEES
• Select More
• Select Rubric for Observing Teachers
• Select Teachers Name
• Select Peer Evaluation form under Observation
  Names

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Editing Peer Evaluation Rubric

• You can edit comments, change performance rating
  up until you digitally sign the rubric at the
  Post-Observation Conference
• Once the Peer Observers signs the rubric it is
  locked and can not be edited

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Ability of Teacher to View Observation

• In order for teacher to be able to view Peer
  Observation
• Peer Observer must un-check box in front of Do
  not allow teacher to view this form.

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Post-Conference

• Observation has been entered into NCEES
• Top section of rubric completed as outlined
  earlier
• Failure to do so will generate a prompt from
  system to do so during digital signature process
• Appropriate Not Looked for boxes have been
  checked
• Content discussed and reviewed
• Digital signatures are authenticated
• First by Peer Observer then by Teacher
• You will need your passwords UIDs will already
  be in signature box

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• Digital Signature Process
• 1st Peer clicks box under Peer Signature
• It will ask if you are sure If you are then
  proceed
• When Authentication window opens enter your
  password
• Click Authenticate
• Then Teacher repeats process

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Last steps

• Log out
• Have teacher login and ensure they can view
  observation
• Success? Wipe your brow, and smile at a job well
  done
• Problems or issues contact your site-based NCEES
  Coach
• Notify administrator that peer observation is
  complete

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Know

• As we, along with the rest of the districts in
  North Carolina move forward with the utilization
  of NCEES there will be challenges and issues that
  arise as we launch this new platform
• When or if they do, notify your NCEES coach
• If they cannot rectify issue or address question
  they will in turn contact Jed Stus
• If necessary he will contact McREL (NCEES
  vendor) or DPI

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Thank You! For all you do for the students and
teachers of Iredell-Statesville Schools!