TOOLS TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF THE CURRICULUM, I, A, IS
The Parable of the Low Hanging Fruit
IN THE BEGINNING, ALL THAT WAS NECESSARY TO HAVE EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM WAS TO HAND
A TEACHER THE RIGHT TEXT.
AND BECAUSE ONLY NATIONAL STANDARDIZED TESTS (WHICH HAD LITTLE RELATIONSHIP TO THE TAUGHT
CURRICULUM NO MATTER THE TEXT), WHO REALLY KNEW WHAT EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM, TEACHING, OR LEARNING LOOKED LIKE? IT LOOKED
LIKE THIS:
BUT ONE DAY, FEARING THAT THE US WOULD LOSE ITS STATUS AS A WORLD POWER BECAUSE OF ITS
EDUCATION SYSTEM (A NATION AT RISK), ED REFORM BEGAN THE FIRST MOVEMENT IN AMERICAN
EDUCATION THAT HAS EVER LASTED MORE THAN 7 YEARS.
ELA
Math
2001 & 02 2003 & 04 2005 & 06 2007 & 08 2009 & 10 2011 & 12 2013 & 14
53.0
60.8
68.7
76.5
84.3
92.2
100
70.775.6
80.585.4
90.295.1
100
90
80
70
60
50
Com
posi
te P
erfo
rman
ce In
dex
(CPI
)
ELAMath
Ten years ago, only 24 % of the state’s 10th graders scored proficient or higher on the math MCAS exam.
Ed. Reform
AND SINCE ED. REFORM BEGAN, WE HAVE DEVELOPED MANY WAYS BEYOND BUYING A NEW TEXTBOOK TO
FINE-TUNE C, I, A, AND IS. MANY MORE ARE SURE TO FOLLOW. WE TRULY ARE BUILDING THE PLANE WHILE
FLYING IT!
HOW DO WE KNOW IF OUR CURRICULUM IS WORKING?
Data analysis: MCAS, AP, SAT
analyses (Root Cause)
Local Assessments Surveys Interviews Parent Comments Student Work
Analysis
Processes LASW Calibration of standards
(NEC Mentor) Rubric calibration Observation/Evaluation
of teaching Vertical Teaming Power Standards UBD curriculum
development/rubrics for evaluation
Professional Learning Community
Critical Friends
THE CHANGE IN ASSESSMENT FROM EDUCATION REFORM
curriculum
assessment
Student
instruction
Curriculum
•Content-coverage
Instruction
•Teacher-centered
Assessment
•Test (hidden) OLD MODEL
GO ON
NEW MODEL
TOOLS/USEDocument AnalysisMaterials Analysis: Quality of texts and support materialsData Analysis: Root Cause Analysis, PIMS Process, Item AnalysisDevelop Power StandardsVertical TeamObservations, Walkthroughs, EvaluationsPD QualityTeacher Evaluation process, documents, standards
Calibration of local, text-based, standardized assessments to MCAS (MA standards are higher than the national average.) (HOTS—”Rigor-Meter” and Bloom, QAR)Look at Student Work and calibrate assessments of writing, coursesPLCs
What is the impact on students?Consider at risk, gifted, subgroups, high school graduates, SPED studentsWhat happens to at risk students? Are they identified (ISSPs, extra time, different course sequence)
c
I
A
IS
WHAT WORKS? (MARZANO)(THEY ARE IN RANK ORDER)
IN SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS IN CLASSROOMS
Guaranteed (taught curriculum) and viable curriculum◦ Opportunity to learn ◦ Time◦ Guaranteed—and assessed throughout the year◦ Viable—challenging rigorous (not onerous)
Challenging Goals and Effective Feedback◦ Monitoring (timely feedback, formative, not
summative, assessment)◦ Pressure to achieve
Parental involvement ◦ Good communication is critical component)
Safe and Orderly Environment◦ School Climate◦ Positive reinforcement◦ Productive climate and culture conducive to learning
Collegiality ◦ Authentic professional interactions, and professionalism ,
content knowledge, and high correlation with pedagogy◦ Leadership ◦ Learning organization◦ Cooperation
Effective Instructional Strategies:◦ Flexible grouping, planning, setting goals
◦ Interactive learning, ongoing feedback, personalization
◦ Identifying similarities and differences, summarizing and note taking, reinforcing effort and providing recognition, homework and practice, graphic organizers, cooperative learning, setting objectives and providing feedback, generating and testing hypotheses, questions, cues, and advance organizers
◦ Madeline Hunter: Anticipatory set, objective and purpose, input, modeling, checking for understanding, guided practice, independent practice
Classroom management (discipline, student socialization, teacher behavior, organization, interactions, equity)
Classroom curriculum design (curriculum assessment)
It’s the teacher. Most classrooms have mediocre teachers—Elkind, Goodlad, Sizer,
Wagner
WRITING AND MATH: only 32% of college-bound students are adequately prepared for college, and 58% are in remedial courses—College Knowledge
READING: 34% of college graduates can read a complex book and
extrapolate from it. NCED Statistic
WRITING: 24% of students write at proficient level; 4% at Advanced-NAEP
THE RESEARCH
A meta-analysis of effectiveness based on 35 years of educational research Effective schools 72.4 % of students pass testIneffective schools 27.6% of students pass test
Teachers : Decisions made on a teacher level have a far greater impact than decisions
made at the school level.
