Educational Leadership & Teacher Development
Learning philosophy, performance criteria, teacher development, and leadership alignment
leaders that transform students
Teachers are the most important part of a school’s transformational impact on students. We must invest in teachers to transform the lives of students and the families we serve. We must invest in teachers to fulfill the school’s mission by growing our teachers as professional educators and as disciples.
The Wheaton Academy Institute works to equip school leaders to create a culture of teamwork between administrators and teachers in an annual cycle of feedback and coaching. We believe this begins with a well articulated learning philosophy, continues with clear performance criteria that leaders are aligned around and a strong evaluation process that leaders are invested in, and finishes with an understanding of what is good and what is great. When done well, the impact on student learning and individual transformation is significant.
A different System
How the system works
While the education and experience of the teacher is important, leaders (evaluators) must encourage the continuing development of skills, methods, and involvement in the life of the student and the school. This is the value of Christian education that our parents and students deserve.
In our work with schools, we we focus on three components of performance management – leadership, process, and tools – built to advance Christian education. Focusing on these three components assists leaders to motivate, develop, encourage, and compensate their teachers using a realistic and personal approach of self-evaluation, goal setting, observation and evaluation, with feedback and collaboration.
The Annual Process
A plan for the year
Our performance management process is a structured annual cycle aimed at enhancing teacher performance and development throughout the academic year. It starts with establishing clear performance criteria aligned with the school’s learning philosophy. The process continues with setting personal goals aligned with the school’s current priorities. It then involves observations, student/parent input, self-evaluation, portfolio submission, and final evaluation.
More and more schools are then determining to establish a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy, including levels, grades, and ranges that reward performance and reinforce priorities rather than degrees and longevity. We have over a decade of experience operating under a pay-for-performance model and can help your school adopt its own.
Transforming Your People
How to make effective leaders
At the center of any successful team, there must be an understanding of the common goal from which everything is evaluated on. When your mission, values, learning philosophy, and performance management are aligned, trust is formed. Leaders can demonstrate this by expressing clearly, consistently modeling aligned behavior, and reinforcing through the performance management process. It is a continuous cycle that strengthens all members of the team and keeps each person accountable for staying true to your mission.
As we work with your school, we keep this alignment in mind and assist you in managing the change that will come with implementing a new performance management system.
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Our workshop offerings
Our faculty is available to facilitate your leadership team through a customized 2-day workshop with following potential sessions:
SESSION 1: TEACHERS YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET
As a team, discuss the importance of teacher observations and coaching as a driver for student learning. Reflect on the current practices of your school.
SESSION 2: KNOW AND NAME YOUR WHY
Work as a team to articulate your school’s educational philosophy. Create a series of “We Believe” statements that communicate your school’s learning philosophy. Discuss how to create a culture of trust between teachers and leaders to work together to create high level learning experiences for students.
Session 3: Evaluating Good Teachers, Knowing Great Teaching.
Your team will workshop through the difference between good teaching and great teaching. You will then begin to develop your schools performance criteria in alignment with your articulated learning philosophy, we believe statements, and view of good versus great teaching.
Session 4: Observation: The Building Block for Feedback.
Discuss how to conduct effective observations. Get into the classroom and do hands on practical work observing teachers and students and think through how to apply various practices at your school.
Session 5: Coaching: Moving Toward Development and away from Evaluation.
Discuss how to take feedback from an observation and translate it into an effective coaching session. Conduct mock meetings and simulations to gain practice the art of giving feedback and coaching.
Session 6: Case Studies. Four Teacher’s Journeys Toward Professional Growth.
Walk through four case studies with your team on how to coach and develop teachers with different strengths, weaknesses, personalities, and potential.
Session 7: Now What?
Plan for implementation of your learning philosophy, performance evaluation and teacher development model. Walk through the Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle for managing the change.
Want to learn more?
take the first step
Don’t wait any longer to grow your teachers. Check out Living Curriculum Online and receive resources to get started on your journey today.