Teacher evaluations can vary wildly—sometimes they are regularly scheduled; at other times they happen at the last minute before the school year ends. These appraisals typically involve an administrator observing a classroom lesson, which can feel contrived and stressful, resembling a mere "check-the-box" exercise. Frequently, the focus centers on teacher behaviors rather than examining the impact on student learning outcomes and the actions contributing to those outcomes. In this episode with Dr. Greg Moncada, we delve into the teacher appraisal system and explore how it can be transformed to prioritize student learning, better align with the school’s mission, and more effectively support the professional growth of educators.

Greg is the Head of Harare International School (HIS) in Zimbabwe and was previously the founding director of the Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST), the Qatar Foundations’ new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) school. Prior to his leading role at HIS and QAST, Dr. Moncada started new schools and programs throughout his career, including a progressive middle school based on the “This We Believe’ model and district-wide STEM programs in Elementary, Middle, and High School settings.  Dr. Moncada specializes in developing student-centered learning models, progressive learning models, and multiverse organizational structures between schools and organizations. With more than 30 years of experience, Greg has held teaching and leadership positions in International schools in Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, as well as in the United States. Greg holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Minnesota, an MA in Leadership from Lehigh University, PA, and an MA in Science Education from Louisiana State University.

Our guiding question for this show was: “How can teacher appraisal systems be designed to ensure improved student learning?”

Some of the topics covered include:

• Greg’s perspective on the term “teacher appraisal system”
• Separating the code of conduct from teacher appraisal
• Aligning teacher appraisal and professional growth with other structures
• Differentiating for roles other than teacher, such as counselor, instructional coach, and athletic coach
• Supporting staff members to step out of their comfort zones
• Administrator appraisal and professional growth
• Head of School appraisal and the role of the school board

Greg’s Contact Information: LinkedIn

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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.