Some teachers are required to reflect on their performance in the previous year before being placed in a classroom for the upcoming year. During the reflection process, educators seek the advice of fellow instructors concerning their performance. Whereas a teacher with a poor reputation among fellow constituents may not receive a positive assessment, those having a good relationship with coworkers may receive a positive review. Teachers may also record themselves on video camera to analyze the effectiveness of lesson plans.
Portfolio assessments are meant to provide the opportunity for complete analysis of a teacher's classroom practices. In order to gain a complete understanding of an educator's strengths and weaknesses, administrators may require examples of students' work, lesson plans and feedback from other teachers to be submitted for review. While classroom observations have replaced portfolios in many states and districts, some school boards still utilize the evaluation method and even require educators to submit videos of classroom teaching as part of the assessment.
Formative assessments are meant to improve teacher performance. An educator who performed poorly in the previous year may be subject to a formative review before the upcoming academic year begins. The primary purpose of formative reviews is to provide constructive feedback that helps the educator improve his teaching methods. Although they are used in secondary education, formative assessments are also valuable in institutes for higher learning.
Interviews and standardized tests are primarily used during the hiring process. A potential educator is typically given a standardized test and invited to an interview upon successful completion of the assessment. While helpful when categorizing teachers according to knowledge and maturity, standardized tests and interviews should be used together. Since standardized testing does not measure the maturity of a candidate, an interview is necessary to determine if the person would be right for the job. Likewise, an interview is not always capable of measuring the academic intellect of an individual. In these instances, a standardized test is necessary to gain a complete grasp of individual qualifications.