[Ous-lp-rp13] EDAD 6020, Answer to Question # 3

[Jessica Orr]

Efficacy plays an important role in the effectiveness of an individual and
an organization. Specifically, self-efficacy among teachers has been
remarkably high throughout previous school years at Chillicothe High
School. According to the 2016-2017 State Report Card for CHS, 73.2% of
teachers earned an Accomplished rating, while 26.8% of teachers earned a
Skilled rating (none earned Developing or Ineffective ratings), ratings
which undoubtedly contributed to high self-efficacy among teachers.
Similarly, collective efficacy increased as teachers were repeatedly and
vehemently praised by the principal for being the best staff in the state
of Ohio and for growing students at exceptional levels. Mastery experience,
as reflected in teacher evaluations, and verbal persuasion have both led to
high self- and collective-efficacy; as a result, teachers have been unified
and persistent even in the face of challenges. Notably, the staff
repeatedly persevered to engage low-achieving students from low-income
families, (e.g., making a point to talk to every student every single day,
making concepts relevant, purchasing drinks for students when they held
their classmate accountable, etc.), which can likely be attributed to high
self- and collective-efficacy.
In contrast, on the same 2016-2017 state report card, Chillicothe High
School earned an overall F for value-added measures, specifically earning
F’s in the categories for students with disabilities and the lowest 20% in
achievement, which illustrates the reality that our students are not, in
fact, growing at the levels they should be, let alone at the exceptional
levels for which our staff was praised. With a change in principal for the
2017-2018 school year, the false praise has ended, and the administration
and staff is tasked with taking a difficult look at ourselves, to reflect
and improve upon our weaknesses in order to reverse the lack of student
growth. Most certainly, both self- and collective-efficacy has diminished
as teachers receive honest evaluations that stand in stark contrast to
previous ratings, as teachers misunderstand and blame the value-added
system, and as our new principal serves as a scapegoat for the drastic
shifts that have occurred. Ultimately, efficacy can likely predict
performance, yet it must be understood that efficacy is based on
perceptions, and perceptions are not always reality.


-- 
Thank you,

*Jessica Orr*
English Teacher
Department Coordinator
Chillicothe High School
Phone: (740) 702-2287, ext. 16231

"You don't write because you want to say something, you write because you
have something to say."
       --F. Scott Fitzgerald
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