Multiple Measures: Connecting Assessment to the Classroom

1. Multiple Measures:Connecting Assessment tothe Classroom Nita Schmidt Whole Language Umbrella St. Louis, July, 2004 Hello. My name is Nita Schmidt and I am currently a doctoral student at The University of Iowa. Immediately before coming to Iowa, I was an upper elementary classroom teacher in a rural district located in NW Iowa. Today, with the ever increasing requirements and mandates of NCLB, my teaching friends too often greet me with discouraging stories of mandates for standardized curriculums and assessments. You most likely know that in comparison to you, Iowa has seen somewhat of a reprieve from the NCLB requirements in that we do not have state standards for curriculum. You may not know, however that like most of you, in 1998 our state enacted a bill requiring the state board of education to adopt rules relating to the incorporation of accountability for student achievement into the education standards and accreditation process. While it did require accountability standards and annual reporting of achievement levels for reading and mathematics, it left the authority for determining expectations for performance in the hands of local districts. In 1998, when House File 2272 passed the Iowa legislature and was signed into law by the governor, my colleagues and I began to worry. My presentation is a quick look at some of the measures we created to satisfy the new requirements but also stay true to our beliefs.Hello. My name is Nita Schmidt and I am currently a doctoral student at The University of Iowa. Immediately before coming to Iowa, I was an upper elementary classroom teacher in a rural district located in NW Iowa. Today, with the ever increasing requirements and mandates of NCLB, my teaching friends too often greet me with discouraging stories of mandates for standardized curriculums and assessments. You most likely know that in comparison to you, Iowa has seen somewhat of a reprieve from the NCLB requirements in that we do not have state standards for curriculum. You may not know, however that like most of you, in 1998 our state enacted a bill requiring the state board of education to adopt rules relating to the incorporation of accountability for student achievement into the education standards and accreditation process. While it did require accountability standards and annual reporting of achievement levels for reading and mathematics, it left the authority for determining expectations for performance in the hands of local districts. In 1998, when House File 2272 passed the Iowa legislature and was signed into law by the governor, my colleagues and I began to worry. My presentation is a quick look at some of the measures we created to satisfy the new requirements but also stay true to our beliefs.

2. Setting the Context Rural elementary school in NW Iowa We were in our third year of using English-language arts portfolios for assessment We were still tweaking it to satisfy ourselves, our parents, and our students. Could we create an assessment that met House File 2272, but also met our own needs? First, I will set the context to give you a glimpse of my past school district. My elementary school was the only elementary school in a small district that had about 1000 students in K-12th grade. It is a consolidated district of three communities with only one K-4 elementary school of 330 students and about 25 teachers. Three teachers in our building were members of the Iowa task force working on the New Standards Project, and the district was influenced by ideas from that project. Because of that, our school had adopted portfolio assessment as one assessment measure for reading and English. We also administered ITBS annually in 3rd and 4th grade. House File 2272 required us to report achievement levels for reading and mathematics, and we also had to report long-range goals to improve student achievement in all subject areas. We were in our third year of using portfolio assessment, but we were still tweaking our portfolios to satisfy what we as teachers saw as needs, what our parents saw as needs, and what our students saw as needs. We wondered what we could do that would meet the new requirements, and yet give us information to further enrich our already working portfolio assessment needs.First, I will set the context to give you a glimpse of my past school district. My elementary school was the only elementary school in a small district that had about 1000 students in K-12th grade. It is a consolidated district of three communities with only one K-4 elementary school of 330 students and about 25 teachers. Three teachers in our building were members of the Iowa task force working on the New Standards Project, and the district was influenced by ideas from that project. Because of that, our school had adopted portfolio assessment as one assessment measure for reading and English. We also administered ITBS annually in 3rd and 4th grade. House File 2272 required us to report achievement levels for reading and mathematics, and we also had to report long-range goals to improve student achievement in all subject areas. We were in our third year of using portfolio assessment, but we were still tweaking our portfolios to satisfy what we as teachers saw as needs, what our parents saw as needs, and what our students saw as needs. We wondered what we could do that would meet the new requirements, and yet give us information to further enrich our already working portfolio assessment needs.

