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 Creating
Communities
of Practice
To stimulate professional learning, we need
to move beyond teacher evaluation based on
numbers, ratings, and rankings.
Charlotte Danielson

T
odays teachers and adminis- Principals are also feeling the crunch.
trators are caught in a squeeze Theyre confronted with the pressures
of conflicting demands. of time-consuming teacher evaluation
Virtually all teachers care systems, often imposed from above,
deeply about children and making it harder for them to provide
their learning. They work hard to create teachers with meaningful and effective
classroom environments that are simul- instructional support. Meanwhile, prin-
taneously well organized and purposeful, cipals must be attuned to the needs of
warm and supportive, and intellectually students and parents and responsive to
challenging. Thats a tall order in the best requirements from the central office.
of times; and its even more difficult in a Many educators are left wondering how
policy environment in which teachers are they can manage all these ever-increasing
under great scrutiny and subject to greater demands. They may feel that pressures
JUD GUITTEAU/THEiSPOT

accountability than ever before. from all sidesespecially mandated evalu-

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 ation systems that come across as just adequate instruction but also an
punitive rather than supportiveare excellent education, it may help if we
making it hard for them to do the remind ourselves of some realities of
things for which they went into edu- teaching, learning, and life in schools.
cation in the first place. Its a sorry
state of affairs when teachers fear that Teaching is complex work.
theyre being forced to compromise Teachers make hundreds of decisions
their most important responsibility each day (literallyresearchers have
serving the students in their charge. counted them) (Clark & Peterson,
I dont think Im the first person to 1986; Shavelson & Stern, 1981). And
observe that current approaches to regardless of how good, even inspira-
teacher evaluation in many states are tional, a teachers practice is on any
undermining the very professionalism given day, it can always become even
thats essential to creating positive better. This statement is not intended

Current approaches to teacher evaluation

in many states are undermining the very
professionalism thats essential to positive
learning environments for students.

learning environments for students. To to downplay the wonderful work

be sure, evaluation serves an essential that many teachers do every day with
policy function, ensuring that all their students; it simply reflects the
teachers in a school meet or exceed complexity of teaching. The impos-
certain standards of proficiency. Safe- sibility of reaching perfection is in the
guarding teacher quality is an essential very nature of creative, professional
requirement for any school receiving work. Therefore, part of the mission
public (or even private) funds. But the of every school must be to create a
proportion of teachers who dont meet place for learning, for teachers as well
basic standards of practice is no more as students, in which teachers are con-
than 6 percent, according to most esti- tinually engaged in learning new skills
mates (Pallas, 2013). If the 6 percent and acquiring new insights that can
figure is close to correct, what about enhance their practice.
the other 94 percent? Surely, any
professionally responsible personnel Current evaluation programs
policy would also place a priority on arent fulfilling their potential.
helping these already-good teachers Although teacher evaluation can
become even more skilled in their contribute to teachers professional
practice. learning, it doesnt always do so. In
many schools and districts, teacher
Two Basic Realities evaluation has become simply a matter
As we think through strategies to of numbers, ratings, and rankings. In
ensure that all our students receive not some jurisdictions, teacher rankings

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 are even published in the newspaper. No one should be
surprised that growing numbers of teachers have become
seriously disenchanted with the profession. I receive fre-
quent e-mails from teachers expressing their dismay over ADVICE TO MYSELF AS
what they perceive as a serious distortion of their mission to A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER
engage students in meaningful learning.
For teacher evaluation practices to lead to real profes-
sional learning, the system must include self-assessment, Dear Sheri, Have no regrets.
reflection on practice, and professional conversation. The
planning and reflection conferences between teacher and Shell out the $10 for the blue canvas Kettle Creek
observer before and after a classroom observation should pencil case. Consider it a keepsake to hold mem-
never be eliminated; many educators find that the full ories of your entire teaching career.
value of the observation is realized only in those con- Right now, you are being mentored by master
versations. Although training of teacher evaluators has teachers. Watch, listen, learn. Value their time
greatly improved our ability to determine where individual and advice. You will learn to reflect on your
teachers fall on the curve of teacher effectiveness, thats not pedagogy, differentiate instruction, use authentic
enough. We need to actually move the curve.
assessments, maintain a teaching portfolio, and

