Carla Dahlin ~ 7 th Grade Math Teacher Hedrick Middle School, Medford, OR JOURNEY TOWARDS PROFICIENCY BASED GRADING

HOW ARE WE CHANGING OUR PHILOSOPHY OF GRADING PRACTICES? A lot of discussion about Ken O’Connor’s books!

 How well a student can demonstrate core concepts  Assignments designed for practice  Task-oriented skills  Expected Behavior  Extra Credit WHAT DID MY GRADES REALLY CONSIST OF? Now, only the first bullet remains in my grades, the rest all support the success of making the first happen!

 In the Standards and their math journey K-12  In the reasoning for Assessment  In the communication of Grading Practices  In self-assessments of what a student knows and still needs to know  In the necessity for Suggested Practice (homework) WHAT PROFICIENCY MEANS TO ME…

HELPING STUDENTS BECOME AWARE OF THE STANDARDS…

HOWEVER, … ABILITY TO TRACK HOW THE STUDENT IS DOING IN EACH STANDARD … HOWEVER, … AVERAGING OCCURS AT THE BOTTOM MAKING UP THE OVERALL GRADE.

ASSESSMENTS BASED ON THE STANDARDS AND ESSENTIAL SKILLS…

REPEATED PARENT COMMUNICATION LETTER SENT HOME TO PARENTS AT MID-QUARTER REMINDING THEM OF POLICIES AND GRADING PRACTICES

 Mastery (M) ~ Through extensive evidence, the student consistently surpasses the proficient level and demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the standard.  Proficient (P) ~ The student regularly meets the standard and demonstrates a working knowledge of essential skills, while there are still some weaknesses, the strengths are dominant.  Developing (D) ~ Though student is occasionally demonstrating a working knowledge of the essential skills that encompass the standard, there are still more weaknesses than strengths.  Emerging (E) ~ Partial understanding and some skill demonstrated with greater omissions or errors evident.  Beginning (B) ~ No understanding or skill demonstrated yet. LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT MY GRADES ARE AND WHAT THEY MEAN…

USE OF MY PROFICIENCY CONTINUUM TO SCORE AND COMMUNICATE A GRADE ON AN ASSESSMENT

USE OF MY WEBSITE TO FURTHER COMMUNICATION

STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND TRACKING OF PRACTICE NECESSARY IN BECOMING PROFICIENT OR ACHIEVING MASTERY

An example of how the MEDFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT grade book system was used SP ~ Suggested Practice Q~ Quiz Q SP QQ SUGGESTED PRACTICE and how it works…

An example of how the MEDFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT grade book system was used SPB B ~ Behavior B SP QQQ A little room for reporting Behavior…

 Weekly quizzes  Assessing after working through a few essential skills  Quizzes graded 0-5  Assessments will begin with emerging questions and then progress on to proficient and then mastery questions.  Display all standards on the wall K-12  Develop syllabus with the standards that will be covered and the corresponding essential skills that go with it.  Help students see their progression through each standard.  Work regularly with my PLC SO…WHAT HAVE I TRIED AND WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?

 Our five year plan has been put into high gear due to HB2220!  Developed an Assessment and Grading Philosophy  Put together 15 minute presentations for Professional Development that highlight the 15 fixes and created the Proficiency Continuum to present to teachers (MS and HS)  Secondary administrators became proficient in the philosophy through discussions and a book study  Committee met with a parent advisory to bring them up to speed on the philosophy  All Secondary teachers attended two-day DuFour workshop and implemented PLCs to unwrap all of our standards and identify Power Standards  In the process of revamping our current grade book system to accommodate a smooth transition for teachers  Created common codes for entering grades at both Middle Schools and High Schools  All North Medford High school teachers will be piloting PBTL along with groups of teachers throughout the other secondary schools MEDFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT’S WHAT HAS THE JOURNEY LOOKED LIKE FROM THE MEDFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT’S POINT OF VIEW?

 Provide hours of Professional Development in the Philosophy of PBTL and time for collaboration within PLCs to make PBTL happen by school year  Professional Development on our new gradebook and how to use it  Create a new report card for secondary schools (already have one in place for elementary)  Create an alternate report for effort, work habits and citizenship  Educate students on proficiency and explain how interventions in helping them obtain proficiency will work  Educate parents on what this means for their children through media, meetings, and many parent letters ALL  Most of all, we realize that the only way for this to work is clear communication of what is expected of every teacher, parent, and student. We must ALL be on the same page ! THINGS OUR DISTRICT STILL NEEDS TO DO

Carla Dahlin ~ 7 th Grade Math Teacher Hedrick Middle School, Medford, OR JOURNEY TOWARDS PROFICIENCY BASED GRADING