Saturday, September 29, 2012
Formative Assessment at Florence Elementary
The data obtained from formative assessment guide teacher classroom instruction across all grade levels at Florence Elementary. The classroom I intern with is a K/1 combination class. In this classroom, my cooperating teacher uses DIBELS literacy assessments, DRA reading assessments and entering Kindergarten assessments. Each of these assessments are used to place children in small reading or skill groups to effectively target their needs both as small groups and as an individual. In math, it is done the same way. Children's performance on performance based assessments is used to form small math groups and help re-mediate or accelerate students based on their current level of performance.
Identifying Learning Gaps
How do you determine gaps in student learning?
A gap in learning is the difference between where students are in their learning and where they should be. A gap is frequently caused by an obstacle or misconception. An obstacle is something that stands in the way of progress. A misconception is a mistaken thought, idea, or misunderstanding. In order to determine gaps in student learning, teachers must be able to anticipate and analyze evidence of learning. Teachers must also plan instructional modifications to address these learning gaps. Distinguishing between evaluative and descriptive feedback is important for teachers to be able to do. By providing descriptive feedback, teachers are helping students to close their learning gaps.
How do you address learning gaps during daily instruction?
To address learning gaps, during the planning stage, it is important for teachers to anticipate learning gaps and what you will do to address them. After evidence of learning is collected and documented the evidence must be analyzed to determine which gaps actually exist. Finally, instruction must be adjusted and descriptive feedback provided to students so existing gaps can be closed.
Why do you think it is important to anticipate obstacles and misconceptions and to identify strategies to address them while planning your lesson?
It is important to anticipate and address obstacles and misconceptions in order to move forward in learning. Teachers must decide how they will adjust instruction and provide descriptive feedback. Giving students who have are having trouble in their learning possible strategies to help them is important because it will provide them with a variety of ways to address their obstacles and misconceptions. As teachers, we must already have anticipated that our students may have these misconceptions and be ready with different strategies to provide if that is the case.
A gap in learning is the difference between where students are in their learning and where they should be. A gap is frequently caused by an obstacle or misconception. An obstacle is something that stands in the way of progress. A misconception is a mistaken thought, idea, or misunderstanding. In order to determine gaps in student learning, teachers must be able to anticipate and analyze evidence of learning. Teachers must also plan instructional modifications to address these learning gaps. Distinguishing between evaluative and descriptive feedback is important for teachers to be able to do. By providing descriptive feedback, teachers are helping students to close their learning gaps.
How do you address learning gaps during daily instruction?
To address learning gaps, during the planning stage, it is important for teachers to anticipate learning gaps and what you will do to address them. After evidence of learning is collected and documented the evidence must be analyzed to determine which gaps actually exist. Finally, instruction must be adjusted and descriptive feedback provided to students so existing gaps can be closed.
Why do you think it is important to anticipate obstacles and misconceptions and to identify strategies to address them while planning your lesson?
It is important to anticipate and address obstacles and misconceptions in order to move forward in learning. Teachers must decide how they will adjust instruction and provide descriptive feedback. Giving students who have are having trouble in their learning possible strategies to help them is important because it will provide them with a variety of ways to address their obstacles and misconceptions. As teachers, we must already have anticipated that our students may have these misconceptions and be ready with different strategies to provide if that is the case.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Formative Assessment Concerns
What part of formative assessment concerns you the most? What are you going to do about it?
The part of formative assessment that concerns me that most would probably be collecting and documents the evidence, but more specifically collecting the evidence. Although the module gives some possible strategies to use for collecting evidence, I am still a bit unclear about the best ways to go about doing this with students. One possible strategy would be to observe the students while they work individually using the same items to measure length, then ask students questions as they measure. Observation and Questioning are two big components. In the video, the teacher had the students write down something they learned on an 'exit card' using picture or words in order for her to get a better sense of the student's understanding. The reason it concerns me is because I don't feel like I know enough about how to specifically do this. I will have to continue learning and put it into practice in order to feel better about it.
The part of formative assessment that concerns me that most would probably be collecting and documents the evidence, but more specifically collecting the evidence. Although the module gives some possible strategies to use for collecting evidence, I am still a bit unclear about the best ways to go about doing this with students. One possible strategy would be to observe the students while they work individually using the same items to measure length, then ask students questions as they measure. Observation and Questioning are two big components. In the video, the teacher had the students write down something they learned on an 'exit card' using picture or words in order for her to get a better sense of the student's understanding. The reason it concerns me is because I don't feel like I know enough about how to specifically do this. I will have to continue learning and put it into practice in order to feel better about it.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
McManus Article Reflection
Four key words are expressed in the CCSSO definition of Formative Assessment. What are those words and how do they relate to Formative Assessment?
The four key words expressed in the CCSSO definition of Formative Assessment are PROCESS, DURING, FEEDBACK, STUDENTS. The first word, process, relates to formative assessment because it is a process rather than product. “The process includes: sharing clear learning targets and the criteria for success, which are ways students can know they are successful; eliciting evidence of learning during instruction using a variety of strategies and activities; determining gaps in learning based on the evidence and the established criteria for success; providing students feedback on where they are in the learning process; and taking action to adjust instruction by determining the next steps, adjusting the target, or moving to the next target.” The second word, during, relates to formative assessment because it does not take place after instruction but rather during instruction when students are expected to make mistakes. The third word, feedback, relates to formative assessment because during the process students are given provided descriptive feedback that is related to criteria for success. By sharing with the students the criteria for success and modeling descriptive feedback, the teacher will help the students learn to self-assess and take responsibility for learning. The fourth word, students, relates to formative assessment because it is important for students to be engaged in their learning by participating in formative assessment.
Why is planning an essential part of insuring that Formative Assessment is implemented during instruction every day?
There are many reasons why planning is such an essential part of insuring that formative assessment is implemented during instruction every day. It is important for teachers to understand the goal that all students are expected to master. “This includes understanding the cognitive level of mastery or level of precision.” Before the instruction, teachers should know what the ultimate goal is and how it will be measured using summative assessment. In order to reach that goal teachers need to break down the big idea that will be measures on the summative test into smaller, more reachable objectives that can be reached during the learning process.
Formative Assessment Goal
My goal as I complete the formative assessment module series is to become more aware of the various techniques of implementing multiple formative assessments within my classroom. I would like to learn ways that I can assess my students throughout the process of learning. I do not want to “teach to the test”, but instead I want to help my students learn along the way. I want to learn how to provide my students with the feedback they need to improve their achievement of intended instructional outcomes.
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