Strengthening Teacher Education in Mathematics at
HBCUs
Building Teacher Capacity to Design and Implement
Assessments FOR
Learning
Presenter: Adrienne Y. Bailey, CoachExecutive Leadership Program of Educators(ExEL)
at Harvard University and QEM ConsultantQEM Workshop, August 29, 2009
Jackson, Mississippi
Executive Leadership Program of Educators (ExEL)
ExEL…. Funded by the Wallace Foundation Began in 2006 as a way to build on and integrate
several university separate programs and approaches (Harvard’s education, business and government schools)
A multi-year collaborative effort to help district and state superintendents and their teams bring high quality teaching and learning to scale
ExEL Strategy……. To help public school district and state department
of education participants and teams develop and enhance knowledge and skills in instruction, management, and leadership and to use these strengthened capacities to refine their organizational strategies
Executive Leadership Program of Educators (ExEL)
Three levels: individual, team and network
Connected to 18 districts and 6 SEAs Four high-leverage strands:
1. Laser focus on teaching and learning
2. Systems development & organizational
coherence
3. Leadership & team development
4. State and local networks Utilizes PELP framework
Public Education Leadership Project (PELP)
PELP Coherence FrameworkTheory of Action
Puts STUDENT LEARNING at the core of the district and schools
Guides leaders in making decisions and taking actions that lead to organizational coherence focused on STUDENT LEARNING
Helps leaders identify the key elements that support a district wide improvement strategy
Serves as leverage to develop strategies that will improve performance for all students.
Instructional Core
Student
Teacher Content
PELP Coherence Framework
Instructional CoreThe relationship between teachers and students in the presence of content.
Do we have a consensus on good teaching? Do we have consistent expectations within a grade
level, course and department regarding challenging standards, instruction and assessment priorities?
Do we have agreed upon transparent criteria for proficiency to be met in each individual classroom,grade level and school district?
PELP and EXEL Key Themes
Moving from….. Management to leadership Compliance to reciprocal
accountability Culture of initiatives to
STRATEGY focused on student and adult results
Assessment OF learning to assessment FOR learning
Assessment Crisis
Assessment Assessment
OF VS FOR
Student Learning Student Learning
Assessment OF Learning
Historical Context…… District-wide standardized testing programs (1960s)
Statewide testing programs (1970s) National assessments (NAEP, 1970s/1980s) International assessments (TIMMS) Required annuals standardized testing of every student in math and reading in Grades 3-8
(NCLB, 2002)
The Absence of Assessment FOR Learning
If we wish to maximize student achievement in the US, we must pay far greater attention to the improvement of classroom assessment. Both assessment OF learning and assessment FOR learning are essential.
Richard StigginsKappan, Professional Journal,2002
Definition: Assessment FOR Learning
A new way of thinking…!!Assessment FOR Learning is part of everyday
practice by students, teachers and peers that seeks, reflects upon and responds to information from dialogue, demonstration and observation in ways that enhance ongoing learning.
3rd International Conference on Assessment for Learning, March 2009
What Does the Research Say?
Does formative assessment make a difference? (Black and William 1998) Testing Motivation and Learning (The Assessment Reform Group 2002)
Classroom Assessment (Brookhart and Bronowicz (2003)
Self Assessment (McDonald and Boud 2003) Using Assessment for Learning (Brookhart 2003)
Feedback (Higgins et al, 2002) Setting and Using Criteria (Osmond et al 2002)
Why are Assessments FOR Learning Necessary and Effective?
Regular and timely feedback regarding student attainment
Multiple measures to demonstrate understanding in various formats
Agreed upon criteria for proficiency Results provide predictive value Collaboration activities amongst teachers
Deliberate alignment of classroom, school and district assessments connecting to state tests
Are Teachers Ready?Committee on the Foundations of Assessment Report, 2001
National Research Council
Recommendation #9: Instruction in how students learn and how learning can be assessed should be a major component of teacher pre-service and professional development programs. Training should be linked to actual experience in classrooms in assessing and interpreting the development of student competence. To ensure that this occurs, state and national standards for teacher licensure and program accreditation should include specific requirements focused on the proper integration of learning and assessment in teachers’ educational experience.
Facing the Brutal Facts-Assessment Competent Personnel
Level of assessment literacy remains low among school personnel. (Plake, 1995, Stiggins 2002, Metler 2005)
Over 50% of the states do not require competence in assessment for licensure as a teacher (Stiggins, 1999)
No licensing exam that verifies competence in assessment (Stiggins, 2002)
Less than 20 states require student assessment knowledge and skills for administrators. (Trevisan, 1999)
Implications for Teacher Preparation and Practice
Teachers should be skilled in: Choosing and developing assessment methods appropriate for instructional decisions
Administering, scoring and interpreting results of both externally produced and teacher produced assessment methods
Using assessment results when making decisions about individual students, planning teaching, developing curriculum and school improvement
Implications for Teacher Preparation and Practice
(Cont’d)
Developing valid student grading procedures which use student assessments
Communicating assessment results to students, parents, other lay audiences, and other educators
Recognizing unethical, illegal and otherwise inappropriate uses of assessment information
What Assessment Competencies are Required in Your State at Your
Institution?
Teacher licensure Teacher preparation
programs to
enable teachers to engage in
Assessment FOR Learning??
New Mexico Teacher Competencies
for Licensure Professional Teacher — Level II
Selects appropriate assessment tools and strategies for specific learning outcomes.
Uses formative and summative assessment for remediation and instructional planning.
Maintains documentation of student progress.
Consistently maintains communication with students and families about student progress.
Master Teacher –Level III
Designs and uses multiple methods of measuring student understanding and growth.
Integrates assessment data from multiple sources into instructional planning and improvement.
Maintains documentation of student progress.
Develops a two-way system of communicating with students and families about student progress.
Balancing Assessments Of and For Learning
Do no harm… Leave No Child Behind
Public Education Leadership Project
Instructional Core
A real voyage of discovery…
…consists notof seeking newlandscapes but of seeing throughnew eyes .Marcel Proust
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