You Didn't See Me Teach
- Catherine Addor
- Jan 16
- 3 min read
I once entered a classroom for an unannounced observation, following the principles of the Danielson Framework. It was day four or five of a literature project. Students were everywhere, on the floor, at tables, clustered around whiteboards. Drafting skits that represented different moments from the novel they’d been studying.
Instead of interrupting, I quietly sat at the teacher’s desk.
Her plan book was open, goals and objectives clearly outlined. A stack of graded work waited beside it, carefully marked with feedback. She moved from group to group with a clipboard, documenting questions, progress, misconceptions, and next steps. Students had roles in their groups. A soft reminder tone played at intervals to prompt transitions and accountability tasks. Materials were cleaned up smoothly. Groups reset their space. The students gathered, received the next assignment, and left with clarity and confidence.
It was student-driven. Purposeful. Organized. Calm.
It was highly effective instruction. Autonomy, routines, assessment in action, and authentic engagement.
Thirty minutes later, the teacher arrived at my office, frantic and apologizing.
She was so sorry I hadn’t seen her “teach.”
No direct instruction.
No scripted pacing.
No “showcase lesson.”
That moment captured one of the most profound misunderstandings in teacher evaluation.
Too many educators still believe that “good teaching” means standing at the front of the room delivering content from bell to bell. That a polished, pre-packaged lesson is what evaluators want to see.
What I witnessed that day reflected some of the highest levels of Danielson practice:
Students took responsibility for their learning.
The teacher facilitated the inquiry rather than controlling it.
Assessment happened continuously through observation, feedback, and evidence.
Structures, routines, and expectations created independence.
Learning was happening everywhere, not just from the front of the classroom.
I wrote the observation as highly effective; the teacher was bewildered.
Not because the work wasn’t strong, but because her mental model of “evaluation-worthy teaching” didn’t include what she did best.
That is precisely why teacher evaluation requires reconsideration. Not just in structure, but in the shared vocabulary and understanding between teachers and leaders about what powerful learning truly looks like.
Student agency is teaching.
Facilitation is teaching.
Assessment through inquiry is teaching.
Structures that allow students to think independently are hallmarks of excellence.
The Danielson Framework (when used well) recognizes this.
The challenge is ensuring we all do, too.
Questions to Ask Yourself: Before we talk about improvement, we pause for reflection. Use these questions to examine your own beliefs and practices about teaching and evaluation:
When I picture “good teaching,” am I imagining teacher activity or student learning?
Do my students have responsibility, voice, and independence during learning?
How do I document and respond to learning as it unfolds, rather than only at the end?
Would my classroom routines continue smoothly if I stepped back?
Do I help students think, or do I do it for them?
How do I show evidence of assessment, feedback, and progress in real time?
Actionable Steps: Reflection matters, but growth requires intention. Over the next few weeks, try:
Make learning visible. Use clipboards, running records, or conferences to capture thinking, not just products.
Design roles and routines. Give students responsibilities that foster ownership and accountability.
Shift from control to facilitation. Replace step-by-step instructions with guiding questions and checkpoints.
Plan for student talk and collaboration. Structure time where students explain, debate, and reflect together.
Align artifacts with Danielson language. Connect your work to evidence in Domains 2 and 3.
Normalize conversation about practice. Leaders and teachers should regularly discuss what effective learning environments look like beyond the “stand-and-deliver” model.
Teacher evaluation should not be a performance.
It should be a window into the everyday work of classrooms where students think deeply, collaborate authentically, and grow through supported independence.
When we redefine what we value, we honor the real craft of teaching. The quiet orchestration of learning that doesn’t always look flashy, but transforms students in powerful ways.
Comments