The least effective teacher showed gains of 14% in student achievement in one year.◦ Ineffective strategies: use lower order questions based on recall, teachers talk (lecture, teacher-centered
class) instead of providing information in a variety of formats, imprecise feedback on tests (grades)—No clear idea of the essential concepts and the scaffolding necessary to get ALL students there.
The most effective had gains of 53% in one year.
The gain from an average teacher is 34%. The cumulative effect over 3 years: for the most effective teacher is a gain of 83% point
gain; for the least effective teacher the gain is 29%.
THE RESEARCH: WHAT WORKS IN SCHOOLS: TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO ACTION, ROBERT J. MARZANO.
RESEARCH:WHAT WORKS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL?
•Opportunity to learn
•Time•Guaranteed—and assessed throughout the year
•Viable—rigorous, essential learnings , power standards (not onerous)
Guaranteed (taught curriculum) and viable curriculum
•Monitoring (timely feedback, formative, not summative, assessment)
•Pressure to achieve
Challenging Goals and Effective Feedback
Parental involvement
•School Climate
•Positive reinforcement
•Productive climate and culture conducive to learning
Safe and Orderly Environment
•Leadership
•(learning organization)
•Cooperation
Collegialityauthentic professional interactions, not friendship) and Professionalism (efficacy, some content knowledge, higher correlation with pedagogy)
WHAT WORKS FOR THE TEACHER:
•grouping, planning, setting goals
•individualization, simulations and games, CAI, tutoring, learning hierarchies, mastery learning, homework, instructional media
•identifying similarities and differences, summarizing and note taking, reinforcing effort and providing recognition, homework and practice, graphic organizers, cooperative learning, setting objectives and providing feedback, generating and testing hypotheses, questions, cues, and advance organizers
•Madeline Hunter: Anticipatory set, objective and purpose, input, modeling, checking for understanding, guided practice, independent practice
Effective Instructional Strategies:
Classroom management:
Classroom curriculum
design
discipline, student socialization, teacher behavior, organization, interactions, equity: routines, classroom climate
Standards-based curriculum: backwards planGoal setting, measuring progress
Rigor—Higher order thinking skills in questioning, tests, quizzes
Student engagement (not teacher-centered) Writing High expectations for all students “Front loaded” units—students know what the final
product looks like (exemplars) and how they will be graded from the first day of the unit (rubric).
Gradual release of responsibility Student self-assessment Good Feedback
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN EVALUATIONS AND WALK-THROUGHS
QARK-1
Explanationof QAR
QAR Questions asked of the student/
Information processing involved
Bloom’s Taxonomy
(revised Bloom)
Explanationof Bloom
Inyourhead
Answers aren’t found in the text; they’re in the student’s
background knowledge
On my own
design, construct, plan, produce, invent, put two ideas together in a
novel way
Level 6 Synthesis(Creating)
Generating new ideas, products or ways of viewing 6
Students must use information both from the text as well as information
not in the text
Author and me
critique, judge, illustrate, hypothesize, experiment,
calculate, create, compose, debate, infer, solve appraise, judge, rate,
score, rank, defend, justify
Level 5 Evaluation
(Evaluating)
Justifying a decision or course of action,
checking 5
compare, contrast, analyze, examine, differentiate,
distinguish, question, deconstruct
Level 4Analysis
(Analyzing)
Breaking information into parts to explore
understandings and relationships
4
In the text
Information is in more than one place in the text
Think and
search
apply, calculate, collect, organize, use, executing, implementing
Level 3Apply
(Applying)
Use information in another situation 3
describe (idea), summarize, compare, explain, restate, discuss, report, find examples, discuss, for
what reason, what caused,paraphrase, summarize
Level 2Comprehension(Understanding)
Explaining ideas or concepts 2
Information is in one place in the text.
