Student evaluation of teacher performance

The purpose of conducting this study is to develop a valid and reliable instrument to collect information from elementary school students regarding their perception of classroom teachers\u27 performance. The instrument incorporates the qualities that students, teachers, school community members and experts believe to be descriptive of effective classroom teachers. A second purpose for conducting the study is to establish a procedure that can be used by school personnel to develop a student feedback instrument. The population for the study consisted of the students in grades 3, 4, and 5 who attend school in Weld County School District Six in Greeley, Colorado. The students who participated in this study were randomly selected from the 1991-92 third, fourth and fifth grade enrollment. Approximately 3 thousand students located in 130 classrooms across 13 elementary schools made up the target population for this study. Approximately 950 students from forty-two classrooms participated in the project. A student feedback instrument was developed which is both reliable and valid. The final 25-item survey has four factors: (a) human relations, (b) instruction, (c) expectations, and (d) motivation. Survey items within the four factors are reliable as determined through Cronbach Alpha Analysis and test-retest procedure. The only demographic variables which account for a significant variance in responses are students\u27 grade level and age. Older students tend to rate their teacher differently than younger students. Logical content validity of the student feedback instrument was established by seeking input from students and staff throughout the process. Concurrent validity was checked by comparing results of the student feedback instrument with the principals\u27 perception of the classroom teachers\u27 performance. The students\u27 feedback regarding teacher performance was also correlated with the teachers\u27 self-assessment. Results of the study appear to indicate that elementary age students are interested and capable of helping with development of teachers by providing meaningful feedback. Confidence can be placed in the results of the instrument and teachers can use it as a way to access students\u27 point of view