3221 - INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
In accordance with the Teacher Tenure Act of 1993 and Board policy, each probationary teacher/guidance counselor and each tenured teacher/guidance counselor who has received a less-than-satisfactory evaluation is to be provided an Individualized Development Plan (IDP) which is to serve as the basis for his/her professional growth.
The IDP for probationary teachers should include all of the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes that a teacher should be using to help students accomplish individual learning goals, the objectives of each course of study, and the educational goals of the District. An IDP for a tenured teacher should consist of the knowledge and skills which were identified as deficient on the last evaluation with the teacher.
What should be THE BASIS OF an IDP for a probationary teacher
In addition to the noninstructional aspects of a teacher's responsibility that should be included in the IDP, the following instructional responsibilities and tasks should serve as the basis for evaluation and professional growth of the teacher.
Pre-Instructional Responsibility
Task One - Select/Analyze Learning Objectives
It is almost impossible to provide effective instruction if a teacher is unable to decide what particular learning students need and why, what such learning consists of (knowledge of subject matter), and what thinking/actions students need to do to achieve the learning.
Task Two - Assess Students' Current Level of Achievement
Unless the teacher has a clear, accurate picture of students' needs relative to the expected achievement, the instruction could be irrelevant, inappropriate, or insufficient for one or more students.
Task Three - Diagnose Students' Achievements That Fall Below Pre- Requisites
Unless the teacher knows how to identify the causes for students' underachievement, the instruction may not be appropriate because it could be dealing with wrong or unimportant contributing factors.
Instructional Responsibility
Task One - Plan Appropriate Learning Activities for Students to Achieve the Learning Objective
Instruction is such a complex process that if a teacher has not properly organized the necessary materials, facilities, and identified the procedures associated with the type of learning that is needed (knowledge, skill, attitude) for the learning to take place, the time and effort spent could easily result in nonachievement of the learning, in misuse of resources, and in heightened student deficiency and frustration.
Task Two - Create an Environment which Maximizes the Opportunity for Each Student to Participate Appropriately in the Learning Activities
If students do not recognize the relevancy of the learning, are not organized for appropriate actions, are distracted by their surroundings, etc., such roadblocks may make the learning impossible or more difficult than it needs to be.
Task Three - Conduct the Lesson (Learning Activities) as Planned
While planning provides the necessary preparation, it is the actual doing by the students, guided by the teacher, that produces learning. If the plan is appropriate and complete, and if the teacher is skillful in carrying out the plan, then the likelihood is far greater that the students will achieve the intended learning(s).
Post-Instructional Responsibilities
Task One - Assess/Diagnose the Extent to Which the Students Achieved the Learning
If the teacher does not know how to find out accurately what the results of the instruction were and what caused those results, then it is highly unlikely that effective "follow-on" (remediation, reinforcement, application, extension, etc.) can be provided.
Task Two - Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Instruction
Since the teacher is the prime facilitator of learning, his/her actions have a major influence on what and how much students learn. If the teacher is unclear about what s/he did that contributed to or hindered student achievement, it is highly unlikely that effective teaching acts can be done properly again or that ineffective teaching acts can be modified and improved.
Task Three - Revise/Refine Teaching Acts
Short of perfection, all teachers need to improve their strategies. Since the teacher's actions are a major factor in student achievement, then continued efforts to enlarge knowledge and improve skills should increase the likelihood of improved student learning.
Task Four - Revise and/or Recycle Activities that Particular Students Need to Achieve the Intended Learning
Many students do not, the first time, reach the needed level of learning. If such learning is prerequisite to subsequent learning, then they need appropriate and sufficient opportunities to learn what has not been learned and in a way that does not reduce the learning already achieved.
What should be THE BASIS OF an IDP for a probationary COUNSELOR
Professional improvement should relate to tasks associated with the school counselor's three (3) major responsibilities:
counseling with students, individually and in groups
consulting with staff on effective ways to think through problems and to work with students
coordinating various services for helping students
In fulfilling these three (3) responsibilities, the counselor needs to be able to perform the following tasks at an acceptable level of proficiency.
diagnose student needs
counsel individually and in groups to help students deal effectively with personal, educational, and career issues by making appropriate use of skills related to:
problem identification
problem analysis
problem resolution
goal setting
planning for goal accomplishment
implementing plans and monitoring progress
making decisions
following through on decisions
administering and interpreting achievement, interest, aptitude, and personality tests
identifying and making appropriate referrals
communicating with staff and parents
reducing race, gender, and disability bias
planning and conducting staff development programs for teachers and support staff on issues related to guidance and counseling of students
locating and maintaining resources and materials related to the guidance and/or counseling of students
explaining to the Board, administration, staff, parents, and students the purposes and functions of the school guidance and counseling services
evaluating the effectiveness of each of the guidance and counseling services offered by the school
EVALUATION OF PROBATIONARY TEACHERS/COUNSELORS
Each of the above-stated tasks contains a number of teaching or counseling acts which need to be identified so that an evaluation form and procedure can be developed. The principal, working with the Assistant Superintendent, shall be responsible for the preparation of the form and the development of the evaluation plan which is to be used with all probationary teachers or counselors.
The plan should include provision for the following:
The Evaluation Instrument
a clear description of the essential tasks a teacher or counselor must perform
the criteria by which each of the instructional/counseling tasks will be judged
the minimum and desired levels of performance (standards) of each task based on the criteria
a means for determining the relative importance of each teaching/counseling act, terms of accomplishing learning goals, and the exit outcomes of the District
The Evaluation Process
a fair, honest, and efficient means for collecting data on teacher or counselor performance of the instructional tasks
sufficient time for observation early in the first probationary year so the results can serve as the basis of the teacher's or counselor's IDP
data on teacher or counselor performance that is accurate, complete, relevant, and as unbiased as possible
a clear and accurate indication of which instructional/counseling tasks are being performed at or above standards and which fall below expectations
a means to determine priorities for reinforcing effective teaching/counseling and remediating those teacher or counselor actions that are not satisfactory
a means for sharing the evaluation with the teacher or counselor and obtaining input for use in developing the IDP
The Development of the IDP
who will be responsible for developing the IDP
the specific actions that will be taken and/or resources that will be used to:
reinforce high-priority teaching/counseling acts that meet expectations
remediate high-priority acts that do not meet expectations
the specific reinforcement and remedial actions and/or resources
timelines for the IDP actions and for follow-up evaluation