Christine Job
University of North Dakota
Dr. Christine Job is an instructional coach serving students and educators in Bismarck, North Dakota. In this role she works side by side with teachers to increase their effectiveness in the classroom. Dr. Job has 28 years of experience at the elementary school level as a classroom teacher, interventionist, teacher of gifted and talented students, and staff developer. She is also an adjunct faculty member for Dickinson State University helping to inspire and prepare undergraduate teachers for their future roles in education.
In the context of US policy change in the field of educational leadership, this is the first of three research presentations exploring the sustainability of three specific change initiatives in the state of North Dakota. Following a general introduction to the policy landscape, the presenters will explore the perceptions of teachers and their principal about teacher effectiveness in a case study of one elementary school in North Dakota. In theory, research on the topic of teacher effectiveness and evaluation tools designed to measure it will lead schools to develop common understandings. The question is whether the research and evaluation tools lead to changes in teacher understanding and instruction that increases student learning.
During this presentation, the author will share findings from of a qualitative case-study examining the perceptions of teachers and their principal in one elementary school in North Dakota. Research on this topic has shown that teacher effectiveness is the most significant school-level factor impacting student achievement. Understanding perceptions teachers and administrators hold about teacher effectiveness is critical in supporting teacher growth within our schools. This study examined the extent to which there were shared understanding of teacher effectiveness, whether teacher and principal perceptions were the same or different, and whether teacher perceptions aligned to the teacher evaluation system.
A qualitative case study approach was taken to allow for greater depth of understanding within one elementary school. The participants were classroom teachers in grades kindergarten through 6th and their principal. Semi-structured interviews, observations of classrooms and grade level meetings, and an analysis of authentic school documents were used in this study to identify the perceptions held around teacher effectiveness. From these three data sources, codes and themes were revealed. The findings suggest some shared understanding and critical differences of teacher effectiveness among all teachers, their principal, and the evaluation system used.
This session will be of interest to educators striving to become more effective in increasing student achievement and for the school systems supporting this effort in a rapidly changing policy environment.
