Assessment Early Years PE MPESA Fall Conference September 18-20, 2013

7 steps Assessment FOR Learning explain purpose show samples set and use criteria self-assessment set goals collect evidence communicate Descriptive Feedback Anne Davies

Start with an Analogy Packing a parachute course analogy: Student A - initial high scores, but scores drop as the course goes on Student B - erratic assessment scores throughout the course Student C – poor assessment scores to begin with but by the third term could successfully pack a parachute. Which student would you want to pack your parachute?

Student C failed the course if scores were tallied, the two others passed. So then we must ask: When should we evaluate? What might be the result of evaluating too early? How do we know if we are evaluating the right things?

Assessment for Learning involves: Checking to see what has been learned and what needs to be learned next. Assessing specific, and descriptive feedback in relation to criteria that is focused on improvement. Participation by the student – the person most able to improve the learning. Anne Davies

Assessment for learning is used to collect information that will inform the teacher’s next teaching steps and the student’s next learning steps. Students need descriptive feedback along the way – they need to know how they are doing in relation to set criteria. This is easy to do in PE… I like the way you are stepping with the opposite foot, thank you for including others in your group… Can you think of others?

When we involve students in shaping their learning, they are more likely to: Understand what is expected of them Access prior knowledge Have some ownership over making it happen Be able to give themselves descriptive feedback as they are learning Give information that teachers need to adjust their teaching Anne Davies

Explain the Purpose What do I want my students to learn? What are the learning outcomes? When teachers and students know where they are going they are more likely to achieve success. When students know what they are supposed to be learning, they can self monitor, make adjustments, and learn more. This can take many forms in PE… Anne Davies

Show Samples When descriptions of what needs to be learned are accompanied by samples that show what success looks like, students begin to be informed enough to make choices that help their learning. “What do you want?” says a student. What will it look like when I’ve learned it? “What does excellence look like?” wonders the teacher. When students analyze samples, they begin to understand what student work looks like at different points on its way to the standard. Turn and talk…What would be samples in a PE class? When can samples be presented? Anne Davies

Setting and Using Criteria When using samples to develop criteria, students first examine the samples and list the important features. Teacher records student’s ideas on a brainstormed list, and may also add to the list. Can be an ongoing, multi- grade/class list. Can be rubric style, what does a 4 look like, 3… or about a particular assignment or task i.e. gymnastics routine etc. Sort and categorize the list. Make and post a T-Chart. Use, revisit and revise criteria. Anne Davies

Brainstorm ideas *Start with outcomes *What am I looking for? *What should I notice? *What counts? *What does it look like, sound like? *I noticed / you noticed Sort and Categorize *What are the big ideas? (These are your criteria) *Put details beside big ideas (what students came up with from brainstorming)

Active Participation – General Fitness Activities CriteriaDetails Being Active Being Safe Best Effort Do the warm-up Play the games Perform all fitness tasks Work up a sweat Keep moving * Perform skills within own limits Use correct technique Stay on task Take your time * Challenge yourself Do more than last time Try your hardest *

Your challenge is to set criteria and make a t-chart for: Group 1 Fitness – Heart Rate Monitoring Group 2 Fitness – Active Participation (Aerobic Capacity) Group 3 Movement – Acquisition of Movement Skills - Throwing and Catching Group 4 Gymnastics Routine Group 5 Officiating a game

Anne Davies Self - Assessment When students assess themselves, they develop insights into their own learning. Ask students to check for understanding: Pause and think Look for proof of their learning Make connections to criteria Compare, notice, check

Active Participation – General Fitness Activities Met / Not Yet Met CriteriaDetailsMNYM Being Active (A) Being Safe (S) Best Effort (E) Do the warm-up Play the games Perform all fitness tasks Work up a sweat Keep moving * Perform skills within own limits Use correct technique Stay on task Take your time * Challenge yourself Do more than last time Try your hardest *

Active Participation – General Fitness Activities Acronyms CriteriaDetails Being Active Being Safe Best Effort Do the warm-up Play the games Perform all fitness tasks Work up a sweat Keep moving * Perform skills within own limits Use correct technique Stay on task Take your time * Challenge yourself Do more than last time Try your hardest * ASEASE

Fitness Assessment Criteria Posters Movement Assessment Criteria

Anne Davies Assess without putting a mark on paper! Met / not met (I noticed) Performance Grid (Rubric) Acronyms Next steps (basic movement skills, put an “O” to represent opposite foot

Collect Evidence Triangulation Three general sources of assessment evidence Observations of learning Products students create Conversations – discussing learning with students When evidence is collected from three different sources over time, trends and patterns become apparent, and the reliability and validity of our assessment is increased. Anne Davies

Aerobic Capacity Active Participation Accept and Include Others Striking Self Assessment

Thank you for participating!