Reassessing Assessment Open-Ended Standards-Based Grading Vista Innovation and Design Academy Vista, California Ellen Kristina Session materials available at crewsmath.com under the “teachers” tab

About VIDA We are a small public magnet middle school located in Vista, California. Our magnet theme centers on Design Thinking as a tool for problem solving. We are a Title I school, with a substantial population of English Language Learners.

The VIDA Design Cycle Practicing what we preach...

We started by focusing on the problems we faced with our existing assessment and grading regime. Problem Finding Data unhelpful Over-emphasis on homework Student apathy Lack of feedback for students Grading process cumbersome What are the assessment & grading problems that you face?

Empathy Who are your stakeholders? How do you gather information about stakeholders? Observation Interviews Research Imagination

“I’m bored”“This is too easy” “This is too difficult” Smug Embarrassed “I don’t get it” “Why even try” Inferior Nothing Frustration Finish early No Connection

Empathy Who are your stakeholders? What do they want or need? Identify your stakeholders. What are they telling you? What do they need?

Define Your Focus Narrow in on the needs you are going to address. ______ need(s) ______, so as to ______. Students need opportunities for extension, so as to be challenged. Students need multiple entry points, so as to be encouraged to try. Teachers need usable data, so as to plan instruction. Teachers need an easy evaluation system, so as to provide feedback to students.

Ideating “Yes, and...” This is brainstorming. We start generating ideas, no matter how bad. Then we build on them. Rubrics Standards-Based Grading Assessing Through Projects Student Self-Assessment

Prototyping Give form to your ideas. Open-Ended Rubrics Rubrics on all Assessments Checklists vs. Rubrics

1234 EffortApproaching Mastery MasteryExtension List your standard (or partial standard) in student- friendly language. List the minimum requirement, and pre-think the mistakes most students are likely to make Leave this blank. --- You will fill this in later if necessary. Leave this blank. --- Students will fill this in if they try to extend.

Chapter Test

Extending Thinking

A Student Who “Hates Math!”

Struggle & Effort

Projects & Rubrics Are woven throughout the unit, not added at the end. Take the place of a traditional assessment Are a platform for learning the content Give students control over their grade. What do you want them to know and be able to do?

Projects & Rubrics Are students getting “points” for: Neatness? Including a title, illustration, etc.? Completing work? What do you want them to know and be able to do?

Projects & Rubrics & Checklists

Peer-Check

Scoring is based on: ●6 Standards (or parts of a standard) ●1 Mathematical practice ●1 aspect of our School Values

StandardPredicted shortfalls

MINI-ASSESSMENTS EXIT-SLIPS 3 POINT QUIZZES “4 OR NOTHING” EXTENSION OPPORTUNITIES

Letter Grades A B C D