Right There
who, where, when, what, how many, list, what kind, name,
describe
Level IKnowledge
(Remembering)
Recalling information 1
Grade 3 MAT at 77th Percentile = Proficient Grade 4 ELA MCAS Grade 6 MAT at 49th Percentile = Proficient at Grade 6 ELA MCAS Grade 7 MAT at 56th Percentile = Proficient Grade 10 ELA MCAS Grade 3 MAT at 84th Percentile = Proficient Grade 4 math MCAS Grade 5 MAT at 69th Percentile = Proficient Grade 5 math MCAS Grade 7 MAT at 72nd Percentile = Proficient Grade 8 math MCAS Grade 7 MAT at 67th Percentile = Proficient Grade 10 math MCAS
BENCHMARKING THE MCAS AND STANDARDIZED TESTS
CALIBRATION
THE PIM PROCESS
Drilling Down with Data
DATA
Pim: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sdi/pim/ Is the content given sufficient coverage in the approved
curriculum? Do teachers re-teach material or provide interventions
for students who cannot adequately demonstrate the skill or knowledge?
Is the content taught to all students? Do teachers sufficiently differentiate instruction in order to address the learning needs of all students?
Do teachers have and use appropriate materials to teach this skill or knowledge?
Do students have adequate opportunities for individualized assistance in class or in extended time?
Do teachers have sufficient pedagogical and content knowledge needed to effectively teach the skills and knowledge?
English language learners: Do teachers effectively shelter instruction for English language learners?
Do teachers understand what a demonstration of this skill or knowledge should look like in order to meet the rigor of grade-level expectations set in the State Curriculum Frameworks and MCAS test?
English language learners: Do teachers understand and use appropriate assessment data to plan and guide instruction for English language learners?
Do teachers know and use a variety of strategies for teaching the skill or knowledge?
English language learners: Are English Language Learners at varying levels of English proficiency and content areas skills placed appropriately?
Do teachers assess this specific skill or knowledge? English language learners: Do teachers use a standards-based English language development curriculum to plan and deliver instruction for English language learners?
Do students receive enough reinforcement of the skill or knowledge over time?
Students with disabilities: Is the content taught to all students with disabilities?
Do students have adequate opportunities to ask questions and discuss ideas to clarify and deepen their understanding of this knowledge or skill?
Students with disabilities: Are students with disabilities asked to demonstrate the same level of competence as regular education students on this skill or knowledge?
Is sufficient substantive feedback given to students? Students with disabilities: Are appropriate and effective accommodations for helping students master this skill or knowledge included in students’ Individualized Education Plans?
PIM Elementary learners: Does the core curriculum provide
explicit instruction in the five components of reading – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension?
Elementary learners: Is students’ progress on the major indicators of early literacy acquisition/reading skills (key indicators - phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency) regularly monitored?
Elementary learners: Is the core curriculum taught in a sequenced way with ample review and practice activities?
Elementary learners: Does the school provide additional time on reading for students who are not making adequate gains toward grade-level reading proficiency?
Elementary learners: Are students taught using an evidence based program specific to their identified skill deficits?
Elementary learners: Does the school have a system in place where teachers and specialists regularly meet on grade level to: solve problems, look at data on student performance, make instructional decisions (e.g., grouping changes), and establish short-term goals for students?
Elementary learners: Does the school provide uninterrupted instruction in reading for an adequate length of time?
Elementary learners: Does the school have a sufficient library of decodable text, expository text, and leveled fiction and nonfiction text, and do teachers know how to select from these choices?
Elementary learners: Do teachers understand how to structure activities to effectively use a reading block?
Adolescent learners: Are struggling readers given additional time during the school day to focus on reading and writing with a trained reading teacher?
Elementary learners: Are teachers able to identify within the core curriculum the essential instructional activities that meet the needs of their students?
Adolescent learners: Are struggling readers provided with a variety of explicit comprehension strategies for understanding texts across content areas?
Elementary learners: Are students receiving flexible, small-group, or individual instruction in the classroom targeted toward remediating skill deficits?
Adolescent learners: Do content area teachers have access to ongoing training and support for working with struggling readers?
Elementary learners: Is adequate time provided for students in reading connected text at their instructional level?
Adolescent learners: Are students asked to read diverse texts at an appropriate reading level?
Elementary learners: Are teachers providing students with effective strategies for word identification, as opposed to strategies that encourage guessing?
Adolescent learners: Do teachers have access to formative and summative assessment data about students’ reading skills?
Elementary learners: Are teachers adequately trained in the use of core curriculum and program materials, including diagnostic assessments?
Adolescent learners: Are struggling readers provided with frequent opportunities to write?
GUIDING QUESTION: WHY HAVEN’T STUDENTS IN THE TARGETED GROUP LEARNED THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DESCRIBED IN THE STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES?