Promoting Professional Growth: engage in your own professional learning and

The Principals Role responsibilities, as well as consider your personal
Many educators have concluded that teacher evaluation, wellness.
even if its carried out in a way that maximizes reflection Without a doubt, beginning your career at your
and professional conversation, is not the best approach old high school will allow you to evolve into a
to stimulate teachers learning about their complex and caring, competent, and creative teacher-educator.
important work. Schools should not rely on evaluation as From time to time later in life, youll be overcome
their main engine of teaching improvement. Instead, they
with waves of nostalgia for this year. The encour-
should embrace comprehensive personnel policies that
agement, collegiality, and collective wisdom
establish the school as a place of learning for adults as well
as students. of this first-year community will stay with you
What is the principals role in promoting this kind forever. Your successes as a teacher, which will
of professional learning? In considering this question, eventually span four continents, will be due in
its important to employ the most accurate analogies for large part to the village that raised you as a
teachers and their work. In some approaches to teacher teacher.
evaluation, individual teachers are viewed like door-to-door And that $10 pencil case? Its money well spent.
salesmen, each one responsible for a territory (classroom),
Almost three decades later, that blue canvas
with his or her success unaffected by coworkers in neigh-
will still accompany you daily. From Canada to
boring territories. That is, teachers are similar to inde-
pendent contractors, and their success is determined solely Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, it will
by the achievement gains made by their students. In remind you of a great beginning. Treasure it, and
this analogy, the principal is an inspector, analyzing each treasure this year.
teachers practice and the results of each teachers work. Sheri Henderson, general studies faculty member,
But a different analogy might serve our purposes better: English, Ras Al Khaimah Mens College, Higher
that of a symphony orchestra. In this situation, each indi- Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates
vidual, whether violinist, or oboist, or percussionist, is a
part of a larger whole, and the sound that emanates from
the orchestra is a function of how they work together. In
this analogy, the principals role is that of a conductor,
ensuring the right balance between the different sections

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 of the orchestra and monitoring the learned important lessons. The prin- tainty or imperfect knowledge to a
effects of their collective effort. In cipal can also model this practice; supervisor who might interpret such
other words, the principals role is pro- most principals have a catalogue of an admission as weakness or defi-
moting the collective knowledge and experiences in dealing with students, ciency.
skill of the faculty and ensuring that, parents, or the district administration Therefore, the principal should
working together, they can accomplish that did not work as planned, but from begin by explicitly recognizing
the best results possible with all the which they learned some important and reinforcing the idea that much
students in their charge. lessons. For example, one principal untapped wisdom resides in the
Schools are a tangle of relationships told about a time when he became knowledge and experience of teachers.
among individuals and groups. The aware that a parent, unhappy about a To model that its acceptable to admit
principal oversees this environment, particular teacher, had been discussing imperfection and to seek assistance,
but he or she is not the only player in her concerns with other parents and the principal might describe to the
it. The principals most important role thus undermining the teachers repu- faculty a skill he or she is trying to
improve (such as managing the budget
or forging better relationships with
When teachers have an instructional neighborhood businesses), and invite
teachers suggestions about how he or
dilemma, theyre more likely to approach she might build that skill.
Another way to reinforce the expec-
fellow teachers for advice than to discuss tation that teachers will continually
the matter with an administrator. learn from one another is by insti-
tuting a system of mutual teacher
observation. In most schools, teachers
is to establish and sustain a schoolwide tation in the school. On first hearing are observed by supervisors for the
community of professional inquirya about this parents remarks, the prin- purpose of evaluation or by peer
community in which educators learn cipal had not taken immediate action; coaches who provide nonevaluative
from one another and draw on their instead he had ignored the situation in feedback. In both cases, however, the
colleagues knowledge and insights to the hopes that the remarks would stop. assumed beneficiary of the observation
enhance their own teaching. Here are Later, he decided that this had not is the teacher who is being observed.
some guidelines for principals who been the best responsethe problem Why not turn that assumption on
want to create such communities. didnt go away. From this experience, its head and implement a system in
he passed on a lesson about the impor- which teachers routinely observe other
Create an environment thats tance of clear communication and teachers to learn from them? Perhaps
both safe and challenging. active support for colleagues. a 3rd grade teacher is having difficulty
Just as effective teachers establish a using discussion strategies in her class;
classroom culture in which students Establish the expectation that the discussions are flat, and only a few
feel both safe and challenged,1 effective colleagues will continually learn students participate. If she knows that
school leaders establish a schoolwide from one another. a 4th grade colleague is highly skilled
culture in which teachers feel safe to We know that teachers learn more in this area, she might observe that
express themselves and take risks, but from their colleagues than from their teacher and note specific techniques
are also challenged to actively seek supervisors. When they have an to try.
new and better approaches to their instructional dilemma, theyre more This is a very powerful strategy,
practice. likely to approach fellow teachers for but one that some teachers resist
One strategy for supporting risk- advice than to discuss the matter with because in their experience, another
taking is to encourage teacher teams an administrator, whos likely to be an person coming into their classroom
to identify and share high-quality mis- evaluator. This is hardly surprising. means they might be evaluated or
takesapproaches that didnt work All learning requires vulnerability; judged. This combination of a pow-
very well, but from which the teachers teachers are unlikely to admit uncer- erful strategy and natural resistance

