Much of the discussion at the national level in teacher preparation and evaluation has moved from beyond teacher quality to teacher effectiveness. Defining what a highly effective teacher looks like and is able to do is at the forefront of many discussions in the national arena. It appears that many Iowans are ready to get into this discussion. Here at UNI we are excited about it too! Today marked the beginning of our campaign to let the other colleges of the university know what is happening with the TQP grant. Our meeting with the Executive Council of the College for Social and Behavioral Sciences went well. There were some very insightful questions and a recognition that some of the proposals "out there" for teacher evaluation are "frightening"!
It sounds like teacher performance will be a priority of the new chief administrator of the Iowa Department of Education. Several of us on the team have been following Jason Glass' tweets and blog with rapt interest.
It is an exciting time to be an educator in Iowa. We have the chance to give direction to the future of our profession in meaningful ways that will indicate to our communities our commitment to quality and accountability. Being an effective educator is more than achieving a prescribed checklist. Let us aspire to greatness for the good of each learner.
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