Needed in Teacher Education: A Developmental Model for Evaluation of Teachers, Preservice to Inservice

Abstract

Teacher growth is an on-going, develop mental process, beginning early in teacher training programs and continu ing throughout a teacher's career. Ac cording to the authors, there are four phases to full professional development. In phase one preservice teachers are given time for focused observation and for understanding different classroom settings and student needs. During stu dent teaching, the second phase, oppor tunities are provided for the application and demonstration of teaching skills, with specific skill emphases being agreed upon by evaluators and student teachers. During phase three provisional teachers receive continuing instruction as a result of need areas identified by su pervisors and master teachers. The final phase of this developmental process en ables practicing teachers to enhance their instructional abilities, refine their pedagogical skills and act as mentors to beginning teachers. Davis and Zaret out line salient aspects of each phase and describe the competencies that should serve as a foundation for a development al model.