1. Erika Moffa
Theology 10
Mr. Palladino
February 19, 2012
Annual Professional Performance Review
Although the Annual Professional Performance Review has been an on-
going process for numerous years, there has been a recent uproar that
brought both concern and relief to school districts nationwide. This review is
based on numerous aspects of teaching that vary depending on grade.
According to Teachstone, the analysis of the teacher is broken into three main
sects, Emotional Support Domain, Classroom Organization Domain, and
Instructional Support Domain. Within these three “domains,” contains
categories such as a positive or negative atmosphere, how well the students
are behaved/maintained, and how well the students actually understand the
information being taught (is it being presented in a way that is adaptable for
the children). An interesting addition to the rubric for teachers who teach
elementary school and older are the “student engagement” or, in other words,
how well the teacher can lure interaction from the students. Another example
of a rubric offered by Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School District, entails that
the teacher’s methods are assessed based on the student’s growth on state
test, local rankings among students, and test scores. Based on the student

2. progress, the teacher is either satisfactory or not. This has been a great deal of
help to the Board of Education, however a huge burden on the teachers.
As the writer of the article “Yorktown makes required changes” says,
this new change will bring about a difficult time for educators. This new
system puts a new pressure upon the teachers that might never have been felt
before. For example, if a teacher administers a test that no one does well on, it
reflects poorly on the teacher, no matter how well they actually teach. Along
with a new pressure that is placed on the teachers, a new pressure is also put
on the shoulders of central administration. In the Yorktown School District,
the new APPR requirements have necessitated an increase in administrators
who are now responsible for evaluating over one hundred and fifty employees
as well as supervising over thirteen hundred students. On top of these new
additions, they must also maintain the high quality education that the student
body and community deserves and expects. This also presents a problem in a
difficult economic time when school budgets are being developed for the
upcoming school year. Although teachers will be observed by principles and
administrators and will be held accountable for student performance there is
still no guarantee that students will exceed the standards that have been set
by New York State Education Department. There is also a growing concern
from the United Federation for Teachers Union (UFT) that this accountability
for teachers may result in a significant loss of jobs in their districts due to the
fact that not all teachers will receive positive evaluations. This process of
evaluating teacher performance can bring about competition among teachers

3. and administrators. This can create an unsettling environment which lacks
trust and honest give-and-take regarding expectations and performance.
Teachers can feel responsible for performances beyond their control, despite
how hard they work to help their students. Unfortunately, some teachers at
the thought of being judged can become anxious and stressed on a daily basis,
which can result in a poor delivery of instruction within the classroom on a
day-to-day basis. In turn, it will be vital for administrators to be objective as
well as encouraging during the evaluation process, which could have a
profound effect on teacher motivation and satisfaction.
On the other hand, this new “competition” can be very helpful to
developing better teaching techniques that might not be addressed otherwise.
It also will give teachers an opportunity to focus on daily activities as related
to specific lessons and goals for the curriculum to encourage student
performance. If student performance increases, students will also become
more motivated to achieve on a daily basis, which will result in a more
positive learning environment. Professional motivation teachers, as
mentioned before, will come from being recognized for their work efforts. It
can also have a positive influence on the teachers’ commitment and belonging
to the school community. Perhaps it will also lower absenteeism for both staff
and students because everyone will want to be in school where they are
invested in their learning. Teachers as a part of the APPR will be able to
review their performance and note areas of strength as well as areas of
continuing need. They should be able to participate in this evaluation process

4. and be allowed to have a voice in the direction of their training and growth.
Some teachers may be hard on themselves, despite their daily efforts. It is the
intention that performance evaluations could be a two-way communication
about teacher performance and development. The teacher and administrator
should not only focus on the teacher performance, but also look at students’
performance and how they could be pushed to the next level, specifically what
they are not grasping or understanding and why this is so based on what
teachers have already incorporated in their daily instructions. The
administrators should give on-going recognition and support and most of all
commitment toward the individual teacher and assist in professional
development when needed. Students will also benefit from having teachers
who are motivated creative in delivering daily instruction. Due to continuous
evaluations on teacher performance, there will be an increase in the need for
professional development training in all aspects of the curriculum. The
students can benefit long-term because their achievements can result in a
more positive outcome in college courses and readiness for post-secondary
education. It may also help them to take a closer look at future goals and
aspirations.
One important aspect that still has no definitive factor one way or the
other is how parents’ input will figure into this mix. Regardless, the teachers
and students should be motivated solely on the achievements that they can
obtain above the bar that has already been set. It will be important for teacher
unions to support teachers and work cooperatively with administrators in

5. this new venture set forth by the state education department.
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