Introduction
Am I Teaching Well? Self-Evaluation Strategies for Effective Teachers by Vesna Nikolic and Hanna Cabaj is a professional guidebook that helps classroom teachers critically examine and improve their own practice. Positioned in the teacher-education and professional-development genre, it offers a practical, task-based roadmap for moving from intuitive self-reflection to systematic self-evaluation, making it especially valuable for reflective practitioners at all stages of their careers.
Author context
Nikolic and Cabaj are experienced language teachers and teacher educators whose work draws heavily on classroom-based research and second-language teaching literature, particularly in adult and ESL/EFL contexts. Their professional background in Canadian and international education systems, along with Prasad’s experience as a government training consultant in India, gives the book a cross-cultural and cross-program relevance that extends beyond language teaching alone.
Summary (Overview)
The book is organized into sixteen modular chapters that can be read independently, covering areas such as self-evaluation models, classroom environment, program design, daily lesson planning, resources, classroom communication, motivation, assessment, program evaluation, and professional development. Each chapter combines concise theoretical framing with highly practical tasks, checklists, grids, and reflection prompts that guide teachers to identify strengths, diagnose weaknesses, and design concrete action plans for improvement. Rather than prescribing a single “right” method, the text offers a menu of strategies - journals, action research, peer observation, portfolios, audio/video analysis, student feedback, and self-assessment tools - that teachers can adapt to their own contexts.
Critical analysis
Plot / Structure
The structure is logical and teacher-friendly: it begins with foundational questions about the “what, how, and why” of teaching, then moves outward to school context, classroom practice, planning, resources, and finally assessment and program evaluation. The modular design means readers can dip directly into relevant chapters (for example, lesson planning or classroom communication) without reading cover to cover, which respects the time pressures of working teachers.
Characters (teachers and learners)
The “characters” here are composite portraits of teachers and students that appear in vignettes, scenarios, and reflective tasks, representing novices and experienced practitioners in diverse settings. These examples feel realistic and non-idealized; they highlight common dilemmas (e.g., test design, classroom management, mixed-ability classes) and invite the reader to respond, which makes the book more dialogic than prescriptive.
Writing style
The writing style is clear, accessible, and professional but not overly academic; key concepts such as validity, reliability, action research, and portfolio assessment are explained in straightforward language and then immediately operationalized through tasks. The tone is supportive and nonjudgmental, with frequent use of reflective questions, rating scales, and checklists that nudge the reader to think in concrete, observable terms rather than abstract self-impressions.
Effectiveness
The book is highly effective in turning the broad idea of “being reflective” into a systematic, repeatable process of self-evaluation that includes data collection, analysis, goal setting, and follow-up. By integrating multiple techniques—journals, video, peer observation, student surveys, and professional portfolios—it acknowledges the limits of any single tool and encourages triangulation, which strengthens teachers’ insight into their own practice.
Evaluation: strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Extremely practical: nearly every chapter includes ready-to-use tasks, charts, self-rating grids, and student questionnaires that can be implemented with minimal adaptation.
- Broad coverage of teaching: the book moves from macro-issues (program evaluation, professional development) to micro-skills (giving instructions, pacing, transitions, homework, feedback and correction), giving it sustained relevance across a teaching career.
- Strong emphasis on teacher agency: self-evaluation is framed as empowering rather than punitive, emphasizing teacher control over growth and the value of small, focused changes.
Weaknesses
- Some parts are strongly grounded in language-teaching contexts, so subject teachers outside languages may need to translate examples to their own disciplines.
- The density and length of some chapters, with many tasks and sub-tasks, may feel overwhelming for very busy teachers without institutional support or collaborative structures.
Recommendation
This book is best suited for classroom teachers (especially language teachers), teacher trainers, and supervisors who want to embed ongoing self-evaluation into everyday practice rather than rely solely on external appraisal. It would work particularly well as a core text in teacher-education courses, professional-learning communities, or in-service workshops where colleagues can complete and discuss tasks together, but individual teachers working alone will also find it a rich, long-term reference for reflective growth.
Conclusion
Am I Teaching Well? Self-Evaluation Strategies for Effective Teachers offers a thoughtfully structured, highly practical framework for teachers who wish to move from intuitive reflection to systematic improvement of their classroom practice. Its blend of theory, realistic scenarios, and concrete self-evaluation tools makes it a valuable companion for any educator committed to lifelong professional development and evidence-informed teaching.