Teacher Evaluation Form – Post-Observation Conference

What a post-observation conference is and why it matters

A post-observation conference is the conversation that turns a classroom observation into professional learning. The lesson has already happened; the conference is where you and the teacher examine it together. Rather than stopping at a judgement about the lesson, you work through what the teacher intended, what students actually did, and what evidence of learning emerged. That is why this form pairs structured ratings with open reflection. The **Danielson Framework Performance Ratings** section captures your assessment of specific practices, while the **Reflective Post-Conference Discussion** section gives the teacher room to explain the reasoning behind their decisions. When a teacher articulates why they grouped students a certain way, why they abandoned part of a plan, or what an informal assessment told them mid-lesson, the ratings gain context and the next steps become concrete.

What a good post-observation conference covers

A useful conference is specific about practice and generous with evidence. This form organises the discussion around three areas. **Performance ratings.** You rate the teacher on observable elements of practice across the domains of Danielson's Framework for Teaching, including: - Demonstrating deep knowledge of content and pedagogy, and knowledge of students' diverse backgrounds and learning needs - Establishing clear, rigorous, and meaningful instructional outcomes - Designing coherent instruction aligned with learning goals, and assessments that measure student progress - Cultivating mutual respect, positive rapport, and a culture of high expectations - Managing classroom procedures, student behavior, and the physical space - Communicating clearly, and using questioning and discussion to promote critical thinking - Engaging students purposefully and integrating assessment throughout instruction - Responding flexibly to students' emerging needs Each item is rated on a four-point scale — **Unsatisfactory**, **Basic**, **Proficient**, or **Exemplary** — with space to document the rationale behind the rating. **Reflection on the lesson.** The discussion questions ask the teacher to assess how successful the lesson was, whether students achieved the intended objectives and what evidence supports that view, what samples of student learning were collected and what they reveal, and how classroom procedures and transitions helped or hindered the lesson. **Adaptation and next steps.** The teacher also reflects on whether they departed from the original plan and why, how effective their activities, groupings, materials, and resources were, what they would change if teaching the same lesson again, how their directions, explanations, modeling, and examples affected cognitive engagement, what informal assessments revealed during the lesson, and how student behavior influenced learning.

How to carry out the conference

1. **Capture the basics.** Note when the conference was conducted, who prepared it, and where it took place. 2. **Rate the practice.** Go through each Danielson Framework item and assign a rating on the four-point scale. Write down the rationale for each rating — the evidence the teacher can see and respond to. 3. **Discuss the reflection questions.** Give the teacher the floor on the open-ended questions. Their answers about objectives, evidence of learning, procedures, adjustments, and instructional delivery are what make the conversation a two-way exchange rather than a report. 4. **Agree on support.** Attach any recommended teaching practices and professional development resources that follow from the discussion, so the teacher leaves with something to work on. 5. **Close out the record.** Record the signature and the conference's actual start and end dates.

Who this form is for

This form suits anyone conducting a formal post-observation conference with an educator — instructional coaches, department leads, mentors, and administrators running a structured evaluation cycle. It can be completed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, so you can take notes in the room and finish the record before the conversation ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

A post-observation conference is the reflective conversation that follows a classroom observation. Instead of delivering a verdict, the evaluator and teacher work through what happened in the lesson, why the teacher made the choices they did, and what those choices produced in terms of student learning. The form captures that conversation in two parts: performance ratings across the domains of Danielson's Framework for Teaching, and open-ended questions that ask the teacher to explain their reasoning and evidence. Because the discussion is grounded in what the teacher actually intended and observed, it tends to produce commitments to change rather than defensiveness.

The ratings should reflect the lesson as taught, not the teacher's intentions. Each item describes an observable practice — demonstrating content and pedagogical knowledge, knowing students' backgrounds and learning needs, setting clear and rigorous instructional outcomes, designing coherent instruction and meaningful assessments, building a culture of respect and high expectations, managing procedures and behavior, organizing the physical space, communicating clearly, using questioning and discussion to promote critical thinking, engaging students in varied activities, integrating assessment into instruction, and responding flexibly to emerging needs. The four-point scale runs from Unsatisfactory through Basic and Proficient to Exemplary, and you should document the rationale behind each rating so the teacher can see the evidence it rests on.

The conference questions ask you to reflect on the lesson as a whole: how successful it felt, whether students met the intended learning objectives, and what evidence supports that judgement. You also document the specific evidence of student learning you collected and what it reveals about engagement, comprehension, and growth; how routines, transitions, movement, and grouping helped or hindered the lesson; whether you departed from your plan and why; how effective your activities, groupings, materials, and resources were; and what you would change if you taught the same lesson to the same students again. Further questions cover how directions, explanations, modeling, and examples shaped cognitive engagement, what you learned from informal assessments during the lesson, and how student behavior affected engagement and learning.

The ratings and the written reflections serve different purposes and work best together. A rating tells you where a practice sits on the scale; the rationale and the teacher's own account tell you why. When a teacher explains what they intended, what they adjusted mid-lesson, and what evidence of learning they collected, the rating becomes a starting point for development rather than a label. That combination is what makes the conversation useful for planning next steps.

Step one is to complete the identifying details — date, evaluator, and location. Step two is to work through the Danielson Framework items and assign a rating on the four-point scale for each, recording your rationale as you go. Step three is the reflective discussion, where the teacher answers the open-ended questions about objectives, evidence of learning, classroom procedures, adjustments to the plan, effectiveness of instructional delivery, informal assessment insights, and student behavior. Step four is to close the conference by attaching any recommended teaching practices and professional development resources that support the teacher's continued growth, and by capturing the signature and completion times.

Written by

Arne Reis

Founder

Process optimizer with 25 years of expertise, focused on operational excellence in quality, maintenance, EHS, and commissioning. Emphasizes innovative solutions and top-quality standards.

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