MODERATION MRLC Summer Institute Warren Nickerson

Intended Learning Outcomes MRLC facilitators will –understand the value and purpose of collaborative moderation of student work –be able to facilitate strategies for teacher moderation for both formative and summative purposes –reflect on and plan for moderation of overall judgement of literacy and numeracy achievement across a range of sources of evidence

AGENDA Introduction to Moderating Teacher Judgements Moderating Literacy Evidence Moderation across multiple sources of evidence –Classroom Profiles –Summative Assessment: Numeracy, Reading Facilitating Horizontal Moderation –Film clip example from writing –Hands on exercise: Grade 4 writing Facilitating Vertical Moderation –Example: Building a continuum for problem-solving –Hands-on: Discuss criteria for problem-solving

Introduction to Teacher Moderation understand the nature and purposes of collaborative moderation of student work.

MODERATION moderari "to regulate, mitigate, restrain, temper, set a measure, keep (something) within measure," [verb] to preside over in order to bring about reasoned judgement; to act as a moderator

Why does moderation matter? Andy Hargreaves – The Fourth Way –First: 60s and 70s – pockets of innovation, overvalue of teacher autonomy –Second: 80s – testing and accountability –Third: 90s – data-driven decision-making –Fourth: “establish platforms for teachers to initiate their own changes and make their own judgments on the frontline, to invest more in the change capacities of local districts and communities, and to pursue prudent rather than profligate approaches to testing.”

Purpose and Benefit of Moderation Scan the first two pages of the resource “Teacher Moderation: Collaborative Assessment of Student Work” from Ontario [LINK]“Teacher Moderation: Collaborative Assessment of Student Work” In a group of four, summarize an idea from the reading that you found relevant or significant to the context in which you work. Record these on paper. If appropriate, add other benefits that you see from the moderation process.

Moderation across multiple sources of evidence What’s the GOAL here?

Overall Teacher Judgement (OTJ) (summative) Given enough collaborative moderation, teachers should be able to talk about their own students’ work in relation to common assessment criteria Their opinions of student proficiency should be ‘moderated’ by multiple sources of evidence This approach is being used in New Zealand and is referred to as OTJ – overall teacher judgement

Summing up the evidence in mathematics CLICK THE PICTURE – IT’S HYPERLINKED

Do you have sufficient evidence to make inferences? Is there enough evidence from a range of sources to show: Multiple dimensions of achievement Evidence from across subject areas curricular Student voice / self-assessment Observations / checklists / notes Learning conversations Information from an common or standardized assessment tool Additional reading [link] by Lorna Earllink

Planning a Range of Evidence Term 1Term 2Term 3 Reading Writing Mathematics Assessment Plan

Summing up the evidence in reading CLICK THE PICTURE – IT’S HYPERLINKED

THE CLASSROOM PROFILE View and discuss example of the Classroom Profile Process outlined by Faye BrownlieClassroom Profile Process outlined by Faye Brownlie

HORIZONTAL (within grade level) MODERATION GOAL: learn to facilitate strategies for teacher moderation for both formative and summative purposes Examples from literacy How do teachers internalize the criteria to the point where they can apply in CONSISTENTLY to evidence of student achievement?

Horizontal Moderation –Gathering and interpreting achievement evidence from one or more students in the same grade Can focus on literacy and numeracy evidence from across subject areas A common assessment task can provide rich professional discussion E.g., Teachers discuss at what level students are achieving a standard. E.g., A teacher assesses whether a student is performing at grade level based on multiple sources of evidence

Example of Horizontal Moderation View and listen to teachers deliberate about student writing: CLICK THE PICTURE – IT’S HYPERLINKED

You Try: Horizontal Moderation Refer to the steps from the Ontario handout “Teacher Moderation: Collaborative Assessment of Student Work” (page 3) to practice horizontal moderation with a sample of grade 4 impromptu writing. –INITIAL SORT – Good, better, best –Individually, use the MRLC IEYE and / or the BC Performance Standards to describe the qualities of each sample. Record your level and comments on the handout entitled “Moderation Discussion” –As a group, share and compare your assessment of each sample and decide how each sample illustrates the writing traits for a grade 4 student. Come to a consensus on a level for each sample.

VERTICAL (across grade level) MODERATION What Professional Learning opportunities give teachers an understanding of DEVELOPMENT?

Vertical Moderation Deliberating about evidence of student achievement across grade levels in relation to a continuum of progress and achievement –Can provide a focus for each grade level and a sense of a common mission across the school –E.g., Regie Routman – whole-school, common, demand- writing prompt

Example of Vertical Moderation

Professional Learning Ideas Choose a focus that spans grade levels (personal response to reading, problem-solving in math, conducting an experiment…) Set a whole-school common assessment task –Can be same task, different topics Gather samples and sort quality of student work along a continuum of complexity (novice, apprentice, proficient, advanced) Set “cut points” every two or three grades (e.g. 3,5,7, 9)

Problem-Solving Try assessing the samples provided according to the criteria provided –Samples taken from BC Performance Standards (Numeracy) – Additional Tasks and Student Samples, Grade 5