English Language Arts Mathematics Science2006 2007 2006 2007 2006 2007
Ashby-3 74 61 51 65Squannacook-3 70 77 56 75 GREEN ABOVE 75
Varnum -3 68 74 47 69 Original color ABOVE STATE
State-3 58 59 48 60 RED AT /BELOW STATE
Ashby-4 42 56 29 61Squannacook-4 54 46 33 50Varnum -4 48 46 33 28State-4 50 56 40 48
Ashby-5 76 73 56 54 66 78Squannacook-5 69 69 53 51 64 57Varnum-5 61 68 47 57 44 67
State-5 59 63 43 51 50 51
Hawthorne -6 77 74 52 55Nissitissit-6 66 74 64 67State-6 64 67 46 52
Hawthorne -7 84 82 57 47Nissitissit-7 77 69 50 57State-7 78 69 40 46
Hawthorne -8 86 90 58 53 45 41Nissitissit-8 81 81 50 63 49 46State-8 78 75 40 45 33 33
High School-10 85 81 82 80 NA
State-10 69 71 67 69 NA
Long composition Open response Questions16 points maximum
Topic12 points maximum
Conventions6 points maximum
AshbyGrade 4
7.2 60% 6.2 83% 7.3 46%
SquannacookGrade 4
6.6 55% 6.1 81% 7.4 46%
Varnum BrookGrade 4
6.9 58% 6.4 81% 6.7 42%
Hawthorne BrookGrade 4
7.3 61% 6.5 81% 8.9 56%
NissitissitGrade 7
7.0 59% 6.3 79% 9.0 57%
NMRHSGrade 10
7.8 65% 7.5 94% 9.7 60%
TESTWIZ GREEN ABOVE 75
Original color ABOVE STATE
RED Below 65 (highest local)
LOOKING AT STUDENT WORK
CALIBRATIONRUBRICS
LOW, MEDIUM, AND HIGH PROTOCOLTEACHING TO THE RUBRIC
CAN YOU PREDICT HOW YOUR STUDENTS WILL DO ON THE MCAS BASED ON THEIR CLASS WORK, YOUR TESTS, YOUR TEXTBOOK ASSESSMENTS?
• STANDARD
ADVANCEDPROFICIENT
NIWARNING
• DO THEY
MEET,
SURPA
SS,
PREDIC
T
PERFO
RMANCE ON M
CAS?
BENCHMARK TESTSCLASSROOM TESTS
UNIT EXAMS
WHY LASW?
Common expectations for writing (and reading)
Calibrate to MCAS (at least) Common language Consistent experience for students Collaborative lesson planning Action plans for three levels of learners
DATA: WHAT DO YOU ASK OF IT?
Score Analysis: Score Point 2 (AVERAGE SCORE)
This response demonstrates a fair understanding of the mathematical concepts involving integers that underlie the
task by completing 3 of the 6 elements. 1.An incorrect number line is provided which shows the negative integers placed to the right of zero, and the positive integers placed to the left of zero. 2.The explanation is unacceptable because it does not demonstrate an understanding that negative integers are placed to the left of zero on the number line: because everything on the right side of the 0 is - what ever number and it just goes like you would count from 0 - when it stops say to -20°. 3.The response correctly indicates that +3 is the greater number and provides an acceptable explanation: cause 10 is below zero and +3 is above zero. 4.The response correctly indicates that -3 is the greater number. However, the explanation is circular and does not demonstrate an understanding of negative integers because it is based on the incorrect number line provided in part (a): because it is on - and if you look at the line above then the -3 is higher then the -10.
Clearly Define
Essential Expectation
sPOWER
STANDARDCOURSE
EXPECTATIONS
Calibrate the expectations to MCAS Standards
or to AP or College
Expectations
Develop Assessments to Measure Power
StandardAssess
studentsBlind
Collaboratively
Look at Student Performance on
the Assessments for Feedback for
Teacher
Look at Student Work
and Provide Remediation to high, average, and low
START HERE
You are here
GRADE 4 ORQBased on the article, describe the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. Support your answer with important details from the article.
Open Response Question 2008 Grade 4
The response is a clear, complete, and accurate description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes important details from the article.4
3The response is a mostly clear, complete, and accurate description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes relevant but often general details from the article.
2The response is a partial description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes limited details from the article and may include misinterpretations.
1
The response is a minimal description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes little or no detail from the article and may include misinterpretations. ORThe response relates minimally to the task.
0 The response is incorrect, irrelevant, or contains insufficient information to demonstrate comprehension.
Open Response Question 2008 Grade 4
The response is a clear, complete, and accurate description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes important details from the article.4
3The response is a mostly clear, complete, and accurate description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes relevant but often general details from the article.
2The response is a partial description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes limited details from the article and may include misinterpretations.
1
The response is a minimal description of the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. The response includes little or no detail from the article and may include misinterpretations. ORThe response relates minimally to the task.
