wmcochrane1 has a very good idea. I think the questionnaires will only be useful if the school takes them to heart and actually implements changes. But if you're a parent who has been through your share of parent teacher conferences where you even dared to criticize the school or teacher, you'll know how likely it is that a questionnaire will make any difference.

The best way to fairly evaluate teachers is by the children. A simple survey is definitly not the answer. Each teacher has different personalities and teaching styles. The one thing that should remain the same is the education process and what the children are learning. The children in the classroom should have learned by specific criteria set by the school, district, state and federal guidelines. If these children are tested on the material and can produce good scores you would have the evidence that the teacher is worth his/her salt. I do want to say that I think that parents should be more involved in the education process and know the cirriculum and content of what is being taught to their children.

I believe the children and parents should be given a questionnaire to be filled out at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year.

The beginning letter would introduce the teacher, their expectations, the standards, examples, the rating from the prior years.

It was great finding this question! It's always bothered me that there doesn't seem to be any input from parents, former students, etc. about teachers. I moved to a small town recently and my daughter had a horrible time with a teacher. I found out you could mention her and almost everyone in town had a bad experience with her, or knowledge of one. After 25 years of this, she's still in there causing difficulties for the kids of her former students. It seem there should be something besides some petition or whatnot. In college, we had exit interviews after finals, which were used to evaluate teachers. Something like that only seems right when tenure and law gives the schools so much power.

When my son attended a Montessori, for the first two years there was always a parent "survey" or evaluation if you like that was distributed at the end of the year. Then it disappeared. Makes me wonder if they ever read them because myself and other parents who left were largely dissatisfied with the head of school and the manner in which parents with legitimate concerns were continually brushed off. So I would say that evaluations are only as useful as the people who read them and implement the necessary changes. I think in the elementary grades, the parent conferences are mostly weighted toward the teacher telling you about your child and I would love it if just once they asked me as a parent if I had any comments or concerns. It's too one sided. I have not been asked to evaluate a teacher since 2nd grade and my son is now in 5th so maybe that says something about how "valuable" parental input is. I know some of the qualities I look for in a teacher include a love of teaching, an organized classroom, a consistent approach to discipline, and a teacher who stays abreast of issues affecting children such as learning disabilities, giftedness, and things like multiple intelligence.