Weeks+3+&+4-+Activities

=**Activities: (Research and Practice) Weeks 3 & 4**=

1. __//**Clear Purpose:**// **Assess****ment processes and results serve clear and appropriate purposes.**__

 * ==**Teachers understand students and recognize their individual needs, strengths and weaknesses**==
 * ==**Teachers need to understand student motivation and create assessments that will maximize the** **student experience**==
 * ==**Teachers use formative and summative assessments**==
 * ==**Teachers have a comprehensive plan for integrating assessment for, and of learning, in the classroom**==

2. //__Clear Targets:__// __Assessments reflect clear and valued student learning targets__

 * ==**Teachers have SMART Goals. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Framed)**==
 * ==Teachers understand the different targets for each student==
 * ==Teacher targets are relevant and achievable (SMART)==
 * ==Teachers have along range plan for assessing targets==

**3.** __//Sound Design:// Goals and objectives are translated into assessments that yield accurate results__

 * ==Teachers comprehend various assessment methods==
 * ==Teachers chose and design assessments that serve intended purposes and match targets==
 * ==Write a variety of assessment questions and avoid measurement bias==

**4.** //__Effective Communication:__// __Assessment results are managed well and communicated effectively__

 * ==Record assessment information accurately, and summarize it for reporting. Keep records confidential==
 * ==Based on context or subject, select the best reporting option==
 * ==Be careful to interpret and use standardized test results accurately and properly==
 * ==Be able to communicate results to students at their level==
 * ==Be able to communicate and interpret results to parent, other teachers, colleagues and district stakeholders==

5. //__Student Involvement:__// __Students are involved in their own assessments__

 * **Learning goals and objectives are clear to students**
 * **Teachers involve students in their own learning, goal setting, goal recording and assessment**

What __professional development activities__ will you provide to ensure __teacher buy in__ to the process and i__mproved student achievement__ results?
== As a principal of a K-8 school, I would prepare to introduce the Stiggin’s model in the year prior to complete implementation. At the beginning of this year, during one of the in-service days, time would be set aside for grade level meetings. I would provide teachers with a list of thought provoking questions on assessments and ask teachers to reflect upon their current assessment practices and discuss what is working well and what they would like to change. Each grade level team would have the opportunity to share their thoughts with the whole staff. Following these discussions, a presentation would be made, including video clips of Rick Stiggins, professional speakers, and staff from other schools using Stiggins assessment model. == == Each grade level would be asked to designate a team leader who would participate in a professional options project for compensation. Team leaders, would participate in half day in-services during school hours, at which time they would discuss assigned readings, and further learn about the Stiggins model by observing in schools that use it, and consulting with teachers who use it. These meetings could be attended by me or a curriculum specialist. Meetings would be monthly throughout the first quarter. == == During the second and third quarters, the lead teachers would meet monthly with their grade level teams, during a half day when substitute teachers are provided. Together, grade level teams will discuss current assessment methods, standards, goals and objectives, and devise ways to use Stiggins methods for grade level assessments. == == During the fourth quarter, teachers will continue to meet, as grade level teams, during the school day, aligning their standards to appropriate assessments and working together as a team to devise meaningful common assessments. Substitute teachers will be provided for the teachers. == == During the summer, grade level teams will have the opportunity to collaborate for several days (with pay) to refine their assessments and power standards, and relate these to grade level reporting in the quarterly report cards. ==

== Because teachers will have been asked to participate in this process all along, and because they will have been asked to reflect on their current assessment methods prior to asking them to make changes, I would hope that they would be responsive to the change and feel as though they were a part of the process. Using selected readings, showing video clips of Rick Stiggins during seminars, having professional development speakers address the staff, providing release time for staff to observe in other schools using the Stiggins model, and providing release time during the school day to collaborate with grade level teams will all provide adequate professional development and allow teachers “buy in” to the process. ==

== During the first year of implementation, teachers would continue to have one half day per month release time for grade level meetings to reflect on the assessments they have developed, make necessary changes and discuss student results. Each quarter teachers would have one day to meet individually with students to discuss student's goals and objectives, assessments, devise a plan to reach their goals, and to do running records for each student. Involving students by having them set goals and realize their own direction will boost overall student achievement. ==