0 The response is incorrect, irrelevant, or contains insufficient information to demonstrate comprehension.
WHAT IS GOOD FEEDBACK?
Focuses on goal Is clear and positive Identifies specific strengths Points to areas needing improvement Suggests a route of action student can take Limits amount of feedback to what the learner can
accomplish Models how students can self assess Gives models, rubrics Is timely For example: Hamburger model/6-trait rubric
IN PROGRESS AT STANDARD EXEMPLARY RESPONDER'S NOTES:
Ideas: Are weak so that the message is unclear; details are vague.
Ideas: Are emerging and at times
supported with details
Ideas: Are clear with details that are interesting, important and
informative.
Ideas: Are strong with rich details that draw the reader in and create
vivid images.
Organization: Is lacking so that the reader is often confused.
Organization: Is emerging so that the reader
can follow most of the text.
Organization: Enables the reader to follow the text easily. Transitions aid
reading.
Organization: Shows close connections with each section anticipating the next. Transitions enhance
understanding.
Voice:
Is flat, dull, tentative, or inconsistent.
You are not engaged with your writing.
Voice: Is emerging as you find your own voice. You show limited
engagement with your writing.
Voice: You are engaged with your writing. The writer comes
through your words.
Voice:
A lively voice imparts a personal flavor and interest that is you and shows your intense engagement with your topic
and your reader.
Word Choice: Is vague, predictable
Word Choice: Shows some interesting and
precise choice of words.
Word Choice: Your word choice is interesting
and precise.
Word Choice: Rich, colorful, precise language moves and enlightens your
reader.
Sentence Fluency:
Sentences are choppy, difficult to read. Awkward word patterns slow the reading.
Sentence Fluency: Sentences are at times fluent and easy to understand; some awkward word patterns slow
the reading.
Sentence Fluency: Sentences vary in length and style and are fluent and easy to
understand.
Sentence Fluency:
Your writing has cadence, power, rhythm, movement, used strategically to support
your purpose.
Conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing, format): Poor mechanics impede the reading of the text.
Conventions: Errors are minor but affect the
reading of the text.
Conventions: Correct conventions facilitate
the reading of the text
Conventions: Correct conventions facilitate the reading of the text. Conventions, used strategically,
add to impact of the text.
What this rubric says to a student is: This is what you are doing now, and this is what you can do to improve.
Recognize complexity and look at a variety of assessments and the effectiveness of possible interventions while limiting focus to three students
Commonalities among three tiers Addresses high achievers’ needs. They
are often ignored
THE CASE STUDY METHOD
Student Profile Common Interventions for All Students
Unique Interventions for each level
Unique Interventions for selected students
High Achiever •Common ORQs and long essay
• Assess whole class and chart average progress every quarter•Discuss progress of case study students at least twice a month•Self-assessment by students•Use NEC Mentor•Maintain writing portfolio, folder •Develop grade-level focus for portfolio
•Reading/writing connection•Voice lessons in writing—vocabulary, sentence structure, tone, transitions•Identify in examples
Self-assess progress of writing at the end of each quarter based on writing portfolio—Guide initially and release responsibility
Average Achiever •Clear examples•Quotations from text•Transitions•Reading/writing connection
Model self-assessment
At Risk Achiever •Reading/writing connection •Organization•Details•Cite text
Self assess with support
CASE STUDY INTERVENTIONS
MCAS LONG ESSAY Score Description
6 Rich topic/idea development
Careful and/or subtle organization
Effective/rich use of language
5 Full topic/idea development
Logical organization
Strong details
Appropriate use of language
4 Moderate topic/idea development and organization
Adequate, relevant details
Some variety in language
3 Rudimentary topic/idea development and/or organization
Basic supporting details
Simplistic language
2 Limited or weak topic/idea development, organization, and/or details
Limited awareness of audience and/or task
1 Limited topic/idea development, organization, and/or details
Little or no awareness of audience and/or task
MCAS LONG ESSAY Score Description
6 Rich topic/idea development
Careful and/or subtle organization
Effective/rich use of language
5 Full topic/idea development
Logical organization
Strong details
Appropriate use of language
4 Moderate topic/idea development and organization
Adequate, relevant details
Some variety in language
3 Rudimentary topic/idea development and/or organization
Basic supporting details
Simplistic language
2 Limited or weak topic/idea development, organization, and/or details
Limited awareness of audience and/or task
1 Limited topic/idea development, organization, and/or details
Little or no awareness of audience and/or task
SETTING CLEAR (AND COMMON) EXPECTATIONS
Needs Improvement: 3 (of 6 for content/organization) essay for grade 7 ELA. This is what the average score for 7th grade looks like.NEXT STEPS? Root Cause?
