How to Prepare for an Evaluation Without the Stress
You don’t need to spend all your time stressing over your lesson plan for your evaluation. As an educator, you know that some of the best lessons aren’t ones you spend countless hours preparing for, but something you think of on the fly or during your drive to work. How do you bring that spirit of stress-free and effective lesson planning to your evaluation? We make the case for taking a “less is more” approach to teacher evaluation preparation.
Stick to the Tried-and-True
Fancy tech tools and intricate lesson plans aside, the most important thing you can do as a teacher is help your students learn. While it may be tempting to showcase how you can implement technology in the classroom in a new way or how you can approach a traditional lesson with a creative twist, don’t add stress to your evaluation by trying to incorporate flashy techniques that you aren’t accustomed to. Instead, stick to your tried-and-true methods — the ones that work best for you and your students.
Keep Your Focus on Your Students
When you put all your attention on your teacher observation, you’re likely to detract attention from the real audience — your students. Instead of preparing a lesson plan to impress your administrator, do what you always do: Prepare your lesson plan to impress your students. You’ll find yourself more in tune with your students and connecting with their response to the lesson, which is the one that really matters. Plus, you’ll simultaneously demonstrate to your administrator the rapport you’ve worked hard to build with your students.
Go With Your Gut
After countless hours with your students, you know them well. You know when they’re struggling to grasp a topic, when they’re excited about something, and when it might be time to switch it up and try a different approach — even if it’s not in your lesson plan. But during your evaluation, you may be afraid to make changes on the fly. Don’t be! As an educator, a huge part of your job is solving problems in real time. Trust your instincts and change course when needed. Not only will your students benefit, but your administrator will see your ability to troubleshoot without missing a beat.
Approach It With an Open Mind
It’s always a little intimidating to know someone is watching you and judging your performance. But remember: Your teacher performance evaluation is a resource that can help you identify areas where you can improve so you can be the best teacher for your students. Expect constructive feedback and be prepared to be honest with yourself about opportunities for improvement. Most importantly, remember that your evaluation is a not a tool designed to highlight your failures, but a tool intended to make you a stronger, more effective educator.
