Teacher satisfaction with formative teacher evaluation systems.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

<italic>A Nation at Risk</italic> forced a critical investigation of the practice of teaching. A part of this inquiry focused on teacher evaluation systems. Summative teacher evaluation systems did not result in improved teaching practices. Theorists hoped that formative teacher evaluation systems would support the professional development of teachers and effect accountability in the classroom. Kildeer School District 96 in Buffalo Grove, Illinois analyzed their summative teacher evaluation system in 1996 and determined that a better way to evaluate and support teachers was by adopting a formative teacher evaluation system.
This qualitative case study concerns building administrator and tenured teachers' satisfaction with the formative teacher evaluation system five years after its launch. Research was conducted at a single site in this elementary school district, and includes data collection from a survey, focus groups and interviews. Two questions structured this study: (1) How satisfied are tenured teachers and administrators with the current formative teacher evaluation system; and (2) How do tenured teachers and administrators, who have experience with both the summative and formative teacher evaluation systems, view the change.
While this is a personal journey of investigation for the researcher who hopes to apply findings to her district, it is also hoped that the findings will apply to other school districts beginning a review of their teacher evaluation system.