3. What did we do? We met on Saturday mornings to brainstorm and strategize ways to assess our students. We contacted our AEA math and language arts consultants and gathered other professional resources about performance assessment. We embraced Leland and Harste’s (1994) work on multiple sign systems and believed work with multiple sign systems could give us a plethora of information in any assessment situation. What did we do? We proposed using professional development money available in the district to meet on Saturday mornings to brainstorm and strategize ways to assess our students. We contacted our AEA math and language arts consultants, and gathered other professional resources about performance assessment that we had heard about in the New Standards Project. As a team, we embraced Leland and Harste’s (1994) work on multiple sign systems and believed work with multiple sign systems could give us a plethora of information in one assessment situation.What did we do? We proposed using professional development money available in the district to meet on Saturday mornings to brainstorm and strategize ways to assess our students. We contacted our AEA math and language arts consultants, and gathered other professional resources about performance assessment that we had heard about in the New Standards Project. As a team, we embraced Leland and Harste’s (1994) work on multiple sign systems and believed work with multiple sign systems could give us a plethora of information in one assessment situation.

4. Our Goals Assess students in ways that will show meaning making across several sign systems. Meet the requirements of House File 2272 but fulfill our own assessment needs first. Address the curricular areas of reading, writing, math, and art. Pay attention to parental interests in counting money and teacher interests in geometry. Our Goals Assess students in ways that will show meaning making across several sign systems. Create an assessment tool that meets the requirements of House File 2272, but also fulfills our own performance assessment needs. Address the curricular areas of reading, writing, math, and art. Pay particular attention to parental interests in the assessment of money and teacher interest in the assessment of geometry knowledge.Our Goals Assess students in ways that will show meaning making across several sign systems. Create an assessment tool that meets the requirements of House File 2272, but also fulfills our own performance assessment needs. Address the curricular areas of reading, writing, math, and art. Pay particular attention to parental interests in the assessment of money and teacher interest in the assessment of geometry knowledge.

5. Our Plan Use performance assessments to enrich already established portfolios. Build scaffolds to provide structured practice before assessments. Develop a grading rubric for the tasks. Our Plan We believed that performance assessments would be most useful as entries in our already established English and language arts portfolios. We also knew that students would be more successful with the performance assessments if we included scaffolds or structures that provided students with practice tasks before the performance tasks. We also wanted to develop a grading rubric for the scaffolds and performance tasks.Our Plan We believed that performance assessments would be most useful as entries in our already established English and language arts portfolios. We also knew that students would be more successful with the performance assessments if we included scaffolds or structures that provided students with practice tasks before the performance tasks. We also wanted to develop a grading rubric for the scaffolds and performance tasks.

6. We began to practice. Scaffolding – We Began to Practice In our geometry study, we used ideas from our New Standards materials and from the work of Marilyn Burns (show book.) Our students began to construct geometric shapes, create new shapes out of flat pieces, list shapes they saw on the playground, in our classroom and in crystal gardens they made. And they write about what they were creating. We used graphic organizers to list how geometric shapes were the same and different, and we created structures using the solid geometric shapes. We worked independently, in pairs, and in groups to describe what we were learning. We were constructing, writing together, and talking a lot. Scaffolding – We Began to Practice In our geometry study, we used ideas from our New Standards materials and from the work of Marilyn Burns (show book.) Our students began to construct geometric shapes, create new shapes out of flat pieces, list shapes they saw on the playground, in our classroom and in crystal gardens they made. And they write about what they were creating. We used graphic organizers to list how geometric shapes were the same and different, and we created structures using the solid geometric shapes. We worked independently, in pairs, and in groups to describe what we were learning. We were constructing, writing together, and talking a lot.

7. And practice Students created structures and then compared and contrasted similarities and differences of favorite shapes.Students created structures and then compared and contrasted similarities and differences of favorite shapes.

8. Billy Goes ShoppingScaffold-Practice Billy wants to buy some new school supplies. He has $.90 to spend. He needs to save $.25 for the bus. Look at the price list and choose some things for Billy to buy. Find three different ways for Billy to spend his money. If Billy has change, show how much change he would have left from $.90. Remember. Billy needs $.25 for the bus each time. Price List: Eraser $.10, Rulers $.29, Pencils $.25, Pens $.39, Book covers $.20 First Way Second Way Third Way Students were learning a lot, but so were teachers. We started a school store with a small amount of seed money donated by our parent organization and practiced keeping accounts and making change. Billy Goes Shopping was one problem we used for scaffolding.Students were learning a lot, but so were teachers. We started a school store with a small amount of seed money donated by our parent organization and practiced keeping accounts and making change. Billy Goes Shopping was one problem we used for scaffolding.

9. And practice. I watched these girls work together and realized too late that the REAL writing about this geometric structure could have come in an invitation during our writer’s workshop time. Their talk about the people and activities in the Egyptian castle would have produced exciting work had I picked up on their cues. I watched these girls work together and realized too late that the REAL writing about this geometric structure could have come in an invitation during our writer’s workshop time. Their talk about the people and activities in the Egyptian castle would have produced exciting work had I picked up on their cues.

