Need to Teach Web Gradebook? Download and Change as needed Bob Cornacchioli

Ken O’Connor – aka The Grade Doctor This PPT is about entering grades. Far more important than the keystroke of a grade is how the district has trained teachers in the proper techniques in determining that grade. You should eliminate this slide, but the information Ken and others are saying about student achievement is mission critical. PowerTeacher has been designed with these principles.

Possible Agenda Items Enter Date and Time Introduce Web Gradebook/Log in – How to demonstrations on most aspects – Short cuts to save keystrokes – Final Grade Entry – Creating Assignments & Associating Standards Discussion regarding Comment Writing Ask Questions- this is your time

Use these images when you want your staff to keystroke ( hands on ) or just watch (binoculars!)

What’s on the PowerTeacher Start Screen

How do I launch my Gradebook from school or home?

Launching Web Gradebook

Always Allow The Web Gradebook is a JAVA application, if it is NOT OPENING on the computer, you may be running an older version of JAVA. Contact your tech department. LITTLE TECH TALK

PowerTeacher 2.2 is the latest version and is better designed to handle standard based assessment!

What’s on this screen < < TABS < < YEAR < < CURRENT COURSES << LINK TO DIFFERENT STANDARDS < < TERM- VIP

What’s on the Student Info Tab?

I can’t read those phone numbers!

Your prayers have been answered!

How can the Reports tab help me?

How about accurate onscreen roster?

Times out for added security

Don’t walk away from your screen, but if you do….

Change to your grading choices? Academic Performance Indicators 4 = Advanced 3 = Proficient 2 = Progressing but need improvement 1 = Warning N/A = Not accessed this term** Avoid homebound confusion by sending home letter grades and percentages on assessments! ?? Developmental and Habits Indicators C = Consistently U = Usually B = Beginning to demonstrate N = Needs Assistance

What does a 4 or a C really mean? With teachers at your Grade Level With teachers at your School With teachers in the District What does it mean for next placement? Setting Expectations & Emphasize Consistency

Place your Standards-based Report Card here!

I can’t read these standards- either! Click on the arrow to expand it, click on the X to close descriptions!

Control Click in the Box to access Grade choices.

It might be easier to fill down a default and then change only a few?

Fill Scores saves time! You could post a handout.pdf on the your website. If you are capable of doing this- use this image to inform staff there Is a web resource Selecting the Fill Scores option requires a strategy Opt 1- Give everyone a default grade first then change those who were UP or DOWN Opt 2 – Give those few students the exception and then fill all others… applying grade to those with none.

Option for Enter Grades Individually - Score Inspector

Fill Down Saves Time….YOUR TIME! Strategy needed Fill and Change Enter “High and Lows” Fill Majority Fill Majority

Summative comment is associated with HR and scroll to the right! Fill down doesn’t really work for comments! The “C” implies comment saved. You can cut and paste. Beware of the gender or name mistake!!

Gradebook vs. Grade Entry Exploring the Assignments Tab Click the + in the lower left

Optional- Creating Assignments

I need another Category?

PUBLISH PUBLISH ASSIGNMENT With or without score !

Assignments that are √ “Include in Final Grade” MUST be Published Or…. You get an alert

Tying Assignments to Standards Latest version of web gradebook… Assignment grades use grade scales Standards use conversion scales Grades associated with an assignment do not transfer to a standard grade. The standards associated with an assignment would also have to be graded. If one or more standards associated with an assignment is graded, you have some choices – average, high etc

Connecting Assessments to Standards

Assignments - Standards

Calculations Using PT Admin- your district will have to set policy on grading standards. The Gradebook will have to be set per school to look: Default setting for final grades Allow teacher modifications OR NOT Calculations for Most Recent Scores

YOUR EVIDENCE In Student View- if a standard was assessed multiple times in a term ( associated to multiple assignments) the summary tab provides access to evidence. The calculated grade is a 2 based on the last 3 assessments, if a teacher overrides score based on evidence – “none” would have a score!

Web Gradebook does: CALCULATES Final Score & PROVIDES evidence to support space teacher assessments: HOWEVER the POWER still is in the teacher’s ability to override Final Score Mean Median Mode Highest Most Recent -3 (set by Admin) Times Standard was assessed

Optional Idea: Include the rubric as the “description” for each standard. Benefits: Teachers see rubric/Parents as well if assignment was published to the Parent Portal.

Optional Idea: Using the Class Content tab and Class Info Button, teachers could include Class Info/Syllabus/Rubric in the description area. This can be invaluable to parents using the Portal.

Let’s Talk Comments What makes a good comment? Who are you writing them for? How much should you write? Who reads them before they go home? How much time should I allocate? What kind of stuff should I reference?

Sample Term 3 Nancy was wonderful to have in class. I hope she has a great summer! This is an actual comment! Did you know in Grade 2 in YOUR DISTRICT you have: X Math Standards X ELA- Reading and Writing Standards X Science Standards X Social Studies Standards T3 also runs from the end of March through June

Sample Term 2 Drew is a cheerful and helpful member of our classroom community. He continues to develop his skills in all academic areas of the 2nd grade curriculum. He reads fluently with expression and can use the various comprehension strategies to show his understanding of the text. In his writing, Drew is learning to use the techniques taught to create organized and descriptive pieces. He can quickly and accurately recall the basic math facts and uses them to solve problems. Drew was able to show his understanding of the important concepts introduced in Science and Social Studies this trimester. Where did this teacher get some of her verbage?

Tips from some Veteran’s I make my own comment bank for each term based on what I am teaching. I then copy and paste 1 or 2 of the comments into the Gradebook for each student. To make it easier I paste each comment one at a time into each student who gets that comment. I then go and paste the next comment to all students who get it, etc. Joanne Rose, Shrewsbury Middle School

Tips from some Veteran’s I suggest everyone starts with a positive statement, then comment on the MAJOR curriculum areas. I like to throw in a goal for the child the next trimester then end with a positive about how I look forward to continued success. Oh… spell check everything and watch your word counts! Maryann Hogan, Grade 2, Floral Street School, Shrewsbury

YOUR DISTRICT Sample Comment Be sure to review standards for T1 Pair up by grade level Mention student by name Appoint a typist and a spokesperson Work with colleagues from different schools The data tells you, student: Struggles or exceeds in some math concepts Very inquisitive, hand writing could be better Struggles or exceeds in reading or some other ELA standard Include a behavior and/or effort statement