CONSIDER THREE LEVELS OF RESPONSEAll Students Goals specifically for
this level—from rubric
High
• All students will LASW and rank essays from ESE web site or NCS mentor (not their own work initially)
•All students will learn to assess work with NCS Mentor
•Students will self assess their ORQs or essays using rubrics
•Examples of high quality work from students will be discussed and posted in classrooms
•Students will revise ORQ answers to move up one level
Rich topic/idea development
Careful and/or subtle organization
Effective/rich use of language
Read best examples
Describe what they see
Use these descriptors on their own writing (in pairs)
Average
Full topic/idea development
Logical organization
Strong details
Appropriate use of language
Substantiation from text
3 examples
Organize—time, importance, etc.
Vocabulary tune up
Low
Moderate topic/idea development and organization
Adequate, relevant details
Some variety in language
Stay on one topic
Go back to text for examples
Specific vocabulary
MATH RUBRIC
Scoring Guide : Students' Heights
Rubric
Score point 4: The response shows a comprehensive understanding of stem-and-leaf plots and how to interpret and draw conclusions from them.
Score point 3: The response shows a general understanding of stem-and-leaf plots and how to interpret and draw conclusions from them.
Score point 2: The response shows a basic understanding of stem-and-leaf plots.
Score point 1: The response shows a minimal understanding of stem-and-leaf plots.
Score point 0: The response is incorrect or contains some correct work that is irrelevant to the skill or concept being measured.
NCS MENTORHTTP://WWW.NCSMENTOR.COM/DEFAULT.HTM
Score Analysis: Score Point 2
The response demonstrates a basic understanding of a stem-and-leaf plot and how to interpret and draw conclusions from them by completing 3 of the 6 elements. 1.The response does not correctly identify 147 cm as the mode of the students' heights. Instead, a flawed strategy which averages the heights results in an incorrect mode: you just add all the students' heights up and divide that number with the number of heights recorded. 2.An incorrect stem-and-leaf plot is given which includes all of the students' heights but not in the correct format and, therefore, receives no credit. 3.The response correctly identifies 142 as the median height of the students. The explanation demonstrates a correct strategy for finding the median: to find the median you put the numbers in order and then the number that is in the middle is the median. 4.The response provides the correct conclusion about the heights of the two additional students: One of the new student's height had to be less than 142 centimeters and the other new student's height had to be more than 142. However, there is no attempt to explain how this conclusion was drawn or to provide a specific example. Successfully completing 3 of the 6 elements earns this response 2 points.
TasksObjective 1
Responsibility Objective measures of
successSpecific target
dates
Resources NeededCost
1. Develop common writing assessments
2. Assess the ORQs “blind”
3. Develop separate plans of action for low, average, high students
PrincipalAssistant Principal
SPED Dir.SPED teachers
Classroom teachers
Two/three common assessments developed and assessed “blind” in 2008-09
Grade 4 and 7 one long essay plus one ORQ math and ELA
Grades 3,5,6 three common ORQs
Implementation by January
Time
1. BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND2. SET MEASURABLE GOALS
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN
Standards-based teaching Clear goals Assessments matched to goals Activities are the LAST part of the work.
CONTENT PRIORITIES
Worth being
familiar with
Important to know
and do
Big Ideas
Understandings
Major performance assessment or
Final unit exam
Discussions
Quizzes,
formative assessments
homework
45
STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Content Standard (s):
Provide a framework for curriculum design; generalizations that define parameters about what students are expected to know and be able to do
Understanding (s):
Students will understand that…
Insight into the generalization; what students will walk away with
Essential Question (s):
Inquiry used to explore the generalization to enable students to earn the understanding
Knowledge:
Student will know … Skills: Students will be able to …
Specific priorities about what students are expected to know and be able to do DESIGN STANDARD FOR
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
46
THREE STAGES OF BACKWARD DESIGN
1. Identify desired results
3. Plan learning experiences &instruction
2. Determine acceptable evidence
Then, and only then
STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
PERFORMANCE TASK (S)
OTHER EVIDENCE
Varied types, over time:authentic tasks and projects
academic exam questions, prompts, and problems
quizzes and test items
informal checks for understanding
student self-assessments
48
ESTABLISHING CURRICULAR PRIORITIES
worth being familiar with
important to know & do
‘big ideas’ worth understanding
Assessment Types
Traditional
Quizzes & tests
Paper/pencil
Selected response
Constructed-response
Performance Tasks and Projects
Open-ended
Complex
authentic
RELIABILITY:SNAPSHOT VS. PHOTO ALBUM
We need patterns that overcome inherent measurement error
Sound assessment (particularly of State Standards) requires multiple evidence over time – a photo album vs. a single snapshot
Should a teenager get their drivers license with just a written or just a performance assessment?
