What is the CEIJ model for writing evaluation narratives?
CEIJ stands for Claim, Evidence, Interpretation, Judgment — and it's a structure for writing evaluation narratives that are clear, defensible, and genuinely useful. You make a claim about the teacher's practice, support it with specific evidence from your observations, interpret what that evidence means in context, and connect it to a judgment based on your shared evaluation framework.
The value is that it eliminates vagueness. "Mrs. Johnson is a proficient teacher" doesn't help anyone. But when you can point to specific evidence, explain what it demonstrates about her practice, and connect it to a framework standard, the evaluation becomes both more meaningful to the teacher and more defensible if challenged.
CEIJ is especially important for high-stakes evaluations — teachers who may be non-renewed or placed on improvement plans. In those cases, every sentence needs to withstand scrutiny.
More on Teacher Evaluation
How do I write teacher evaluations that are both fair and efficient?
The biggest efficiency gain comes from a counterintuitive realization: you don't need to write every teacher's evaluation from scratch.
How should I allocate my evaluation time across all my teachers?
Unequally, and on purpose.
How do I handle a negative teacher evaluation?
With extensive evidence, clear communication, and no surprises.
Can teacher evaluations actually improve retention?
Yes — if you reframe them as relationship-building opportunities rather than compliance exercises.
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There are also 36 more questions on Walkthroughs & Evaluation answered from video content — see the full Walkthroughs & Evaluation FAQ →
Answered by Justin Baeder, PhD, Director of The Principal Center and author of three books on instructional leadership.