Pennsylvania 426 Evaluation Form

[imacacher]

Any other PA teachers out there that are putting together their documentation for their Form 426 evaluation meeting?

Last year, as a permanent sub, I was told about the evaluation on a Friday (when my principal found out) and I was expected to pull everything together over the weekend. It was quite rough, but I did it. My meeting with my principal was fantastic, and I truly believe that my portfolio had a big impact in me being hired full time.

I was done with my position before June, so I didn't have the second meeting.

Sooo, I'm sitting here looking at my portofolio from last year trying to decide what to add or change.

If you are also working on 426, or have done this in the past, how is yours organized? What does it include beside work samples, lesson plans, and TONS of pictures???

 

[mrsb203]

426???

I'm in PA and not entirely sure what form you're discussing. I went to the PDE site. Does this have something to do with changing from Instructional I to instructional II?

 

[imacacher]

PDE Form 426

Hi Mrs. B,

Yes and no. 426 is the semi-annual evaluation form used for Instructional I teachers. Before you can get your Instructional II certificate, you have to have 6 consecutive satisfactory ratings on the 426.

http://www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=84717

 

[Mom4a_and_c]

Instructional II

I guess I am lucky because I never had to fill out the 426 form you mentioned before getting my Instructional II.

Marie from PA

 

[imacacher]

Marie..

Last year was the first year was one of the first years that they used the form, I believe. I know it was the first year that my district used it.

It's just a LONG process when you have to have justification for each item!

 

[Mom4a_and_c]

form

Good luck in filling out your form. It is a shame that we always have to justify and prove ourselves all time time no matter how good of a job we do.

Marie

 

[imacacher]

Thanks

It would be easy if all we had to do was fill it out. Instead, we have to have some type of evidence (picture, lesson plan, copy of student work, etc) for each bulleted point on the last. Well, I suppose you dont have to have one for each, but if you don't my principal assumes that we don't do it.

I guess the good news is that I already have my binder from last year, so I just need to add to it!

 

[mrsb203]

"426"

I've had my Instructional II a while now and the least experienced person in my building has been there 8 years.
I will have to look into this some more however, since I'm an elementary department chair and union rep. I like to keep on top of things.
Thanks for the info and good luck.

 

[imacacher]

Mrs. B

You are welcome!

I'm sure each school (and principal) does it differently, but after we gather all of our evidence, we get a sub for a 1/2 of a day and meet with our principal for a few hours. He goes through each of the bullet and asks if we do it (of course the answer better be yes) and then tells us to prove it!

There are 4 of us that were just hired full time this year, but two of us went through this last year at the same school, so at least we know what to expect (at least a little bit!)

 

[mrsb203]

triana

You get a sub for a 1/2 day! How lucky you are! Not really, I don't think I could handle sitting for that long justifying everything that I do. I have issues with the consultant from the "IU" that comes in for 15 minutes to observe. (that's a different thread)

 

[imacacher]

Yes--1/2 of a day!

Last year we started at 9, met for a while, and then I got my 30 minute planning time. We finished right around 12, when it was time for the sub to go!

Now, if we can't get subs for the days (especially since I think there are 8 of us this year) then we'll get pulled during our morning planning time (before the kiddos arrive) and then during any prep periods.

 

[mrsb203]

meeting

Do you feel that the meetings are helpful or can you think of a better use of your time? I would think as time goes on the meeting time could be shortened.

 

[imacacher]

It depends...

on how you organize your info.

If you looked at the form, you'll see that under each of the 4 domains, there are a BUNCH of bullets. The way that Penn State had us organize our student teaching portfolio was based on this form. For PSU we HAD to have two pieces of evidence for each bulleted point.

Since I was familiar with that (only being out of school for 6 months when I did the 426 the first time) I used the same method. I had documention for each subtopic, so when my principal asked me to prove that I did something, I just flipped to that page in my binder. For the 426 the wording is more simple--"satisfactory understanding, some knowledge, etc." Therefore, if I had a piece of evidence for each point, my principal COULDN'T (and didn't) rate me as unsatisfacotry.

However, there were other teachers who only gathered a few pieces of evidence for each of the domains. Their meetings were shorter, but they also received unsatisfactories for a few different pieces.

My meeting last year was quite helpful, but I think part of that was because while it wasn't officially, it was an "interview" with the principal. When I had my interviews in the spring, I used the portfolio, and went piece by piece with the interviewers! (They were bored by the end...but again, they knew that I was capable of doing everything PDE said I needed to do!).

Sooo, I'm hoping that since I have a job, and have been through this once (and so has the principal--remember, it was new to the administrator's too), it will be quicker, and more relaxed too! Last year I was a nervous wreck!

 

[mrsb203]

Now that you mention it

The last 2 student teachers I had did some things like that. I had ST from Duqusene and Slippery Rock. Penn State student teachers are always taken by the same two teachers in our building.

 

[imacacher]

Psu

While that student teaching portfolio was a time consuming pain, it really was beneficial!

The same teachers in our district get them too--the supervisors develop a good working relationship with the teachers, and it doesn't appear that the cooperating teachers want to give them up!