DESIRED RESULTS
GOALS
OVERARCHING UNDERSTANDINGSWhat will students UNDERSTAND?
Key understandings—these understandings can be applied to new
circumstances to assess leanring.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONSMajor Questions that focus the unit—they are discipline-specific questions without a single, academic answer.
STANDARDS: Include Framework, number, and a brief title for each standard included. You do not have to write out the whole Standard. For example: ELA 12 Nonfiction structure
KEY CONCEPTS:
SKILLS STUDENTS WILL NEED TO KNOW… TO SUCCEED IN THE UNIT. THESE ARE SKILLS OUTSIDE THE CONTENT, FOR INSTANCE, POWERPOINT, OR SCATTERGRAMS
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO… BY THE END OF THE UNIT
PERFORMANCE TASKS SPECIFIC “AUTHENTIC” ASSESSMENT INCLUDE RUBRIC FOR ASSESSMENT
QUIZZES, TESTS, ACADEMIC PROMPTS as evidence of UNDERSTANDING You may create a final exam or in
lieu of the exam, describe what the assessment will test
OTHER EVIDENCE of understanding including observation, work samples,
dialogues, etc.
STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENTStudents could be expected to write a reflection, assess their own work, develop a class rubric for assessment
THE GENERAL SEQUENCE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING experiences for this unitWhat will you begin with (to Hook students) Carefully describe each MAJOR step. This does NOT have the details of a day-by-day lesson plan. It outlines your major steps.
FACETS OF UNDERSTANDING:
Which of the following 6 facets to you expect students to do in this unit to demonstrate their understanding?
Explanation Interpretation Application Perspective Empathy Self-knowledge
W How will you help students to know WHERE they are headed and WHY – e. g., major assignments, performance tasks, & standards to be addressed and criteria by which work will be judged? How will you know WHERE they are coming from?
H How will you HOOK and HOLD students through engaging and thought-provoking experiences [issues, oddities, problems, challenges] that point toward big ideas, essential questions, and performance tasks?
E What learning experiences will ENGAGE students in EXPLORING the big ideas and essential questions? What instruction is needed to EQUIP students for the final performance[s]?
R How will you cause students to REFLECT & RETHINK to dig deeper into the core ideas? How will you guide students in REVISING & REFINING their work based on feedback and self-assessment? REHEARSING for their final performance?
E How will students EXHIBIT their understanding through final performances and products? How will you guide them in self-EVALUATION to identify the strengths/weaknesses in their work and set future goals?
T How will the work be TAILORED to individual needs, interests, brain dominances, modes of learning, styles, and intelligences?
O How will the work be ORGANIZED for maximal engagement and effectiveness? [sequence, integration, horizontal & vertical articulation, continuity, etc]
G GOAL: What is the GOAL in the scenario? What is the task – overall? [develop a presentation, create a product, illustrate a process, perform a complex act]
R ROLE: What is the ROLE you are to take? [expert, instructor, student, apprentice, worker, member of the public]
A AUDIENCE: Who is your AUDIENCE? Who will evaluate your performance or product? [instructor, self, peers, experts, public]
S SITUATION: What is your SITUATION? What is the context in which you will perform or produce? What is the need; the place; the requirement; where is it to happen; what are the environmental conditions, etc.?
P PERFORMANCE/PRODUCT/PROCESS: What is the PERFORMANCE CHALLENGE? What are you to do or create that will be judged as evidence of successful completion of the intended outcome? [a class presentation, a model, a poster, a term paper, a lab demonstration, troubleshooting & repair]
S STANDARDS of PERFORMANCE: By what CRITERIA / STANDARDS / INDICATORS OF SUCCESS will the performance/product/process be judged? What expectations must it meet? What will be the indicators of success? [rubric, exemplars, key, checklist, rating scale, etc.]
THE COMPLEXITY OF CURRICULUM IMPROVEMENT IS GROWING YEARLY.
What Works?
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
“Every educator engagesin effective professional learning every
day soevery student achieves”
Skills: Measuring Progress, Focus on Students First and on Results
Rigor: Higher Order Thinking Skills Collaboration: Purposeful Co-
labor-ing Positive school culture A resolution for continuous
improvement The Bottom Line: Students’
achievement in the district and their readiness for their future
1. An urgency and understanding of the problem presented through data
2. A shared vision of good teaching which includes rigor, relevance, and respect
3. Adult meetings that focus on instruction and model good teaching4. Clear standards, assessments, and consistent understanding of
quality student work5. Supervision that is frequent, rigorous, and focused on instruction6. PD that is primarily on-site, intensive, collaborative, and job-
embedded7. Diagnostic data that is used frequently by teams to assess learning
and teaching
SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, and ASSESSMENT
THE BLACK BOX:WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO UNPACK THE
NEEDS AND POTENTIAL OF THE CLASSROOM?
