Teacher Evaluation Questions & Answers
Being an educator has always been a challenging job, but the past year and a half have been, quite frankly, excruciatingly difficult. It’s no wonder that the coming of evaluation season and a new process adds stress to our already overloaded coping mechanisms. And, although the current evaluation system does not share the punitive nature of its predecessor under the Martinez administration, teachers are justified in feeling like subjects under a microscope. This is, of course, exacerbated by our commitment to giving our all to every student each day. We all want our evaluation scored to reflect that effort and that dedication.
Your union has been working to get answers to the many questions we field each day about the Elevate NM evaluation system. We know that there have been technical glitches that have increased frustration with the undertaking. We have also heard from many that the unscored Self-Reflection component of the evaluation is thorough to the point of being excessive. The last thing educators need is more paperwork.
If you have evaluation questions or want help writing SMART goals, reach out to Ree Chacon at chacon_am@aps.edu. APS SAPR Karen Baehr can answer many of your technical questions at teacherevaluation@aps.edu.
You may find this Power Point presentation to be helpful. (Note: You must sign in with your aps.edu email to access this.)
Completion of the Self-Reflection portion is mandatory, but it will not be scored.
We have received reports that some teachers have “saved” their work in the Self-Reflection part of Elevate NM only to find that their work is not saved at all. We wanted to share the following ideas and information about the Self-Reflection portion of the evaluation:
- The self-reflection tool is not scored by evaluators. It is for a teacher’s personal use.
- We recommend that teachers work on the statements for the self-reflection on a Word Doc, then copy and paste it all at once into the NMPED form. Some people have lost their work when they logout and come back.
- Teachers can give specific evidence on 2-3 indicators that place them at a certain level, and again, say 2-3 things you would do to move to the next level. This is not formal. You may write in an informal voice. This work can help you identify and flesh out SMART goals.
- This self-reflection should work for you, to help you identify and validate the good things you are doing in your teaching, and help you to identify areas you would like to work on.
The rest of the evaluation components are the same as last year: walkthroughs and observations.
Another element that has troubled educators is the timeline for turning in their evaluation work. This has been especially stressful considering spotty website accessibility. Many teachers and some administrators are still unable to access the state’s evaluation system. As a result of this, the NMPED announced a change to the Jan 8th due date.
For APS, Dec. 17 was identified as the internal due date to avoid a backlog of work upon returning from Winter Break.
APS DUE DATES FOR FALL EVALUATION ELEMENTS
(Date range indicates window for completion)
Oct. 13 – Dec 17 Walkthrough 1
Oct. 13 – Dec. 17 Teacher Self-Reflection and BOY PDP
Oct. 15 – Dec. 17 BOY PDP – Evaluator Scoring and Feedback
Dec. 17 Observation 1 for Level One Teachers
If teachers or other individuals have questions pertaining to Elevate NM and Canvas they can also contact the NM PED at teacher.evaluation@state.nm.us or call (505) 469-4736. Include your name, school name, school email, district, and license #.
The Albuquerque Teachers Federation will keep APS educators informed of any new information we gather from the district or the NM PED. Please contact us if you have more evaluation questions at act@atfunion.org.
