Gathering Evidence to Achieve Results

A Culture of Collaboration - PLC Norms - Systems Support A Focus on Results -Pre-assessments -Common Formative Assessments - Common Summative Assessments Ensuring that Students Learn - What do we want student to learn? - How do we know each student has learned it? - What do we do if they didn’t learn it?

 “...if the results from the assessment can be used to MONITOR and ADJUST instruction in order to improve learning for CURRENT students, the assessment can be said to be formative. If NOT, the assessment is summative.” -Larry Ainsworth & Donald Viegut

-Purpose: to evaluate the end result of learning -When: the end of an instructional period -How: tests whether students have met objectives by the end of an instructional period -Examples:  High-stakes tests (Utah’s CRT)  Final exams and term papers  Reportcards

◦ Purpose: to improve teaching and learning effectiveness for learning in order to inform instruction ◦ When: occurs before or during instruction ◦ How: identifies problems early; provides feedback for teachers and student; helps design, modify, intensify instruction ◦ Examples:  Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM)  Early paper drafts evaluated with rubric and returned for corrections  Pretests

1. Form groups of 4 to What formative assessments do you currently use in your classrooms? Write one per index card. 3. How can information from that assessment inform what or how you teach? What questions do they help answer? Write question numbers on back of card or write your own.

1. Who is at risk for not meeting objectives? 2. How should students be grouped to meet needs? 3. Are students progressing at a sufficient rate to meet objectives on time? 4. Are students and teachers getting regular feedback on progress? 5. What skills do students need to master before they can meet final objectives?

COMMON FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS are developed collaboratively by a team of teachers responsible for the same grade level or course.

“... a sharper focus for instruction around a common core curriculum and those particular curricular areas needing attention.” -Wendell Schwartz WHAT do they provide?

 “Common formative assessments for learning can do for classroom teachers what large-scale assessments of learning, by design, cannot. These are assessments collaboratively designed by a grade-level or department team that is administered to students by each participating teacher periodically throughout the year. They assess student understanding of the particular standards that the grade-level or department educators are currently focusing on.” -Larry Ainsworth & Donald Viegut

 Diagnose student learning difficulties  Set individual teacher goals and team goals for student improvement  Identify and share effective teaching strategies to accomplish goals  Plan ways to differentiate instruction so that ALL students can succeed.  -Larry Ainsworth & Donald Viegut

 More efficient  More equitable for students  Provide timely, accurate, and specific feedback to students and teachers  Inform the practice of individual teachers  Build a team’s capacity to improve its program  Systematic, collective response to students who are experiencing difficulty

 Common formative assessments are administered frequently to know the level of student understanding to determine needs and drive instruction.

What do we want our students to learn? How will we know if each student has learned it? How will we respond when some students do not learn it? How can we extend and enrich the learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency?

Prioritize Standards (What is essential) Determine what students should know and be able to do Develop and refine CFA around standards Score and Analyze CFA’s Use data to differentiate instruction for increased student achievement

 Rigorous Content ◦ Big Ideas  Prioritize Content Standards ◦ Essential Questions ◦ Skills ◦ Learning Targets  Develop CFA’s ◦ Pre-assess ◦ Progress Monitoring ◦ Post-assess  Use Best Practices to Teach, Practice, and Apply  Use assessments throughout the unit to drive instruction

 Pre-test on Nov. 10th  8 Days on Cells  Cells Quiz on Nov. 18 th - Rise and Stretch Nov. 19 th  4 Days on Osmosis/Diffusion  Diffusion/Osmosis Quiz on Nov. 26 th – Rise and Stretch Dec. 3 rd  5 Days on Levels of Organization  Quiz on Levels of Organization on Dec. 5 th – Rise and Stretch Dec. 10 th  5 Days on Body Systems  Quiz on Body Systems on Dec. 15 th - Rise and Stretch Dec. 17 th  Standard 3 Review Dec. 16 th & 17 th - Rise and Stretch Dec. 17th  Post-Test on Dec. 18 th

 “When feedback to students takes the form of grades, they are likely to see assessment as a way to compare their achievement with others. Students with a track record as losers see little point in trying; however, when they are clear on intended learning outcomes and are provided with feedback as part of a formative process for improving their work, and are then given support in clarifying how they can close the gap, they are more likely to continue working until they achieve the targets ….” Learning by Doing pg. 158

“One incontrovertible finding emerges from my career in and around schools: The nature of relationships among adults within a school has a greater influence on the character and quality of that school and on student accomplishment than anything else.” -Roland Barth, 2006