The DISCONNECT BETWEEN STANDARDS and THE CLASSROOM
Firm evidence shows that formative assessment is an essential component of classroom work and that its development can raise standards of achievement.
The main problem is that pupils can assess themselves only when they have a sufficiently clear picture of the targets that their learning is meant to attain. Surprisingly, and sadly, many pupils do not have such a picture, and they appear to have become accustomed to receiving classroom teaching as an arbitrary sequence of exercises with no overarching rationale.
A particular feature of the talk between teacher and pupils is the asking of questions by the teacher. This natural and direct way of checking on learning is often unproductive.
Excerpted from “Inside the Black Box”
CHANGES NEEDED “INSIDE THE BLACK BOX”
Traditional classroom
practices
Formative assessment works significantly and with low achievers.
The quality of feedback needs to be enhanced.
Learning must be interactive. (The social
construction of knowledge)
Grades versus standards
Student self-efficacy is enhanced with good feedback:
from LUCK
TASK DIFFICULTY ABILITY
toHARD WORK
Questioning and convergent thinking versus HOTS
Calibration to standards
High expectations
Attitudes
The bell curvepredicted and
expected failure
Grades rank, but
don’t inform
Student self assessment: rubrics and examples before unit
DistrictImprove Student
Achievement in ELA and Math K-
12
Provide training, materials, time to support initiatives
Focus on Assessment:
Use Formative and Summative Assessments to
Monitor Progress. Create grade
level benchmark assessments.
Develop baselines.
School
Improve Scores in ELA and
Mathematics
Assess new literacy and math series through series assessments,
ongoing assessments, local benchmarks, MCAS,
etc.
ClassroomImprove ELA and Math scores for all students
Use formative and summative data to assess progress in
classroom toward clear goals set in local
benchmarks.
CALIBRATION: Baseline data, developing correlation to MCAS.
CONNECTING: Daily classroom plans to benchmarks to MCAS
Collaborative assessment of student work, common lessons to improve, continued assessment—The next step for high achievers, average students, and students who have greatest needs.
Open Response practice across the disciplines. One per unit exam, commonly chosen and commonly assessed
Commonly assessed ORQs by grade levels and departments Common assessment of long essay in grades 4, 7 and 9 and 10. Increased time Targeted teaching Common exams—finals, mid-terms, unit—over time Common syllabi for teachers with the same course Exams match benchmarks, student expectations
POSSIBLE ACTION RESPONSES
ACTION PLANNING
SMART Goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reasonable, Time-Specific)
GOAL: To increase fifth grade low income and SPED math scores by 10 CPI points in the 2009 MCAS. To increase average scores by 10% each quarter.
Objectives: To provide increased time and targeted instruction for students who received warning scores in math in grade 3, 4, and 5 in
2007. To provide 2 or three additional periods of math weekly to these students To develop a specific curriculum for general weaknesses (ORQ, SA, fractions) and targeted individualized contracts for
specific student needs. To assess student progress every two weeks on general weaknesses and the specific weaknesses of each student To purchase Study Island software for all students to allow for supplementary practice at home and at school.
Rationale: (SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) What will help or
hinder the plan? Consider responses to change: resistance, CBAM responses, and the counter-intuitiveness of change: we go slowly to go fast, instead of anger, embrace opposition, etc.
Strength: The district has been declared in need of improvement based on the underperformance of two subgroups. Strengths: The district has an aligned curriculum with clear benchmarks. The district uses TestWiz to analyze subgroup needs to provide targeted instruction. The district develops an ISSP for each student who has received a Warning in MCAS. There is some homeroom time and x-block time to provide targeted instruction to specific students.
Weakness: The district does not have time, much money or staff to add more instructional time. Opportunities: Grant money is available, but only $3000. Software can provide support and differentiation. Threats: Students do not like to attend before and after school sessions.
TasksObjective 1
Responsibility Objective measures of
successSpecific target
dates
Resources NeededCost
1. Identify grade 3, 4 and 5 students.
2. Develop ISSPs using TestWiz data, teacher and specialist input.
3. Develop schedule for two or three days of additional classes
PrincipalAssistant Principal
SPED Dir.SPED teacher
Classroom teachers
Individual ISSPs that include strengths, weaknesses, learning style, former areas of success, concern
Scheduled classes
Implementation by October 1
ISSP forms Individual
TestWiz printouts for each student in Warning
Time for teams to meet, develop schedules, assess students
Space for classes
SAMPLE ACTION PLAN
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