1f: Designing Student Assessments

“Don’t underestimate the power of formative assessment—for you and your students. Use it not only to give feedback to students, but also to see the gaps in understanding, so that you can readjust accordingly and step in when needed with new or more in-depth instruction.” ~Alexis Wiggins

As teachers we must assess the end product of student learning and most importantly, the process of learning.  Assessments OF learning ensure that students have learned the intended outcomes.  Assessments FOR learning are incorporated right into the instructional process and are used to modify or adapt instruction as needed to ensure student understanding.  Although these assessments are used during instruction, they must be designed as part of the planning process.  These formative assessments are vital for teachers and students to monitor progress toward understanding the learning outcomes.

This chart helps Stephanie's students know what
to include when sharing their thinking.

Elements of Component 1f: 

• Congruence: Assessments must match learning expectations
• Clarity: Expectations must be clearly defined
• Purposeful Design: Assessments for learning must be planned as part of the instructional process
• Usage: Results of assessment should guide future planning

Will creates learning progressions for students
to follow based on student pre-assessments.

Indicators: 

• Lesson plans indicating correspondence between assessments and instructional outcomes
• Variety of performance opportunities for students
• Modified assessments available for individual students as needed
• Clear progressions of learning
• Formative assessments designed to inform minute-to-minute decision making by the teacher during instruction

A proficient assessor...

• has a method to assess all learning outcomes in the lesson
• matches assessment types to the learning expectations
• plans for modified assessments when necessary for students
• includes clearly written assessment criteria
• plans to use formative assessment during instruction
• plans for possible adjustments within their lesson based on formative assessment data





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What might this look like?

• The teacher creates a short questionnaire as an exit ticket in math class.  He uses their responses to organize different groups for the next day's activities.
• Using her formative assessment data from the previous day's project work, the teacher plans to have five students work on a more challenging extension while she works with six other students to reinforce the previous day's concept.
• The teacher makes sure her embedded rubric for the research assessment clearly defines proficiency.  She includes specific written feedback when she returns it to the student.

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Looking for fresh ideas for Formative Assessment?  Check out: 

56 Examples of Formative Assessment

Looking into Digital Assessment opportunities?  Check out: 

Best Digital Tools for Formative Assessment

Self Reflection: 

Is your instructional planning continually responsive based on formative assessment results?

Do students know what proficiency looks like for their target they are working towards?

Comment questions: 

• What do you love about assessment?  What frustrates or challenges you?

4f: Professional Responsibilities

“A teacher’s integrity is demonstrated, most importantly, through honesty.  Professional educators can be counted on to do what they said they would do, to maintain confidentiality and to support the best efforts of colleagues.”

-C. Danielson

This week’s element is demonstrated every day in interactions with students and colleagues.  How we conduct ourselves and follow through with professional responsibilities are components of Danielson Framework 4f.  The elements of 4f: Professional Responsibilities include: Integrity and ethical conduct, service to students, advocacy, decision making and compliance with school and district regulations.

The descriptors for a teacher who is proficient in professional responsibilities include:

• Teacher displays high standards of honesty, integrity, and confidentiality in interaction with colleagues, students and the public.
• Teacher is active in serving students.
• Teacher works to ensure that all students receive a fair opportunity to succeed.
• Teacher maintains an open mind and participates in team or departmental decision making.
• Teacher complies fully with school and district expectations, including engagement in PLC discussions and meetings/community circles, as well as collaborative curriculum development and deployment.

The descriptors for a teacher who is distinguished in professional responsibilities include:

• Teacher is highly proactive in serving students, seeking out resources when needed.
• Teacher makes a concerted effort to challenge negative attitudes or practices to ensure that all students, particularly those traditionally underserved, are honored in the school.
• Teacher takes a leadership role in team or departmental decision making and helps ensure that such decisions are based on the highest professional standards.
• Teacher complies fully with school and district expectations, taking a leadership role with colleagues.

 
Throughout this year, there have been significant practices that have been launched and lifted by the professionals at STEM and Hawthorne.  The commitment to providing high quality PBL experiences, as well as iPad assisted personalized learning paths is rooted in an advocacy for students. The belief that we are here to move children forward is a powerful force in changing the lives of children.  This work could not have been done in isolation and requires a team focused on the same goal.  The time and expertise you share within your level and on vertical teams creates a bank of talents that we all draw from together.  Thank you for the wealth of collegiality you have brought to your team’s collaborative table...every day!

This week's question...not school related!

What is the best book you have read lately (for enjoyment) that you could recommend to everyone? Spring break is coming up fast and everyone needs a good read ;-)

4e: Growing professionally

Continuing development is the mark of a true professional; it is an ongoing effort that is never completed.  -C. Danielson

What are the current and future needs of our students and how are we adapting to meet those needs?  

The answers to those questions change every day, with every learner and will never be answered completely. This week we are examining component 4e from the Danielson framework, Growing Professionally. The elements of 4e include: enhancement of content knowledge and pedagogical skill, receptivity to feedback from colleagues and service to the profession.

A proficient teacher will seek out opportunities for professional development to meet the needs of his/her learners.  As we continue to move students towards the in-depth application that the core requires, using strategies and tools that were not in the academic standards in the past, we are all feeling the need to seek out TDP and PSI courses.  Some have entered graduate, licensure or certificate programs to grow expertise around proven instructional practices.

A proficient teacher also welcomes feedback from colleagues when made by supervisors or when opportunities arise through professional collaboration. Gone are the days where we wait for an evaluation from an administrator to get feedback to help shape our practice.  Now, we use all collaborative parties to seek out new strategies and explore innovative teaching practices that will move our learners forward.

Finally, a proficient teacher participates actively in assisting other educators. The feedback loop should go both ways.  We all have areas for growth and we all have areas where our expertise can support others.  Growing professionally is a community effort.

A distinguished teacher ensures that these efforts are effective through action research and seeks out feedback from both supervisors and colleagues.

In addition, a distinguished teacher initiates important activities to contribute to the profession.  If you have ever hosted a field placement student or mentored a new teacher, this is where you have helped lift the teaching profession as a whole.

Our practices have changed more in the last 5 years than in any time in the history of teaching a learning.  With the arrival of our Waukesha ONE technology, Project Based Learning frameworks and Proficiency Based Learning Pathways, we have all cycled through being a novice on some piece.  As we move our students into being 21st century learners, we ALL must live in that 21st learner space as teachers!  Our growth is triggered by figuring out what we “don’t know”, and is motivated by the thirst to “know more”. When we implement these new practices with our students, and refine them through vital feedback, we create the innovative space to move all students forward.  

Choose one of three questions to respond to in the comment section below:

-Who do you turn to for feedback?  

-How do you get the information you need to refine the practices you use with students?

-What new practice have you launched as a result of professional development or feedback THIS YEAR to enhance the learning of your students?