The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development wants to test a system of teacher evaluation at elementary, middle, and high schools, and then implement such a system in full starting in 2007. The Korean Teachers and Education Worker’s Union (Jeon Gyo Jo) and the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations are opposing the idea from the start, so you wonder whether the program will settle in properly when the premise needs to be voluntary teacher participation.
In principle, teacher appraisal by fellow teachers, parents, and students could contribute to democratization in the classroom, where relationships can easily be too unilateral. Healthy competition between teachers can be of great help in improving the quality of education. That is why teacher evaluation should not be opposed unconditionally. But it seems the reality is not so simple.
Currently there does exist a system of work evaluation, but in promotion reviews that is only reflects the most recent two years of a person's performance, so it would be hard to say that is a properly done evaluation system. That being the case the new teacher evaluation system should be a format that that contributes to the increase in education quality by improving on the problems. Looking at the education ministry's plans, however, you wonder whether they will be effective. There is nothing overly problematic with student evaluation if you are thinking of the tendencies of those being educated, but there is a problem with the way the ministry wants to go about having headmasters, teachers, and parents do evaluations, because it wants to have them take place twice a year during class inspections. That is why it is too much to expect proper evaluations. It will probably be hard for teachers to resist the temptation to put on classes for "show" at inspection time.
Actually, the more serious problem with teacher evaluation is distrust. The education ministry says it is going to use the results for teacher development and not in making promotions, but Jeon Gyo Jo is worried about there being more control over teachers through the adoption of a system of competition. Given the way the current government's education policies have unfolded that concern is not completely without basis. That being the case, resolving the lack of confidence is what is more urgent. It could not be making a bigger mistake than to think that it can succeed at reform while still treating teachers as something to be controlled.
The Hankyoreh, 3 May 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Teacher Evaluation Must Be Based on Mutual Trust |
