Christ Washing the Disciples’ Feet. Tintoretto, c.1548-1549.
What is it that makes evaluation of others in the work setting seem so difficult? Many earnest followers of Christ feel tension when it comes to judging others’ work. Our desire for solid working relationships with the faculty and staff can feel like an obstacle to evaluating those colleagues honestly.
The friendship that develops among a close faculty can seem threatened. Even a truthful and charitable conversation that includes discussion of areas that need improvement can seem a challenge. And it is! But it is a challenge that – if embraced with courage – will bring out the best in us, and will even strengthen those cherished relationships.
Let’s dive in now, because the elements that lead to excellent mid-year and year-end evaluations are developed at the beginning of the school year. We will first consider some principles and then move into steps in the process and tips for success.
Let’s first consider the definition: to evaluate means “to form an idea of the value of.” Value is a word that carries relationship with it; value is in the eye of the beholder. A house, for instance, has a value of one million dollars only if there is someone willing to purchase it for that amount.
So to start, we should clearly identify the object of the evaluation. Should I decide how valuable other people are? No! And, thankfully, that is not the object of professional evaluations. Work evaluations have as their object the set of actions the faculty or staff member brings to work each day, not the person’s dignity, nor the reality that this is a son or daughter of God most high.
And that first principle affords us some relief: we want our evaluations to be aligned with human dignity, and even if a difficult conversation is required, it is to be conducted in a way that is Christ-like, but its object is not the person.
Evaluation matters, and our way of evaluating matters. When Jesus was asked to name the greatest commandment, He replied “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22: 35-40). Our Lord knows how to give the right answer, rather than simply answer the question! There is a greatest commandment . . . and the second is like it. What Christ commands us to do fosters human flourishing.
When we love well, when we evaluate in love, this leads to human flourishing in our faculty and staff. Having a flourishing faculty and staff leads to flourishing classrooms, offices, and buildings and grounds. And a flourishing school culture and environment fosters the flourishing of children and their families. Sometimes there is a temptation to say that we don’t have time for a lot of reflection — we’re busy with the mission! But if we neglect what love requires, we diminish our capacity to carry out the mission.
The one responsible for evaluating has authority over others. And the Latin noun auctor, from which we derive authority, means a leader. But in the early English sense, authority meant “power derived from good reputation,” or the “capacity for inspiring trust.” And our desire is to inspire trust, and to have power not so much from office or position, but from our reputation for helping others to grow well. As teachers we understand that our students are little and learning, and so we seek to help them grow. But, in a sense, so is every human soul little, including our own. So we ask ourselves: What are the steps to form an idea of the value of a faculty or staff member’s actions, and then to communicate it, in order to help them grow well?
The first step is to consistently teach both new and veteran staff, so that they have a clear sense of what we do and why. Conversely, teach them what we do not do and why. To be able to evaluate whether someone’s actions fit expectations, we must first be certain those expectations have been shared. And when an element of the culture needs to be changed, that same level of teaching clarity is called for: tell the faculty, “I’ve noticed a pattern of . . . and it’s dragging us down.
We’re called to something higher, to a more perfect way, and this is why.” I once heard a principal tell his faculty, “Eighty-five percent of students will do what you want them to do, as long as you tell them what you want them to do. Ten percent of students will usually do what you want them to do, as long as you tell them what you want them to do. Five percent of students will consistently give you trouble.” In a similar way, most teachers and staff will follow along with you, as long as you are giving them direction.
The second essential step is observation of teachers. This topic commonly brings on anxiety in teachers who think class observation is an annual occurrence with very high stakes. That once-a-year high-stakes observation is unnatural and unfair; of course they hate it. The way forward is to normalize a healthy culture of observations that are frequent and usually unplanned. Frequency provides fairness; there are many snapshots to consider in the overall view of a teacher’s work.
Conversation afterward, even brief conversation, is an opportunity to affirm what you appreciate about what you saw and to coach the teacher on one thing to adjust in order to improve some element of the class. Consistent and clear communication over time gives teachers a steady diet of authentic feedback they can put to use, and it builds trust and comfort. In situations that need deeper attention, your collaboration with the teacher will be greater. Help the teacher clarify the problem. Share your perspective, experience, and expectations, and identify steps for improvement. Then repeat — often. In the healthiest schools, teachers are informally observed multiple times each month. And when that culture of observation is established, the anxiety goes away.
Only now do we come to “The Evaluation.” But even that is a process that includes several steps, steps that reflect our first principle of respecting the dignity of each person. First, the teacher should be given the opportunity to complete a self-assessment that includes rating various elements of job performance and a reflective written section (though reflective need not mean lengthy). Next, provide a scheduled time for conversation with the school leaders. Following that, the head of school will provide feedback in the conversation and in writing.
