Managing Teacher Appraisal and Performance - Essay Example

Managing Teacher Appraisal and Performance Thesis Statement Thesis: There is no need to conduct staff appraisal on a regular basis unless there is need for it in decision-making processes such as promotion, demotion, or dismissal. I do not agree with this statement because it cups the process of staff appraisals only to important and major events in the institution, and as such, fail to consider the other internal operations of institution that constantly require staff appraisals. It is imperative to note that staff appraisals are very important to the organization as they enable the administration gauge the performance of its teachers, and as such, ensure that every student gets value for what he or she pays to learn at the institution. Therefore, locking the process of staff appraisals strictly as a benchmark to key decision-making processes at the school is wrong, as it denied the institution an opportunity to fully enjoy the benefits of staff appraisals. The following argument evidently projects the benefits of conducting regular staff appraisals at the learning institution. Introduction Staff appraisals are important in every learning institution as they enable the administration to ensure that the teachers perform their duties and responsibilities effectively. On the other hand, staff appraisals also ensure that teachers give their best while at the classroom in order to guarantee maximum output through the excellent performance of their students. Under normal circumstances, staff appraisals take place on a periodic basis, such as every once in a year. This gives both the administration, as well as the teachers, ample time to prepare and be ready for the appraisal process. On the other hand, staff appraisals usually precede important events in the learning institution, such as decision-making processes like the art of promotion, demotion, or dismissal of teachers (Cardo & Middlewood, 2002). Procedural Application of Periodic Appraisal Systems The thesis statement advocates for schools and other learning institutions to conduct performance staff appraisals only when they want to use it as a guide to executive decision making processes such as promotions, dismissals, as well as demotions. However, this is inappropriate because it denies the school’s administration to the opportunity to gauge the performance of its staff members under normal ordinary circumstances, and as such, the inability to guarantee to its students and other learners quality service delivery from its teaching staff. Consequently, the best way for the institution to guarantee maximum service delivery, and high quality of education at the school is to conduct staff appraisals periodically, such as once or twice during a learning calendar year, as well as during such procedural decision making cases. Periodic appraisal systems are imperative as they enable the school’s management and administration to manage optimally the potential of all its staff members, especially the teachers, improve their productivity while in the classroom, as well as enhance the quality of their performance. In addition, periodic performance appraisals clearly define the procedures and work rules that all members of staff must adhere to while in a learning institution. The use of these periodic staff appraisals enables the institution to point out its major goals, sets out its standard objectives, as well as draw the mission of the learning institution (Fletcher, 2013). Potential Benefits of Periodic Staff Appraisals An institution is likely to enjoy a wide range of benefits if it engages in periodic staff appraisals. However, in order for these performance appraisals to have a positive impact on the institution, there needs to be a general agreement or consensus in the belief that these performance appraisals would lead to improved efficiency, as well as effectiveness within the school, especially in terms of teachers’ output in classrooms. This is the key benefit of performance appraisal; the fact that it makes teachers conscious of their role in the education system, as well as the fact that the administrators know that they equally have to play an instrumental role in motivating teachers to do their best while at their duty posts. Other apparent benefits of periodic performance appraisals in learning institutions include communication facilitation, determining training needs, improving performance, reinforcing desired performance and goal setting, as well as enhancing employee focus through promotion of trust. However, the administration of the school must also bear in mind that too many periodic performance appraisals may be detrimental to the output of its teachers, as opposed to the desired goal of improving their performance. In order to ensure that these complications do not occur when the institution is undertaking performance appraisals is to use staff appraisals appropriately, and not as a tool to make negative or biased judgments, as well as matching these appraisals with the culture and system of the institution. Key among the negative effects of performance appraisals in learning institutions includes negative perceptions, subjective evaluations, errors, and legal issues. However, the institution can employ a number of mechanisms geared towards improving these performance appraisals, as well as reducing the margin of errors. Some of these mechanisms include staff training on performance appraisal, providing raters with feedback, and allowing the subordinate staff to participate (Cardo & Middlewood, 2002). The Hong Kong System of Performance Appraisal Hong Kong boasts of having among the best education systems in the world. As such, in order to maintain this high quality of education, it is imperative for the administration of the various learning institutions within the country to conduct periodic staff appraisals. This will enable the administration to improve the quality of learning in these schools, as well as promoting high output and efficiency among its teaching staff. Consequently, the students will get the best from their teachers and tutors. As such, the country also has in place a staff appraisal system, which enables school administrators to gauge the performance of its teachers, as well as evaluate the quality of output that each teacher delivers to his or her students in the classroom. A study of this appraisal system, especially within primary schools in the country, provides that it is possible to acquire higher consistency among raters by employing a number of practical procedures (Middlewood & Cardo, 2001). The first effective attempt at streamlining the appraisal system in the country is by encouraging genuine participation of all the concerned stakeholders in the practical implementation of the appraisal process at different stages of its development, such as during policy formation, or during design of instrument. In addition, the appraisers need to adopt the many-to-one appraisal system, which requires appraisers to justify their scores using concrete evidences, especially amongst themselves, as well as to the teachers and to the principal of the school. Lastly, it is equally imperative for the principal to undertake an effective standardization of scores from the appraisal process. This ensures achievement of a higher consistency of scores after a few rounds of appraisal. Criteria of Appraisal The process of undertaking staff appraisal has to consider a number of criterions in order to ensure maximum success of the appraisal system. Furthermore, this also ensures that the teacher undertaking the assessment fits in an all round package, whereby she or he is good in everything necessary to make an excellent teacher, rather than being exemplary in only one area of the teaching profession. A sample of the appraisal criterion considered when undertaking staff appraisal of teachers in Hong Kong includes