Turning the Testing Tide

May 18, 2010, By Jeff Waddle 0 comments

Teachers spend lots of time testing and evaluating your children, so turn about is fair play, don’t you think? It’s always a good thing to know more about who is teaching your kid but how do you go about evaluating his teachers? You can’t follow them around campus all day or sit in on the classes. That’s a good way to get arrested.

But don’t give up. Your kid’s education is too important to leave to chance. Get proactive and put your investigative reporter’s hat on.

Pay Attention to Homework Assignments and Feedback

Look at your child’s nightly homework assignments for glimpses into how the teacher approaches the subject in question:

Is it enough or too much?
Does it make sense?
Is it challenging and creative or just cookie cutter?
Were there any special projects that added educational value?

Also, look at test scores, graded papers and report cards. If it’s something more than a standardized math quiz, for example, are written comments on the paper or test thoughtful, constructive comments aimed at improving performance or merely justification of the grade? They might reveal teacher motivation or passion for the subject or, lack thereof.

And, if your star student suddenly is having trouble in a subject he previously excelled in, it might be a sign the teacher’s style isn’t working with him.

Interview your Child

Do you know if your child likes the teacher? If so, why? Pay careful attention to the answers and body language for more evaluation clues. Is the teacher “nice?” Fine, but that may mean he’s simply easy. On the flip side, translating a “hard” or “mean” comment might mean the teacher is challenging and commands attention and respect.

Dig deeper with your questions and find out if the feelings are based on personality, teaching style, subject matter or something else. Your mini-interview may not reveal all the answers you seek, but it’s worth the effort.

Interview other Parents

Ask around, and seek out other parents with children who have the same teacher. Someone with a child who had the teacher the previous year might be especially useful. Ask them what they know about the teacher, and how their children fared in his class. Did their children go on to succeed in the subject in higher grades after the teacher’s class? What did they learn, specifically?

Attend School Functions, Investigate Background

If some school board meetings are open to parents, consider attending. Agendas often are posted on the school’s web site prior to the meeting, so you might find out if any topics include teacher performance or related issues.

Also on the school web site and/or printed in the student handbook are teacher biographies and school activities each teacher is involved in. Look for things like:

Do the teacher’s college degrees and certification match the subject matter he’s teaching your child?
Are there any special honors or additional credentials that enhance his ability to teach the subject?
How long has the teacher been at the school?
Is he perhaps the department head?
Where else did he teach, and how long (total) has he been doing it?
Do extracurricular activities suggest a passion for the subject matter, like a speech or communications teacher coaching the debate team?

Interview the Teacher

Parent-teacher conferences are a great time to evaluate the teacher, especially if you’ve still got questions about the teacher’s background. Yes, it’s important to discuss your child’s performance, but find a way to politely ask questions about the teacher as well, such as:

If you teach art or music, are you also an artist or musician yourself, for example?
Why did you choose to teach this subject?
What’s your teaching philosophy?
Do you see any changes coming in the way you teach this subject, like utilizing more electronic formats vs. traditional text books, for example. What’s your opinion on that?

Interview the Principal

Still not satisfied? Ask for a brief meeting with the principal. As a parent, you’ve got a right to know a teacher’s credentials. While being polite and respectful, ask the principal to explain why the teacher in question teaches at the school and specifically, what makes him qualified to teach the subject in question.

Emphasize that you’re not complaining, just investigating to ensure your child gets the best possible education. Any principal can appreciate that.

Jeff Waddle is a featured contributor to ManoftheHouse.com.