10. The Assessment Tasks Geometry Assessment Project Fourth Grade Shopping Spree The Assessment Tasks The Geometry Assessment Project and the Fourth Grade Shopping Spree are two of the assessment tasks we created for our students, parents, and the state department achievement results. First we’ll look at the Geometry Assessment Project. The Assessment Tasks The Geometry Assessment Project and the Fourth Grade Shopping Spree are two of the assessment tasks we created for our students, parents, and the state department achievement results. First we’ll look at the Geometry Assessment Project.

11. Geometry Assessment Project Design a quilt square that includes at least 4 of the following characteristics: Use at least 2 but no more than 3 geometric shapes Have a line of symmetry Show a flip, slide, or turn of the basic component Have a repeating pattern Show congruence or similarity of a shape Show ¼ of the total design with only 1 geometric shape Completed squares must be accompanied by a detailed explanation of your quilt design and the mathematical ideas it shows. Design a quilt square that includes at least 4 of the following characteristics: Use at least 2 but no more than 3 geometric shapes, have a line of symmetry, show a flip, slide, or turn of the basic component, have a repeating pattern, show congruence or similiarity of a shape, show ¼ of the total design with only 1 geometric shape. Completed squares were to be accompanied by a detailed explanation of the quilt design and the mathematical ideas it shows. Here are a couple of examples.Design a quilt square that includes at least 4 of the following characteristics: Use at least 2 but no more than 3 geometric shapes, have a line of symmetry, show a flip, slide, or turn of the basic component, have a repeating pattern, show congruence or similiarity of a shape, show ¼ of the total design with only 1 geometric shape. Completed squares were to be accompanied by a detailed explanation of the quilt design and the mathematical ideas it shows. Here are a couple of examples.

12. I started out with four squares of colored paper. I switched half of one square with Beth because otherwise my pattern wouldn’t be right. I wanted the yellow brick road to be in my quilt square. The four yellow squares make up ¼ of the total design. Do you see my line of symmetry? That means you can fold my square and it will be the same on both sides. It runs on a diagonal from the yellow square at the top to the yellow square at the bottom. I only used squares and triangles in my square. My square would be better if I had switched my big green triangles with someone who had red. This was a fun way to do a test.I started out with four squares of colored paper. I switched half of one square with Beth because otherwise my pattern wouldn’t be right. I wanted the yellow brick road to be in my quilt square. The four yellow squares make up ¼ of the total design. Do you see my line of symmetry? That means you can fold my square and it will be the same on both sides. It runs on a diagonal from the yellow square at the top to the yellow square at the bottom. I only used squares and triangles in my square. My square would be better if I had switched my big green triangles with someone who had red. This was a fun way to do a test.

13. Can you see the blue squares jump out at you when you look at my square? They are floating on top of the red and black pieces. When you put two triangles together, they make a parallelogram. I don’t know if that means I used three shapes or two in my quilt square, but that’s okay because you can do 2 or 3. I have a repeating pattern on my edges and I used congruence and similarity of triangles in my quilt piece. If you flip my edge pieces over to the other side, they are the same! Isn’t that cool?Can you see the blue squares jump out at you when you look at my square? They are floating on top of the red and black pieces. When you put two triangles together, they make a parallelogram. I don’t know if that means I used three shapes or two in my quilt square, but that’s okay because you can do 2 or 3. I have a repeating pattern on my edges and I used congruence and similarity of triangles in my quilt piece. If you flip my edge pieces over to the other side, they are the same! Isn’t that cool?

14. Fourth Grade Shopping Spree Create a picture that describes your feelings about math. You have $10 to buy whatever supplies you can afford to accomplish this task. You must spend at least $8. Pipe Cleaner 3 for $1.50 Buttons 4 for $1.00 Pinch of Sequins $.10 Construction Paper 4 for $2.00 Tissue Paper 4 for $3.00 Yarn $1.25 Shake of Glitter $.59 The Fourth Grade Shopping Spree was our second task. In order to encourage meaning making across multiple sign systems we asked students to purchase supplies with $10 to create a picture that described their feelings about math. The Fourth Grade Shopping Spree was our second task. In order to encourage meaning making across multiple sign systems we asked students to purchase supplies with $10 to create a picture that described their feelings about math.

15. Chart your purchases and show us how your money was spent. They then were asked to chart purchases and show us how their money was spent. They had to spend at least $8. They then were asked to chart purchases and show us how their money was spent. They had to spend at least $8.

