From Theory to Practice: Developing a Standards-Based Gradebook Angela Di Michele Lalor Jennifer Borgioli

What we will share The path we took to standards-based gradebooks The lessons we learned (or didn’t) Recommendations from our schools

What we won’t share (not cause we don’t want to) A play-by-play The right answer A script

From Theory To Practice

From Theory To Practice

“What evidence do we have that our students are mastering the NYS Learning Standards?” 1. Power Standards 2. Formative & Benchmark Assessments 3. Multiple Measures

“We’re using a standards- based report card.” 1. Connect to classroom assessments 2. Interpret report card scales

Lesson #1 It’s Big.

Lesson #2 It’s Messy.

Lesson #3 It’s Scary.

“Turn and Talk” What’s your first domino? What led you to want to know more about standards-based gradebooks? What are your fears or concerns as you enter into this investigation?

A traditional gradebook: Is driven by the task or activity Is (primarily) a place to hold grades til we can combine them to create a final

A standards-based gradebook… is driven by outcomes (standards, performance indicators, etc.) documents information about student learning to inform teaching contains documentation that best matches the assessment (scales, percentages, checkmarks, etc.)

Assessments are...

Lesson #1: It’s big You cannot underestimate the impact one change will have on the system.

Working from the theory

Unfortunate ly, missed this one…

Gradebook Report Cards Progress Reports IEP’s HS Portfolios

Report Cards Curriculum Guides Multiple measure chart Gradebook

Lesson #2: It’s Messy Product from performance Behavior from learning

“What evidence do we have that our students are mastering the NYS Learning Standards?” 1. Power Standards 2. Formative & Benchmark Assessments 3. Multiple Measures

Achievement Classroom Assessments School Benchmark Assessments RevisionOn demand

Homework Grades

Effort

Section of Rubric  I remain silent when called on or provides responses that are not matched to the task, make classmates uncomfortable, or are otherwise inappropriate.  I give responses that are usually on target but occur at the wrong time, ignoring or violating classroom rules.  I respond when asked and follow the classroom rules and routines. For example, I raise my hand in large group before speaking and participate in small group discussions.  I provide responses that provoke deeper thinking for me and my classmates. I share discussion time and let others participate even when I know the answers.  I ask questions unrelated to topic or related to content we’ve already discussed.  I ask questions that reflect the general content or task.  I ask specific questions when my teacher calls on me or I ask them on my own when I am unsure of content or next steps.  I ask specific questions that show I am making connections between my new and prior knowledge.  I require individual support from my teacher to follow directions and remain on-task.  I follow the purpose of the directions but often misses key steps. I need prompts to follow directions as given.  I follow directions on my own though I may occasionally need a prompt to remain on task.  I follow directions on my own and complete tasks in a way that exceeds expectations. I help others when they seem confused by the direction or task.

Samples in packet

Untangling let us focus on learning

Power Standards – Big Picture

Power Standards Marking Period 1Marking Period 2Marking Period 3Marking Period 4 Systematically count the items in a collection and know the last counting word tells how many items are in the collection (1-10) Represent the count in a collections using his or her fingers (0 to 10) or tally marks Demonstrate an understanding of the correspondence between the digit “1” and the word “one” (1-10) Compare numbers in order to identify less, same, more Developmental Growth

Power Standards – Big Picture

What goes in the gradebook Marking Period 3 Reach a fluency benchmark of 100 wpm Sequence up to four events from a story Make and justify reasonable predictions using the pictures in a story Distinguish between important and unimportant details Identify main idea and support with evidence Distinguish between the four purposes given a text Identify the causes for a given effect in a story Identify the plot of a story Identify elements from a story that defines it's genre Identify meaning of unfamiliar words when used in one example

What goes in the gradebook Reach a fluency benchmark of 100 wpm Sequence up to four events from a story Make and justify reasonable predictions using the pictures in a story Distinguish between important and unimportant details Identify main idea and support with evidence distinguish between the four purposes given a text identify the causes for a given effect in a story Identify the plot of a story Identify elements from a story that defines it's genre Identify meaning of unfamiliar words when used in one example Data Source

Data Source = rubric Traditional Scale Checklist -,, + rubric

What goes on in the gradebook Reach a fluency benchmark of 100 wpm Sequence up to four events from a story Make and justify reasonable predictions using pictures Distinguish between important and unimportant details DIBELS BOY ORF 82 Guided Reading (10/13/2010) 2 “Moon” writing task (10/13/2010) - Guided Reading (10/14/2010) 3 + Unit Assessment (10/15/2010) 78%

“We’re using a standards- based report card.” 1. Connect to classroom assessments 2. Interpret report card scales

Connections Activity Examine the documents on page 3. Answer the question found at the bottom of each document. Highlight any information that shows how the document is connected to the previous document. Answer the processing questions found on page 7.

Multiple Measures Chart

What goes on in the gradebook Reach a fluency benchmark of 100 wpm Sequence up to four events from a story Make and justify reasonable predictions using pictures Distinguish between important and unimportant details DIBELS BOY ORF 82 Guided Reading (10/13/10) 2 “Moon” writing task (10/13/10) - Guided Reading (10/14/10) 3 + Unit Assessment (10/15/10) 78%

Multiple Measures Chart

What goes on in the gradebook Reach a fluency benchmark of 100 wpm Sequence up to four events from a story Make and justify reasonable predictions using pictures Distinguish between important and unimportant details DIBELS BOY ORF 82 Guided Reading (10/13/2010) 2 “Moon” writing task (10/13/2010) - Guided Reading (10/14/2010) 3 + Unit Assessment (10/15/2010) 75%

Multiple Measures Chart

Processing Questions How are the documents created? How does the standards-based grade book connect the assessment system with the grading and reporting system? How could you use a standards-based grade book in your classroom, school or district? What questions/concerns do you have about using a standards-based grade book?

Article in packet

Gradebook could be made using… one Excel worksheet for each student one Google spreadsheet for each one page in paper gradebook for each single screen in program-that- will-remain-nameless

Lesson #3: It’s Scary

It’s now easier to… differentiate. provide feedback. communicate. “prove” learning has occurred.

We’re still wresting with… the #$*&# report card. convincing parents that a “3” isn’t a C. assuring students that they are, in fact, learning even when it doesn’t “count”. capturing what matters versus everything.

We suggest asking… What is the relationship between “performance levels” and assessment in our school? What’s worth documenting? What measures do we want to use to inform our practice? What is the role of students in this messy business?

To quote Mr. O’Connor: Nothing really changes till the grade book and the report card both change.

Remaining Questions…

End of Session Reflection

Angela Di Michele Lalor 4231 Jennifer Borgioli 4231