I found your latest poll results troubling, fascinating, but not surprising. Let's examine the results and speculate about what it means.

How frequently do you receive effective constructive feedback about your performance from your supervisor?

Rarely or never----------------------------------------34%

Once a year at evaluation time-------------------30%

Several times per year------------------------------24%

About once per month--------------------------------7%

Daily or weekly------------------------------------------5%

Total Responses = 271

We know that all teachers and principals are evaluated each year. The results imply that 64% of the respondents report that their feedback is ineffective and nonconstructive. What conclusions do you come to?

We should all agree that the function of evaluation is to stimulate further growth. Effective evaluation provides data and evidence so that the recipient can self-reflect, and with the help of the supervisor, make adjustments and improve their practices. The inability to receive and use effective feedback stifles the professional growth of teachers and principals.

Why are we getting this survey result? Over the last three years a great deal of time and effort have gone into providing policies, regulations, plans, and training with regard to professional observations and evaluations. One would expect that given this initiative, the vast majority of survey respondents would report a good deal of satisfaction with the effectiveness of their feedback. So, what are some of the possibilities for these results?

1. The policies, regulations, plans, and training were off target. Weren't these based on the best research and practice? Were Danielson, Marzano, and others wrong?

2. The policies, regulations, plans, and training were on target, but the implementation was faulty. This could mean that supervisors haven't sufficiently mastered the understandings and skillfulness to be effective. It could also mean that there might be a disconnect between (1) what supervisors are feeding back and what the teacher and principals might be hearing; (2) what teachers and principals are accepting as being valid, significant, useful, and/or constructive.

3. Teachers and principals are already at mastery-level, and, therefore, not in need of evaluation. Although I offer this possibility somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I am not aware of more than a few teachers or principals who were evaluated as "less that effective". In fabled Lake Woebegone, "where everyone is above average", so why would anyone take feedback seriously.

Your comments are always valued.