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 creates a terrific opportunity for lead- teacher leaders can acquire the nec- vidual teachers to an emphasis on
ership. The principal might say, Its essary skills is another facet of lead- schoolwide communities of profes-
important for the school that every ership by the principal. sional inquiry in which educators
teacher observe a colleague twice (or But establishing productive teams is learn from one another. Principals and
some other number of times) during not simply a matter of designating one teacher leaders are key players in
the school year to gain some insights individual as the leader and assigning building these communities. Instead of
into your own teaching. Make arrange- responsibilities; every member of the attempting to improve teaching solely
ments with other teachers, let me team must be able to contribute, and by ranking and rating teachers, lets
know when youre planning to do it, feel invited to do so. Principals are make evaluation part of a compre-
and Ill cover your class. the ones in the best position to make hensive system designed to enhance
Principals are also ideally situated sure team participants get training in the individual and collective capacity
to establish the schoolwide structures collaboration skills, such as actively of all educators in the school. EL
that enable teachers to learn from one 1
Components 2a and 2b of the
another and to develop their collective Framework for Teaching. See Danielson,
wisdom. Many schools have found
ways to institute common planning
The impossibility of C. (2007). Enhancing professional
practice: A framework for teaching, 2nd ed.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
time for grade-level teams or depart- reaching perfection is in
ments during the school day. Setting
aside the time is essential, but so is the nature of creative, References
establishing expectations about what Clark, C. M., & Peterson, P. L. (1986).
teachers should accomplish during professional work. Teachers thought processes. In M. C.
Wittrock (ed.), Handbook of research on
such meetings, so that teams dont teaching, 3rd ed. (pp. 255296). New
squander the time in complaining York: Macmillan.
about a few students or dissecting the listening to colleagues, summarizing Pallas, A. (2013, February 19). How
latest proposal from the district office. a discussion, acknowledging and many ineffective teachers are actually
The best use of this time will, natu- building on others ideas, become pro- out there? [blog post]. Retrieved from
The Washington Post Answer Sheet
rally, be influenced by current initia- ficient at not only problem-solving but blog at www.washingtonpost.com/
tives in the school or the district. But also problem identification, and so on. news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/19/
some options include understanding Its sometimes important, also, to how-many-ineffective-teachers-are-
new curriculum standards and how arrange for the infusion of expertise actually-out-there
those might be addressed in the when its needed. Although teachers Shavelson, R. J., & Stern, P. (1981).
Research on teachers pedagogical
classroom, analyzing student work, or can learn much from one another,
thoughts, judgments, decisions, and
engaging in lesson study. Such activ- they dont necessarily know everything behavior. Review of Educational Research,
ities are most powerful when they are required for substantive improvement. 51, 455498.
led or coordinated by a team leader, For example, they may need training
a department chair, or instructional in the techniques of conducting lesson Copyright 2016 Charlotte Danielson
coach. study; or they may need to learn
about research-supported literacy,
Support teacher leadership. mathematics, or science instruction. Charlotte Danielson (charlotte@daniel-
Some of these activities imply dif- The principal is in the best position songroup.org) advises state education
ferent, or expanded, roles for at least to identify these needs and provide departments and national ministries and
some teachers. The roles of mentor, expert coaches or professional devel- departments of education, both in the
instructional coach, department opers as needed. United States and internationally. She
is the author of Enhancing Professional
chair, or team leader require skills
Practice: A Framework for Teaching, 2nd
somewhat different from those needed Time for a Shift Edition (ASCD, 2007) and The Handbook
for teaching students. Providing the In our quest to improve teaching, its for Enhancing Professional Practice:
opportunity for training (perhaps with time to shift from an emphasis on Using the Framework for Teaching in
district support and coordination) so high-stakes accountability for indi- Your School (ASCD, 2008).

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