My supervisor gave me a rating on an observation based on things that weren’t true. I’m thankful that I was knowledgeable of my rights through the union and could get it removed from my record.
In 2017, my supervisor came to observe me during a math lesson with my 4th-grade class. After the informal observation, I was given a rating of Ineffective and Developing in some categories.
When I looked at my observation report, I could tell it wasn’t accurate. My supervisor had used the Advance online system to choose comments from a dropdown menu, but they weren’t specific to what had actually happened in the classroom. There were things that were observable such as managing student behavior and designing coherent instruction that weren't rated on the feedback form. There were other things that just weren’t specific to what the supervisor saw.
I knew that the union gave me the right to appeal, so I filed an APPR complaint. My district representative came to a meeting with my principal and asked for the observation to be dropped from my record. The observation report was dropped because it contained procedural errors. My supervisor had also tried to do another observation before I had gotten feedback on the first one, which is not allowed, and that second observation report was dropped, too. It just comes right off my record like it never happened.
I was very happy and grateful that someone saw that the rating wasn’t a true reflection of my lesson and of my teaching because of the procedural errors. I’m thankful I had the support of our union. I’m a reflective teacher and strive to improve my craft every year, but if you’re not observed fairly, you can’t get there.
I’m glad we have this system in place to protect ourselves.
Brooke Miller is a 4th-grade teacher and the chapter leader at PS 238 in Brooklyn.
.jpeg?auto=webp)
.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)
/1x.jpeg?auto=webp)