Hoggirl Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I have been knocking this thought around in my head and just wondered if anyone had ever done this. I was thinking of having the principal (dh) make up some sort of evaluation that ds could fill out based on my "performance" as his teacher. I mean, other jobs have annual reviews. I am wondering if ds would be willing to give me feedback in this way rather than in face-to-face conversation. I mean, we all have room for improvement don't we? And, maybe include some questions about curriculum, ideas for electives, etc. I am NOT saying he gets to run the show...I am just wondering about this idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Abolutely! Given with the right context of who has authority, I would absolutely allow and encourage my students to offer an evaluation of our school year with me as teacher. My son recently created a quiz about our Academy to distribute to our students! He did it to avoid the work I gave him; I let it slide because I got a good grad. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabeline Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I have not done it yet as my kids are quite young, but I can see a benefit of getting your kids' input and suggestions. Maybe you could ask a few open ended questions and just have a coments section. You could ask things like: -What do you want to learn about this year? -What was your favorite thing we did this year? -What did you not like? -How do you think I could teach better? Maybe even brainstorm all together and see if they would prefere long days filled with fun activities or short school days so they have more free time. Hope this sparks some ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I wouldn't do it for me as the teacher. That's not their job in my humble opinion. But I have done the 'what worked well' and 'what didn't' types of questions. Favorite subjects, activities, and books. Least favored of the same. Those types of questions helped me geared some things to more favored choices. Me, they are stuck with regardless of whether they like my style or not. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I do something like this each year. Dd is very outspoken about my teaching and her curriculum choices so we sit down each year (we usually go out for a snack) and discuss what we liked, disliked, and how we would like to improve things for next year. At 16 she understands her learning style and what works best for her so we are able to find things that are a good fit. I discuss her stengths and how we can improve weak areas, too. We keep it all light and positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Yes, I certainly would have. My kiddos are now in college and/or public school, but they still look upon their homeschooling years as their favorites. :) Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I wouldn't do it for me as the teacher. That's not their job in my humble opinion. But I have done the 'what worked well' and 'what didn't' types of questions. Favorite subjects, activities, and books. Least favored of the same. Those types of questions helped me geared some things to more favored choices. Me, they are stuck with regardless of whether they like my style or not. :D Yep, he's stuck with me too. I do something like this each year. Dd is very outspoken about my teaching and her curriculum choices so we sit down each year (we usually go out for a snack) and discuss what we liked, disliked, and how we would like to improve things for next year. At 16 she understands her learning style and what works best for her so we are able to find things that are a good fit. I discuss her stengths and how we can improve weak areas, too. We keep it all light and positive. I do this with ds about 3 times a year. He's pretty outspoken about voicing opinions throughout the year. He's 11 so I try to dig to the bottom of his "opinions". For instance, the other day I told him we were going to start poetry in a few weeks. He protested for a day and finally told me he thought poetry was girly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I never called it an annual review but we've always done it. Even in kindergarten I invited her comments and views and reviews of everything from activities, curriculum, and even, while not exactly my performance, at times my approach to things or way of doing some things. Certainly she has input and I honor her suggestions. We don't do anything formal like the Evaluation Form you're considering but I do think it's important to offer her input on her education. Some things don't work out as she would wish and some things do. For example, she want's to unschool. Well, so do I but . . . no. She wants more educational games and fun ways to learn. Well, so do I but not if she doesn't get her other work done. I make/get the games but she only gets to play if she's caught up with everything. She wants to use Shurley Grammar. Sigh . . . okay. She wants to have more schooling out days. Great, me too but only if she will stay focused and do her work. if not, no more schooling out days. I do value her input and encourage her to share it with me. I take it seriously and implement what I can. A form? Too much work for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Oh NO!!!! They might tell me I spend too much time on the computer!!!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Oh NO!!!! They might tell me I spend too much time on the computer!!!! ;) This might happen to me as well! Dh liked the idea, too. We will probably do up something together. I will focus more on curriculum stuff, but I do want him to be able to offer suggestions on how I might teach "better." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I would ask them for their opinions on curriculum, schedules, how things went, but I would never ask them to criticize me as a teacher. Students do not do this until college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 but I do want him to be able to offer suggestions on how I might teach "better." You may want to ask him about his learning style. I don't see it so much as you teaching "better" but how you can provide him with what he needs or present things in a way in which he learns best. Dd is dyslexic and when she was younger we just muddled through by trial and error. Once she was able to voice her opinion she was great about educating me on how she learns. I know that she learns well when she writes things down (like in a workbook). I really never liked workbooks but the repetition of writing is the best way for her to learn. She also remembers most of what she reads but much less of what she hears. Hands on projects and connecting subjects with her interests are vital for her learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato3 all-boy boys Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 While I've never had a written teacher evaluation, I do ask my son about our school year/ his teacher often. I pretty much know of my shortcomings (patience), but it is helpful to hear it from his mouth (it is convicting). And, yes, I get told I spend too much time on the computer. :tongue_smilie: And, they are correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 I have quite a bit on curricula. He can rate all of our curricula on a scale of 1 - 10. I asked what he liked best and what he would like to throw out the window. I asked if he thought anything I required was a waste of his time. I asked if he wanted more or less DVD instruction and what topic he would really like to learn more about. As far as teaching goes I asked him to list three of mom's strengths as a teacher and three of mom's weaknesses as a teacher. I asked about scheduling and if I was involved in his schooling too much, not enough, or just the right amount. I also had a section on outside activities. I am going to have my hubby look over it and get his input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I don't think it's crazy at all. We've not done any thing formal with evaluation sheets and such, but we have regular discussions about where we are, where we want to be and what each of us can do to get there. I don't anticipate that changing now that my older son is in public school, though I do think it will look quite different than what Jeffrey and I have done in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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