==**__ Interview at least three teachers and and one administrator and observe how assessment practices are developed in your current (real) school. How do teachers use daily assessment data? Do they use the Stiggins model? Would they consider its use if they do not currently use it? __**==

**__How Are Assessment Practices Developed?__**

**__Teacher #1: First Grade Teacher__:** ** Assessments are ongoing in their development. We have been working on the ** ** Wisconsin ** ** State ** ** Standards and developing our “Power Standards” for the past two years. Report cards and assessments have been aligned to our power standards. We developed assessments as a grade level team for first grade. **

__ **Teacher #2: Second Grade Teacher:** __** We work together as a team to develop our grade level assessments that align to the standards and to our report cards. We use some assessments from the **** Everyday Math series **
 * but we do modify some of these. We use running records, writing prompts, and daily assessments that we develop to assess student's knowledge before and after a unit of study. **

**__Teacher #3: Third Grade Teacher__**: ** We have developed grade level assessments that are linked to our standards. About 90% of our assessments are developed by teachers and 10% are curriculum based assessments such as our Everyday Math assessments. We worked on our assessments as a grade level team during the summer, for which we received 8 hours of pay. We also meet quarterly as a team to revise assessments that we are using. **

__** Administrator: **__** Assessments are developed to inform student learning and to discover student's strengths and weaknesses. Assessments are linked to state standards, as our report cards are. Assessments are developed by grade level teams with support from the curriculum specialist and administrative team. Assessments are driven by our district's SMART goals for all learners. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time framed) **

__** How do Teachers Use Daily Assessment Data? **__

__** Teacher #1: First Grade Teacher: **__** Daily assessment can be observations, teacher tallies, running records, writing samples, and curriculum based assessments. We use this information to asses student's understanding of topics covered, and to drive our instruction in the direction of all children's needs. Assessments help us determine who needs more specific interventions and support, and who is able to do challenge work. **

__** Teacher #2: Second Grade Teacher: **__** We use daily assessments such as student's work in centers, writing portfolios, observations, and grade level assessments, to direct our teaching and make modifications to our teaching, to serve students needs. I use the SMART Response system often during the day to check on student's comprehension of specific material covered in class. Daily assessments both formal and informal inform our interventions blocks for students. **

__** Teacher #3: Third Grade Teacher: **__** I use everyday assessments to drive my instruction. We use formative and summative assessments for this purpose. We, as a grade level team, developed most of our assessments, but we do use the chapter assessments in Everyday Math. We assess by observations and discussions with students, projects that students complete, writing prompts, student's responses using the SMART Response system, group projects and activities, and unit assessments. **

__** Administrator: **__** All assessments inform and drive instruction. Teachers use summative and formative assessments for this purpose. Assessments should provide feedback to students of all ages so they can understand the goals they are striving to meet and note their progress along the way. Teachers, students and parents are all a part of the goal setting team, and work together as a team to monitor progress and create educational goals. All goals should be SMART goals and should be student focussed. Daily assessments provide teachers an understanding of students needs, so students can be supported through intervention or enrichments. **

__** Do You Use the Stiggins Model? Would You Consider Its Use if You Do Not Currently Use It? **__

__** Teacher #1: First Grade Teacher: **__** I have not heard of the Stiggins Model but it sounds very much like the SMART goals that our district has set for all learners. We really are using the Stiggins Model, without knowing it! **

__** Teacher #2: Second Grade Teacher: **__** I have not heard of Rick Stiggins or his Model. It sounds exactly like what we are already doing with our SMART goals. I would like to learn more about his ideas. **

__** Teacher #3: Third Grade Teacher: **__** I learned about the Stiggins Model in my masters class a few years back. I believe that I am using his model. It is very similar to our district's SMART goals. Our goal of aligning our curriculum to the state standards, and selecting our power standards that are reflected in our report cards and assessments are in alignment with the Stiggins Model. **

__** Administrator: **__** The Stiggins Model is the best assessment model out there, and our work with classroom assessment is all about the Rick Stiggins Model. Our SMART goals are a reflection of Stiggins ideas and philosophy. Each grade level team addresses student's knowledge, skills, and dispositons and plan for the success of all students. Teachers are using the Understanding by Design philosophy for instruction which is driven by purposeful assessments. Each grade level is implementing interventions blocks for students who need additional support in specific areas, and enrichment blocks for those who need challenges. Determination of student's needs is made by accurate assessments. **