teaching, administration, personal qualities and pastoral care. As such, it is imperative for teachers to score highly in all the above-mentioned categories in order to be good teachers, as well as be in a position to deliver quality education to the students. This is because teachers are role models to students, and as such, many students look up to these teachers for guidance and advice, especially the students in lower classes. Therefore, not only should the teacher be good in teaching his or her subject and delivering high quality content in class, but the teacher should be of good morals and caring for his or her students outside the classroom environment (Fletcher, 2013). An appraisal of the teaching capabilities of the teacher centers on his or her knowledge of the subject matters, the pedagogical skills of the teacher, classroom management of the teacher, as well as the way such a teacher monitors the progress of his or her pupils, such as through exercises and tests. This criteria focuses on ensuring that the teacher delivers quality academic content to the students that will enable them learn, gain knowledge, and pass their exams. On appraisal of the pastoral care of each teacher focuses on how the teacher takes care of the total development of his or her pupils, as well as evaluates the teacher’s participation and organization of ECAs. Teachers need also to pass the administration test, which evaluates the capabilities of the teachers in leadership skills, managerial competence, communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills. As for personal qualities, the appraisers check for speech, health and vigor, grooming and appropriate of dress, personal relationship with others, and promptness, such as when meeting deadlines. Data Collection during the Appraisal Process Appraisers need to collect data as important evidence on the performance of the teachers in each of the criteria mentioned above. This will enable them to analyze the collected information critically in order to deduce the most appropriate score for each teacher, and as such, make an informed decision based on the performance of such a teachers. Consequently, appraisers can employ a number of data collection strategies when undertaking the appraisal procedures on teachers at the learning institution. These include classroom observation, especially for the administration category, achievement of the students, for the teaching category, feedback from students, for the pastoral care category, interviews, and checking the work done by students. These methods enable the appraisers to collect concrete evidence on the specific performance of these teachers at their duty post, as well as discern the output of their efforts. Skills Needed in the Appraisal Process The appraisal process requires the participants to have complete acumen of particular skills in order to conduct the entire process professionally, and as such, deliver results that are reliable and trustworthy. These skills touch on both appraisers and appraisees, as both parties need to be equally involved in the process in order to make it successful. Some the critical skills imperative for appraisers to have include establishment of clear job descriptions, identification of performance criteria, skills in recording and documenting, as well as expertise in various assessment methods, such as classroom observations. In addition, the appraiser needs to have interpersonal skills, instrumental in establishing a good rapport, counseling skills, such as being caring and empathetic, as well as interviewing skills, which include both questioning and listening. As for the case of appraisees, they need to understand the grievance procedures, acquire interpersonal skills, as well as be aware of their job descriptions and performance criteria (Hunt, 2005). Integration of Different Appraisal Systems Different appraisal systems exist, and these lead to different results after conducting a staff appraisal. However, it is advisable for school administrators to integrate these appraisal systems in order to derive the best from both options. As such, there is a possibility of integrating two different kinds if appraisal systems into one single system of appraisal, which are developmental appraisal and administrative appraisal. Nevertheless, in the event these two appraisal systems cannot integrate, then it would be desirable to separate them. The school’s management can therefore conduct developmental appraisals on a regular basis, whilst conducting administrative appraisal whenever the need arises. It is imperative to note that ECR7 requires schools to establish a formal system of appraisal as a mechanism of quality assurance, as well as serving the purposes of accountability. This arrangement thereby fulfils the EC’s requirements (Middlewood & Cardo, 2001). Rationale and Purpose of Appraisal The staff appraisal system covers different purposes and rationale. However, the main purposes of an appraisal include administrative purpose and the professional purpose. Administrators use appraisals for control accountability, as well as promotion, whilst professionals use appraisals for improvement, guidance, and support. On the other hand, the rational of appraisals considers the focus of the entire process. The focus notion demands that that staff appraisals cover both formative and summative purposes. Formative or developmental purposes of the staff appraisals ensure that it serves developmental functions that enable teachers to improve their instructional effectiveness through provision of specific feedback on acquisition of identified behaviors in teaching, such as professional development, improvement of practice through identification of weaknesses, strengths, interests and needs. Summative or administrative purpose of staff appraisals ensures that it serves the purpose of accountability, as well as utilizes the findings from the appraisal to make important decisions concerning specific teachers on their selection, promotion, demotion, dismissal, or redeployment (KirPatrick, 2006). Conclusion In conclusion, it is imperative to note that periodic staff appraisals, especially the formative staff appraisals, are necessary for the appropriate development of the teaching staff, as well as ensuring maximum output of the teachers. In addition, this will also enable administrators to have clearly cut out directions whenever they need to make critical decisions concerning their teachers. This is because it would be inappropriate to base a critical decision specifically on a single administrative appraisal since these results may not be bankable, especially if the teachers get wind of the intention or purpose of the staff appraisal. Therefore, the schools administration needs to establish an effective appraisal system that incorporates teachers in making policies, link a variety of aspects to the system, such as professional development, and apply it equally to all members of the staff. A little training to the teachers and the appraisers will enable the school to enhance the effectiveness of each appraisal system developed, thereby ensure that they get the best results from each process. References Cardo, C. & Middlewood, D. (2002). Managing Teacher Appraisal and Performance. London: Routledge. Fletcher, C. (2013). Appraisal, Feedback and Development: Making Performance Review Work. London: Routledge. Hunt, N. (2005). Conducting Staff Appraisals: How To Set Up A Review System That Will Ensure Fair And Effective Appraisal - And Improve Individual Performance And Organizational Results. Boston: How to Books Ltd. Middlewood, D. & Cardo, C. (2001). Managing Teacher Appraisal and Performance: A Comparative Approach. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Psychology Press. KirPatrick, D. (2006). Improving Employee Performance through Appraisal and Coaching. New York: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Appendix Read More