DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET 4   INTRODUCTION   responsibilities, such as team leaders, education coordinators, consultants, men- tors, coaches, lead teachers, and educators with other related job titles. Even though evaluation is usually reserved for the leaders who are the supervisors, support is considered part of every leader’s job. Both functions are essential. For the purpose of this book, I am going to point to the overlap and the importance of each function. All education leaders will benefit from the ideas and strategies in this book, but you will need to decide your own parameters for implementing the strategies, based on your role within your organization and your organiza- tion’s human resources system. HOW THE BOOK IS ORGANIZED I have organized the book so that later chapters build upon information in earlier chapters, but you can read the information in any order that makes sense to you: Chapter 1 addresses your role and responsibilities as an education leader who evaluates and supports teachers in your program. Chapter 2 provides suggestions for creating a caring community of workers, setting the groundwork for a positive workplace environment in which evaluation and support practices can thrive. Chapter 3 strives to define teaching quality, pointing to authoritative resources on the topic and revealing how these resources can help you prepare to evaluate teachers. Chapter 4 digs deeper into the topic of evaluation, providing specific tools and techniques for implementing evaluations—​from planning the evaluations to communicating results to teachers. Chapter 5 presents strategies, tools, and techniques for supporting teachers—​including coaching, counseling, and mentoring—​using the data gathered from evaluations. Chapter 6 addresses differentiating and scaffolding support based on the unique needs of your group and individual teachers. Chapter 7 helps you create an evaluation and support plan for your center, school, or team. Throughout the chapters, I invite you to follow education leaders Sara, Monique, and Jon on their journeys in evaluating and supporting teachers. Their actions and reactions to scenarios in their settings are based on my own COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL