So what IS a fair evaluation system for teachers?

[Honeycombe8]

72. It's okay to have an opinion.

We all went to school, so have knowledge about the subject. We also knew a lot of other kids who went to school. Plus we all pay for it, so we have an interest in education that way. It's also the future of the country, IMO, so there's a lot at stake.

The fact of the kids not having guidance or interest from their parents in school, yes, a good teacher can make a difference. But they can't ALL be saved, when they have uncaring parents at home. It's too much to expect a teacher to be a cure-all. They are, in the end, hired to teach certain things. They're not hired to be social welfare counselors, therapists, or guidance counselors. No matter how much you pay them, they can't be all those things and work like magic pills. "It takes a village."

Health care is also important. If children don't have good dental and health care, it makes it difficult to present at school and concentrate when they're there.

There are a lot of things involved. The sad state of our public education system is NOT bad teachers, although there is apparently room for improvement there. It's a whole host of things. It starts at home, IMO. Continues at school. Gets developed with good health and dental care. Gets fleshed out with extracurricular activities, like local low key sports and arts. And READING. Do kids even read any more?

Just my opinion. I'm not a teacher, either. But for evaluations, I was just curious what a good evaluation system would be, according to teachers, since it's been in the news, but the articles don't actually discuss the different evaluation systems being considered.

Some of the systems recommended by posters here seem unnecessarily complicated. And some seem to involve "doing lesson plans," which to me sounds more like part of the job duties rather than part of an evaluation system.