16. Explain how much money you have left after your purchase. Create a picture about math with your purchases. Write about your picture. It may be a description, a story, or an essay about math. After constructing their picture about math, we asked them to write a description, a story, or an essay about math. Here are some examples. After constructing their picture about math, we asked them to write a description, a story, or an essay about math. Here are some examples.

17. That will be $1.56. In math we have been dealing with money. Yesterday we wrout some things that we could buy like yarn, pipe cleners, and sequins and that kind of stuff. In the middle do you see the red flower and the heart? I’ve dune this flower like this because I’ve never seen a flower with a heart on top. The blue pipe cleaner to the bottom left is the entrence to a place you’ve never seen before. The trail of sequins to the bottom below the spikes leads you the laze bed that has sequins on the side. The gold glitter in the lower right is a pool of gold glitter that will drain all your wores. Have you ever been to a place like that!! That will be $1.56. In math we have been dealing with money. Yesterday we wrout some things that we could buy like yarn, pipe cleners, and sequins and that kind of stuff. In the middle do you see the red flower and the heart? I’ve dune this flower like this because I’ve never seen a flower with a heart on top. The blue pipe cleaner to the bottom left is the entrence to a place you’ve never seen before. The trail of sequins to the bottom below the spikes leads you the laze bed that has sequins on the side. The gold glitter in the lower right is a pool of gold glitter that will drain all your wores. Have you ever been to a place like that!!That will be $1.56. In math we have been dealing with money. Yesterday we wrout some things that we could buy like yarn, pipe cleners, and sequins and that kind of stuff. In the middle do you see the red flower and the heart? I’ve dune this flower like this because I’ve never seen a flower with a heart on top. The blue pipe cleaner to the bottom left is the entrence to a place you’ve never seen before. The trail of sequins to the bottom below the spikes leads you the laze bed that has sequins on the side. The gold glitter in the lower right is a pool of gold glitter that will drain all your wores. Have you ever been to a place like that!!

18. Bong! Did you feel the coler hit you? Look in the top left corner see that green patch? With all those colers, shaps and glitter called sequins. The swans, flowers and shelles just makes my jow drop from beauty! I choose red for the swans because red makes me think of joy. Four buttens in the center represent my four names Jason Allan Shurely Jones. See in the top right corner the yellew constructun paper and the red snowflake? That snowflake represents winter and the colers in the patch are the colers I usely see on cristmas. Every thing on the bottom are just colerful deceratouns. That’s the coler of my math progect. Bong! Did you feel the coler hit you? Look in the top left corner see that green patch? With all those colers, shaps and glitter called sequins. The swans, flowers and shelles just makes my jow drop from beauty! I choose red for the swans because red makes me think of joy. Four buttens in the center represent my four names Jason Allan Shurely Jones. See in the top right corner the yellew constructun paper and the red snowflake? That snowflake represents winter and the colers in the patch are the colers I usely see on cristmas. Every thing on the bottom are just colerful deceratouns. That’s the coler of my math progect.

19. Rubric CD – All parts of the task are answered accurately and completely. All directions are followed. D – Answer deals correctly with most aspects of the task, but something is missing. May deal with all aspects but have minor errors. ND – Does not address the task or only addresses the task minimally. We were required to report achievement in three levels. We decided to use the levels used on our report cards: Consistently Demonstrates, Demonstrates, and Not Demonstrating. We scored papers together to achieve interrater reliability and began to We were required to report achievement in three levels. We decided to use the levels used on our report cards: Consistently Demonstrates, Demonstrates, and Not Demonstrating. We scored papers together to achieve interrater reliability and began to

20. What does this show about math, art, and writing? Writing really does help kids think about ideas in other content areas like math. Even though mathematics is typically communicated through the manipulation of symbols, words can express math ideas. Construction was a motivational and important part of these assessment tasks.

22. Conclusions Allowing students to construct and write interpretations of mathematical concepts encourages the communication of meanings that would not be made public if writing was the sole sign system used. We demanded risk taking, but we got sensitivity! Influenced by Siegel’s work with signification and semiotics, I now realize that allowing students to construct and write interpretations of mathematical concepts encouraged the communication of meanings that would not be made public if writing was the sole sign system used. We demanded risk taking, but we got sensitivity! Providing opportunities for students to move between language and art increased their learning potentials.Influenced by Siegel’s work with signification and semiotics, I now realize that allowing students to construct and write interpretations of mathematical concepts encouraged the communication of meanings that would not be made public if writing was the sole sign system used. We demanded risk taking, but we got sensitivity! Providing opportunities for students to move between language and art increased their learning potentials.