Student Achievement

Student Achievement Assessment & Grading Part 1

This is where we are at…. • Midterm grades posted (participation/reflection) • Midterm done • First 5 lesson plans turned in • Wiki created…please send me your address • October 25 • Reflection #2 due • November 1 • Lesson plans 6-10 due • Unit Plan due

Mid-Term 1. In our text by Cunningham, she refers to the Big Vision of Teaching (p.12). We discussed in class that you will have many responsibilities as a high school instructor. Explain to me what you consider to be an important personal characteristic/trait you must develop in order to balance these responsibilities.

2. You can’t demand respect…you earn it. How do you earn respect? 3. Finish this sentence: “The most important factor in good classroom management is…” Why?

4. Explain to me the rules for your classroom and how you plan to enforce them. 5. You are the “parent in absentia”. Explain this to me. Share how you plan to keep track of behaviors in your classroom. 6. Several factors must be considered in the design of a unit plan. Discuss these factors.

Traditional Systems for teaching, grading and assessment • I taught it...just like I did it the for every class • Assessments based on facts • 100 point grading scale Learning is a spiral… especially in your classroom http://wilkes.discoveryeducation.com/suehellman/2009/04/10/the-learning-spiral/

Bloom’s Taxonomy

You must keep revisiting this model Cunningham, pp.162-163

Successful learning requires differentiated teaching to reach the many kinds of learners (next week) • Good assessment involves differentiated options to capture students’ strengths

So many choices …so why do we always fall into the same pattern? In your PLC groups, review figures 10.2 & 10.3 Discuss your strengths as a learner and which methods of assessment best reflect your learning style. Be prepared to share this with the class when we re-convene.

How can we assess in…. • Math • Social Studies • Language Arts/English • Science • Health • Phy Ed

Determining the value of an Assessment/Assignment • How much more important is this assessment than the other work that I have asked the students to do? • Never give an assignment or a test without a good reason for the work being completed outside of school. • Coloring (yes, in high school too!!) • Cutting out notecards • Number of math problems

Evaluating the Product • Rubrics • www.rubrics4teachers.com • http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ • Be careful: rubric = your intent • Are 3’s Cs? • One low mark might “throw” the entire grade

Actual Grade • What is your school district’s policy on grading • Do assignments/assessments need to follow a certain protocol? • Consider alternatives

Reflection #2 • In Emmer/Evertson Case Study 3.4 (page 57), the authors provide an example of a teacher’s difficulties in an Algebra I class. Regretfully, many of the concerns in this class are very, very similar to what you will encounter with your classes. • Read through the case study and determine how you might change how the class is running. You can change anything…the journal, homework, the assessments. Explain what you would do and why you would do it. • The reflection is due by class time on October 25th. Please email it to me.

Student Achievement