PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

1. Which of the following statements are true?

a)
b)
c)
d)

The present possess innumerable challenges to school teachers. T

Teachers today need not be involved in managerial functions. F
Performance appraisal of teachers does not identify their training needs. T
Educational institutions are accountable to the community around them as never before.
T
e) Teacher evaluation does not lead to a general improvement in the school climate. F

2. Define performance appraisal.

Definition: Performance appraisal can be defined as the process of evaluating the
performance of an employee and communicating the results of the evaluation to him for
the purpose of rewarding or developing the employee.
Performance can be defined as the degree of accomplishment of tasks by an employee in
his job. In some organizations, it is a measure of the results achieved and targets
accomplished whereas in others, it is a measure of employee efforts and behaviour.
However, most organizations use a combination of both efforts and results. Performance
appraisal is also termed as performance review, annual appraisal.

3. What are the main objectives of teacher evaluation?

You all would agree that students happen to be a very good source of information about
teacher quality as they are the group of people with whom teachers work directly and
spend most of their time. Important, useful and reliable data can be obtained through
student reports about teacher performance.
It is sad but true that whenever we think of teacher evaluation we tend to underrate
students as a source of teacher development. If we collect evidence more thoroughly from
students, we could get better clues about what and how to improve; students are good
sources of information about their teachers because they know their own situation well,
have observed a number of teachers, they know how they think, feel and behave and they
directly benefit from good teaching. Student ratings are an important source of
information regarding the development of motivation in the classroom, opportunity for
learning, degree of rapport and communication developed between teacher and student
and classroom equity. The availability of a large number of students as reporters provides
high reliability for evaluating many types of teacher performances. Students' report data,
often obtained through questionnaires are relatively expensive in terms of time and
personnel. Finally, student evaluation of teachers can be justified on the grounds of
students as consumers and stakeholders of good teaching. Let's see the different types of
tools which can be used effectively for this purpose.

4. Explain the following in about eight lines.

a) Advantages of student evaluation of teacher:
The time has come when positive efforts have to be made to involve students
directly in the process of teacher evaluation. Pupils' perspectives on teachers go a
long way in making teacher-evaluation more objective and worthwhile. Apart from
indicating this extent of effectiveness or otherwise of teacher, student evaluation of
teachers provides feedback on how teachers can be effective.
But now you must have understood the pressing need for teacher evaluation in
today's educational scenario. Let's try to understand the need of student rating of
teachers, different tools which can be used for evaluation and the fears and
anxieties which teachers harbour about students' ratings.
b) Survey Forms:
Students can rate their teacher using these forms; the general format of survey
forms is to have a number of items or statements about the teacher and class or
pupil presented with a scale to indicate the student rating. Some forms have space
for open-ended questions but they are difficult to interpret. Surveys with a few
items are better than long surveys which try to ask too much. As educators, we may
be curious about many things that students may think. For example, statements can
be constructed on various topics like materials, classroom structure, learning,
teacher behaviour, transfer of learning outside school etc.
c) Interviews:
Interviews with students can be semi-structured in the form of question-and-answer
sessions. They can be conducted by a person who is not the teacher, administrator,
principal or a fellow teacher at the school. Student responses can be recorded by the
interviewer and a summary report prepared. Interviews can either be groupinterviews or individual interviews. We find that group interviews give more
perspective, details and spontaneity. Interviews should involve a large sample of a
class rather than the entire group.

5. Identify the anxieties which teachers might harbour about student

evaluation of teachers.
You, as teachers will soon realize that although students are in a good position to report
useful information, they also have definite limitations so far as judging the quality of
teachers is concerned.
Students at school level are still not mature enough, thus their judgment may differ from
those of the adults. Students are not subject matter experts; therefore, they might not be
able to judge quality and delivery of content taught in the class.
The possibility arises when one aspect of a teacher's behaviour tends to influence student
ratings in other aspects. There are chances that the long term interests of students may get

neglected in the process. One common fear that teachers have is that students are too
easily influenced by extraneous factors.

6. Explain the following briefly,

a) Self-evaluation
We should be aware of the fact that working alone has its own value and
importance though it is often underrated. The capacity to be alone is often linked
with introspection, self-discovery and self-realization. It goes without saying that
the development of a teacher is very closely linked with his/her development as a
total person. We as teachers have to strive hard to bring about changes in society.
Analyzing ourselves for personal development and individual creativity are
extremely critical for us.
b) Peer Evaluation
Peer evaluation is a process in which teachers use their own direct knowledge and
experience to examine and judge the merit and value of another teacher's practice.
The term 'peer' means that teachers in both roles are equivalent in assignment,
training, experience, perspective and information about the setting for the practice
under evaluation.
Teachers who evaluate peers should not teach at the same school and should not be
connected with each other socially or professionally.
7. The merits and demerits of self-evaluation have been summed up. Write 'M' against
Merit and 'D* against Demerit.
a) Teachers can evaluate themselves and identify their strengths and weaknesses. M
b) There is a general tendency among many teachers to over-assess their capabilities. D
c) There is a possibility that confident and capable teacher might
under-assess themselves.
D
d) A self-rating scale can be used to set future targets. M
e) The teacher gets an opportunity to reflect on and write down
the constraints which come in the way of his effective
functioning. M

8. Which of the following statements are true or false.

a) The peer group is unaware of actual demands, limitations and
opportunities the classroom teachers face. T
b) Teachers in the same subject area can give highly specific feedback. T
c) In peer evaluation ideas and information can be shared T
d) Peers visits to classrooms are always reliable. F

e) Personal friendships and political consideration among peers

could lead to biased judgements.
F

9. What criteria would you' keep in mind before evaluating your peers?
Criteria of Good Peer Evaluation

positive approach

bottom up growth

voluntary participation

indepth study

professional cooperation

respect

We have to make sure that if there are peer visits to classrooms in the case of
peer evaluation then classroom observations have to be made as systematic as possible.
They simply cannot be conducted in a haphazard manner according to the whims and
fancies of the appraiser.