Formal Observation & Teaching Practice Accountability

Formal observations are formal assessments of teaching practice performance conducted at the end of the fall semester (Fall Formal Observation) and again at the end of the spring semester (Spring Formal Observation and Spring Formal Independent Observation). Formal Observations consist of a pre-conference, lesson observation, and post-conference. They focus on a discrete set of teaching practices—the Accountable Teaching Practices (ATPs)—which participants must demonstrate evidence of being able to enact throughout their first three years as teachers at the expected level of proficiency. During these observations, Urban Teachers coaches will observe, gather data, and evaluate participant proficiency with implementing the ATPs. Participants are required to self-rate their teaching practice on Independent Observations. Once observation data is entered into SchoolMint Grow, participants can access their teaching practice scores and feedback.

At the end of the school year, participants will receive an End-of-Year (EOY) Performance Report, which includes their ATP scores and final averaged teaching practice score from their end of year Spring Formal  Observation with the ratings from their Spring Formal Independent Observation. The averaged teaching practice score is their end-of-year teaching practice score and will be compared against the end-of-year teaching practice expectation for program gateway decisions. Urban Teachers has established expectations that gradually increase throughout a participant’s time in the program and which serve as program gateways (see Program Requirements and Expectations). Participants who do not meet their end-of-year program expectation will be eligible for dismissal, pending a panel review.