Positive claims are made for the adoption of practices that permit greater levels of involvement in teacher appraisals. The assumption is that when teachers are more involved in observing and evaluating their teaching, corresponding increases in empowerment and autonomy occur as a direct result. This paper challenges this claim by arguing that teacher empowerment is much more complex when the nature of power is considered from three contrasting perspectives (sovereign, epistemological and disciplinary). Each notion of power is used to explain how power is exercised in self-evaluation practices in ways that either enhance or curb teacher empowerment and development. (Contains 1 table.)