Better Feedback for Better Teaching - Annotated by Jeff Archer & Steven Cantrell & Steven L Holtzman & Jilliam N Joe & Cynthia M Tocci & Jess Wood

Book Synopsis

Better Feedback for Better Teaching is an essential resource for school, district, and state, leaders committed to high-quality classroom observations. This practical guide outlines the knowledge and skills classroom observers need to identify and help develop effective teaching, and explains how leaders can best facilitate the development of classroom observers.

The best way to ensure high quality instruction in every classroom is to provide teachers with accurate, constructive feedback on practices proven to enhance student learning. Skilled classroom observers help teachers do their best work, so that they can guide students to their greatest potential. Better Feedback for Better Teaching provides helpful, reliable strategies from leading experts and practitioners involved in the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project, which carried out one of the largest, most influential studies of classroom observations to date.

Among the many topics covered, Better Feedback for Better Teaching describes how to:

• Build a shared vision of effective teacher feedback among observers
• Ensure a common understanding of a classroom observation tool
• Train observers to collect objective evidence from a lesson, efficiently and free of bias
• Leverage data to improve how observers are trained and supported

This comprehensive resource includes helpful starting points, as well as tips to refine techniques and address new challenges. Each section combines clear explanations of key ideas with concrete, adaptable examples and strategies.

Self-assessments are included to help you quickly rank current needs and find the most relevant solutions. Filled with valuable, practical tools, Better Feedback for Better Teaching helps educators cultivate high-quality classroom observations that improve teaching and learning.

From the Back Cover

Praise for better feedback for better teaching

"Educators are committed to strengthening their teaching. But to do that, they need accurate information on their current practice, and suggestions for improving it. Better Feedback for Better Teaching provides essential guidance so all teachers can benefit from classroom observations by colleagues, mentors, coaches, or supervisors who are adequately prepared to do this important work."

--Charlotte Danielson, developer of the Framework for Teaching

"Better Feedback for Better Teaching sheds critical light on the importance of effective feedback, the bedrock of improving teacher practice. This book is what the field has been missing--an actionable resource to help translate theory into reality."

--Ellen Moir, CEO, New Teacher Center

"When it comes to teaching, the quality of feedback really matters. This book offers practical guidance and advice for ensuring that teachers receive actionable, constructive feedback that will pay ultimate dividends in student success."

--Sara Heyburn, Executive Director, Tennessee State Board of Education

"Teacher observations and evaluations should be a developmental process focused on improving teacher performance. Better Feedback for Better Teaching explains how to make that happen. A must read for all responsible for teacher development."

--Dan Domenech, Executive Director, AASA

"Classroom observations are the best tool we have to help teachers improve their practice. But even the best tools have to be used the right way. This book is a great 'how to' guide to get the most out of observations."

--MaryEllen Elia, New York State Education Commissioner

About the Author

JEFF ARCHER, a former Education Week writer, is president of Knowledge Design Partners, a communications and knowledge management consulting business with a focus on school change issues.

STEVE CANTRELL, a former teacher, is a senior program officer in the K-12 division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he codirected the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project.

STEVEN L. HOLTZMAN is a senior research data analyst in the Data Analysis and Research Technologies group at ETS.

JILLIAM N. JOE, a former research scientist at ETS, runs a research and assessment consulting business, Measure by Design.

CYNTHIA M. TOCCI, a former teacher, spent more than 20 years at ETS, where she served as an executive director in research. She now runs a consulting business, Educational Observations.

JESS WOOD is a senior policy advisor at EducationCounsel, where she works with states and districts to improve educator preparation, support, and evaluation. A former teacher, she led observer training at District of Columbia Public Schools.