Considering growth in teaching
Subtitle: teacher perspectives on the Ontario performance appraisal
By: by Jennifer Ann Barnett.
Published: 2006
Language: eng
Number of pages: 263
ISBN-13: 9780494218037
Subjects: Teachers -- Ontario -- Evaluation.; Teachers -- Ontario -- Attitudes.; Teacher morale -- Ontario.
Description: In 2001, the Ontario Education Act was amended to include performance appraisal standards and a new teacher evaluation process. The performance appraisal has the potential to be of significant value to teachers at any stage of their career. A review of the related literature however indicated that results from teacher evaluations are often not used to benefit practice. Current information on how today's teachers are implementing the results from the performance appraisal system to improve learning for their students is lacking.Seeking to answer how the performance appraisal is being used in the examination and refinement of practice required identifying the post-appraisal actions of teachers and discovering how these actions were in direct response to the appraisal process. Interviews were used to gather data on the teacher participants' perspectives on the performance appraisal process's contributions to professional growth. Consequently, through a grounded theory qualitative research design, this study identifies how the new Ontario performance appraisal policy and process are engaging teachers in reflection and professional growth.This study confers five contributions to our academic knowledge. The most important contribution is the finding that the appraisal is not based on the teacher's performance but rather on the teacher's essence. This study also contributes knowledge regarding risk taking, the interdependence of professional growth and competency, the detrimental effect of accountability, and the loss of the teacher's voice.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-01, Section: A, page: 0031.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Toronto, 2006.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 227-240).

Electronic version licensed for access by U. of T. users.