Case Study 2 Instructions
Analyze the information provided. Address the question posed in essay format. Your case study should be between 2-3 pages. Use at least 2 references in APA format.
ESSAY QUESTION:
Based on the analysis of the data provided, what would you recommend that the principal decide about the renewal of contract or award of tenure for the teacher involved? Provide a data-based, research supported rationale for your recommendation.
Parties: Principal and Third year, Sixth grade teacher (tenure review year)
Demographics:
- Traditional school organization
- Sixth grade is in the middle school group
- Sixth grade is self-contained
- Sixth grade is comprised of four sections of 20-25 students, heterogeneous groupings
- September through April
Pre-Observation Conference tenets (September)
- Informal observations twice weekly (grade level chairman)
- Formal observations monthly (principal)
- Skills focus: Time on task
- Questioning level
- Modality stimuli
- Proximity
- Verbal Zone
- Instructional Flow (formal observation)
- Pedagogical Interaction
Precipitating Events:
In year one and year two, the teacher averaged two discipline referrals per day. Year two recommendations indicated that the teacher needed to be placed on a systematic intervention plan that included shadowing effective teachers, participation in clinical observation cycles, and professional development to address effective instructional strategies.
Using the data that follows and the results of the conferences following each observation, the principal must make a recommendation to the superintendent concerning the termination of employment, or the awarding of tenure for the teacher for the coming school year. There is no option of retaining the teacher if tenure is not awarded.
In a self-evaluation summary, the teacher states:
“In the last three years, I have really improved my teaching strategies and classroom management skills. I have learned to keep my lessons organized and to keep track of where my materials are. I learned to turn in my lesson plans on time and have begun to provide specific activities for each type of intelligence. I have attended the professional development sessions about intelligences and social studies. As a result, I believe that I should be awarded tenure and allowed to choose the level of my assignment from the vacancies that occur such that I can avoid further personality conflicts with the grade chairman.”
Based on the outcomes of the intervention plan established by the principal and the grade-level chair, the clinical obsrevations made by the principal, and the recommendation of the grade-level chair based on his informal observations, termination has been recommended to the principal.
Your task is to evaluate all of the data provided and to either agree with the termination recommendation or to provide support for tenure.
Data Set 1: Student Achievement Growth Profile for Year One and Year Two of the Teacher’s Employment (Each student should achieve a minimum of +10 months during each year to stay on grade level. The Classifications are simply different groups of students within the class.)
