Who are Mods 5 & 6 for?

Q:  Districts are interested in contracting with us to train teachers in Educator Evaluation System modules 5 (Gathering Evidence) and 6 (Observations and Feedback).  Five seems to be a great fit for teachers, but six seems designed for evaluators.  Will teachers benefit from attending training in module 6?

A:  Module 6 is more geared toward evaluators since they are the individual responsible for conducting observations, but the content in Module 6 will be beneficial to all educators as it represents a significant shift from current practice.  Teachers tend to equate observations with full-length classroom period observations with pre- and post-conferences, during which extensive notes might be taken according to a detailed rubric. The shift to frequent, unannounced observations will feel just as new to a teacher as it will to an evaluator, and it will benefit districts to make sure that everyone is on the same page and holds the same expectations when it comes to the role of observation in the new framework.  DESE encourages districts to send both evaluators and teachers to Module 6, and it’s a district-level choice.