How to Observe, Collect Data, Analyze, and Give Feedback and/or Written Evaluation!

MSAA Professional Development Workshop for School Administrators, Principals, Assistant Principals, Department Heads, Guidance Counselors, and Aspiring Administrators

How to Observe, Collect Data, Analyze, and Give Feedback and/or Written Evaluation!   

Improving educational outcomes requires improving the consistency of effective instruction. Those who evaluate (principals, assistant principals, department heads) along with instructional coaches have proximity to influence teacher action and the power to create the conditions of support that teachers and students need to thrive.  Classroom observation can provide a school with a data-driven baseline of what's happening, what's not happening, and how often it happens across the disciplines and grades. This information can be used to validate proficient/exemplary teaching and to serve as data for goals for instructional practice refinement. Evaluators can influence professional learning only if they have a deep understanding of new instructional strategies and tenants of effective teaching. We will watch videos of actual classroom instruction, collaboratively use redacted examples of observations and practice how to provide consistent written feedback that offers praise and refinement.

Participants will be able to: 

·         Explain how observations and thoughtful feedback based on data can lead to "good teaching, in more classrooms, more of the time"

·         Learn to collect data, analyze data, and make informed decisions about what is happening and what is not happening in the classroom

·         Compare twenty-five different models of teaching

·         Realize that school leaders’ proximity, observations, data analysis, and feedback are the quickest way to really improve teaching and learning

·         Empower educators, with encouragement and data, to solve their own problems rather than solving the problems for them

·         Write thoughtful persuasive feedback, in the areas of both praise and refinement, that is consistent and spot-on

When: Wednesday, February 4, 2026, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am

Delivery Method: In-Person Workshop

Location: The MSAA Office, 33 Forge Parkway, Franklin, MA

Presenter: Thomas L. Brow, Jr., Seaside Educational Consultants

PD Hours: 3 in Content Area Data and Assessment

Fees: Member $150 / Non-Member $205

MSAA Contact: Ethel Kawesa, ekawesa@msaa.net

Thomas L. Brow, Jr. | Seaside Educational Consultants

Tom Brow, an educational consultant, instructional coach, former teacher, high school social studies department head, and middle school principal for many years, earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a master’s degree in Community Education and a C.A.G.S degree in Administration. Tom presented bi-monthly workshops at an annual pre-K-12 induction program for well over a decade and has coached teachers and administrators. He has earned numerous marks of recognition from the local Excellence in Education Award, Middlesex District Attorney’s Citizenship in Action Award, to co-runner up Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Award. His vast experience in middle school education both in classroom instruction and supervision, his love of skillful teaching and learning, and his enthusiasm is evident at all his workshops.