I have been hearing from various teachers that their school administration is trying to require them to follow a detailed lesson plan format, in direct violation of the contract. Moreover, to push teachers to do the administration directed lesson plan, the administration is trying a different approach to compel teachers to follow their rules and fall into their web of destruction. The administrators are telling teachers that one of their observations will be solely based upon their lesson plan and not actually observing the lesson in the classroom. That's right. some school administrators are proposing to do a lesson plan based observation without watching the lesson!
I suspect, the school administration is getting their marching orders from the Superintendent who is trying to circumvent the union contract that allows the teacher to determine the format and content of his or her lesson plan. Moreover, by having all teachers follow a boilerplate lesson plan, it makes it easier for the school administration to compare lesson plans and decide which lesson plan is inadequate and punish the teacher for it. Finally, if the teaching staff cowers to the administration dictates, they can more easily manipulate the teachers to ignore other union contract provisions, be it per session activities, prep period duties, and meetings during lunch.
Speaking of observations, its time to meet your DOE field
Why the inequality? It goes back to somebody once telling me that the ATRs are put on two lists. List one are teachers who were simply excessed from closing schools while the other list are teachers that were disciplined. Guess which list is more likely to get a field assassin?
Remember, rotating ATRs are subject to the teaching of the 21st century requirements and not Danielson. So don't allow the field assassins tell you that they are evaluating you under Charlotte Dainelson in the classroom.