2.2 - Dispelling the myths


SSE and ESR are, like many things in education, surrounded by myths.

  • How do myths become established?
  • Why do people believe them?
  • How are they magnified as they are passed on?
 

Individual/Group activity

As a group (or individually)

  1. Brainstorm as many of the myths, rumours and disinformation about SSE/ESR
  2. Then try to identify the origins or sources of evidence for these myths.
  3. Then consider to what extent they are true
  4. Then discuss the best way of dispelling the myth
Myths and rumours Sources of evidence True or untrue Dispelling the myths

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Establishing the facts

Advice to schools about to undergo ESRAdvice to schools about to undergo ESR (QuickTime)

Mr Cheung Chik-wing, SIT/Vice-principal, HKTA Yuen Yuen Institute No. 3 Secondary School
"Be clear about the facts, and do not believe in hearsay..."

 

Preparation for ESR

Preparation for ESRPreparation for ESR (QuickTime)

Ms Wong Ka Yan, Esther, Teacher, St Francis' Canossian College
"We spent 3 or 4 days with the review team, but we did not make special preparations for them..."

 

Viewing ESR as an opportunity to learn

Teachers' views about ESRTeachers' views about ESR (QuickTime)

Ms Chan Ching wah, Senior Teacher, Pui Kiu Primary School
"ESR does produce pressure on teachers, but on knowing about ESR the school adopted an open attitude and made an announcement at the staff meeting..."

 

International views

External Evaluation Causes ApprehensionExternal Evaluation Causes Apprehension (QuickTime)

Johan van Bruggen, HMI, Netherlands
"I think that firstly that it is a natural reaction. All people in the western world certainly are not pleased with people have some evaluation to do of your driving behaviour, of your clothing behaviour, or whatever you are doing in our society..."

 

Feedback

Myths and rumours Sources of evidence True or untrue Dispelling the myths
  • ESR is about finding fault
 
  • The essential purpose of ESR is to help strengthen the school's own self-evaluation
  • Simply telling people will probably not be enough
  • Teachers are most likely to be convinced by the experience of other teachers. That is why this interactive resource exists and how it can be used to illustrate teachers talking about their experience.
  • ESR teams want documentation on everything that has ever happened in the school
 
  • ESR teams discourage over documentation. They want a minimum of information on key aspects of a school's work
  • The school report is made public by EDB
 
  • Schools can choose to make the EDB report public
  • Observation of classrooms is to assess and report on individual teachers' performance
 
  • The purpose of observation is to give a general, not an individual, view of quality of teaching and learning in the school
  • Shadowing is just another form of rating teachers
 
  • The purpose of shadowing is get a student's eye view of a school day overall