And, finally, there will be an opportunity for the staff member to respond in writing before both parties sign the completed evaluation. But the collaborative relationship between the school leader and faculty continues for the rest of the year, and every year, as an ongoing conversation. The professionalism outlined here becomes Christ-like when each step is conducted with love and attention to the person whose work is being evaluated. The one evaluating is consciously reflecting on their own words and actions, grounding them in prayer, and practicing humility and openness toward the other.
If the school leader has first taught the staff, and has then established a culture of observation and genuine feedback based on those observations, there will be no surprises at formal evaluation time. “As we have discussed,” will be an often-used phrase. Be certain that the formal evaluation includes praise for observed improvements and responses to corrections that have occurred over the year.
If a new thought of a corrective nature comes to mind, say, “Let’s talk about . . .” in order to start a conversation on that topic. This level of restraint, starting with conversation, not correction, is crucial for the staff member to have the opportunity to offer explanation, receive guidance or re-direction, and make adjustments. Frequent observations, timely feedback based in reality, and respectful communication build a solid, trusting relationship between the staff and the school leader in the place where they feel most vulnerable.
It is important to acknowledge that there are, at times, egregious acts that must be corrected in a very direct manner. These are generally rare, but it is essential to address grave violations of Christian or professional expectations promptly and with the appropriate level of seriousness.
Establishing a sound culture around evaluations requires deliberate effort. Below are some tips for clearing the hurdles along the way. Many of the tips include sample statements or questions that get to the important things while following Christ’s command that we love one another.
Tip 1: Schedule the time. Block time to observe each class monthly — weekly is better. Schedule time to keep notes for your own records. Block time to provide simple written feedback to the teacher. Decide when you will follow up with each teacher — and make that follow up timely.
Tip 2: Trust your gut, and keep learning. There are many pre-designed teacher observation checklists. If you are leading a school, you probably have substantial experience in the classroom yourself. Experience, reflected upon and prayed about, is the best resource for helping others learn the craft of teaching well. But the published checklists also have valuable points on them, and it is good to review them sometimes, to further develop your own view of teaching.
Tip 3: Comment like a teacher. Teachers know when they are being guided by one of their own. A few examples will illustrate this point. “During Show and Tell, you helped Ian articulate his thoughts with gentle prompting, leading him to speak more clearly without saying anything for him.” “Your high-flyers were eager to speak, but you held space for the quieter student who had not finished what she was saying. Thank you for that. These students rarely get the opportunity you have given.” “What do you do when a student gives you exactly what you are looking for?”
Tip 4: When it’s time for more serious conversations, prepare your own heart. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). The school leader should seek to open the conversation in the peace that comes from Christ. Our personal preparation has everything to do with the tone of that conversation, as well as its outcome.
Tip 5: Ask questions first, and keep asking questions. Hold the space to hear the staff member’s perspective. Ask one question at a time. “I saw ________; tell me what that was about.” “This happened . . . what prompted that to occur?” “I heard you say ________ , and I’m wondering about that. Can you fill me in on things?” An appropriate next statement is, “My concern is this . . ..” Listening well and responding to what is said in a meaningful way is a key element of respecting the dignity of the person.
Tip 6: Provide clarity. Once you have listened, it is time to speak clearly. “I see you doing _____, what we need you to do is _____. This is why . . .. “ “These are the next steps . . ..“ “Our follow-up will be at this time . . .. I expect to see . . ..” Clarity might sometimes feel harsh, but in reality, clarity is charity. It is uncharitable to leave teachers with uncertainty about what you want from them.
Tip 7: Embrace the awkward conversation. Some examples of this include: “It’s interesting that you are still using your cell phone when you are supervising students. Tell me more about that.” “If there is something more to this, I need to know now.” “My level of concern has grown (a great deal). I am considering whether to offer you a position for next year.” Directness helps the teacher to know where things stand, and to know how to respond.
Tip 8: Take responsibility. In justice, we owe the teacher or staff member an open and honest conversation, based in fact rather than narrative. Avoid using others’ remarks as testimony for your comments. Instead, hold to Christ’s words and direct others to do the same: “If your brother does something wrong to you, go to him. Talk alone to him and tell him what he has done. If he listens to you, you have kept your brother as a friend” (Matt 18:15). Take ownership for your words, in writing when appropriate.
In all of this Christ is present. There is faithfulness to duty and charity in conversation, demonstrating to faculty and staff that they are valued as their dignity is honored. What are the fruits of helping others to grow well? The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When the inevitable difficult things arise, and we address them in God’s grace, the result is a flourishing faculty and staff, flourishing students, and a flourishing school culture.