The "Oskaloosa Syllabus"
December, 2015 ` "News YOU Can USE"
Smarter Balanced Assessment Update
Will they pass it? We don't know yet - depends on who you talk to in Des Moines - some feel it will pass and others say it will not make it through Committee. If they do pass the use of the assessment, implementation of the Smarter Balanced Assessments will be in the spring of 2017.
Why is is Controversial?
- The cost is more than triple what the current Iowa Assessments will cost.
- The amount of time it takes to administer the test will be greater - two tests will take about six hours total. Why? It is not timed - students take as long as they need to complete the assessments.
Pros:
- It is better aligned to the Iowa Core and measures what we are to be instructing in the classroom.
- The results will give a more accurate representation of how well our students are doing in relation to the Iowa Core.
- The questions/assessments are adaptive - meaning if a student gets a question correct, a more difficult question is given to them; and if they get a question wrong, a less difficult question is given to them.
- The information provided allows us to see how the student is performing against a set of standards - the Iowa Core and our Grade Level Benchmarks.
Cons:
- Time and cost are the big detractors.
- This assessment only measures Reading and Math - not Science or Social Studies.
- We will more than likely not be able to afford to use other assessments we currently administer.
- Relying on one data point is not best practice. How will we make sure we are looking at multiple data points when we make instructional and programming decisions.
Click on the link above for more information about the assessment. Look for the table on the right hand side as pictured below to have your questions answered, or give Dr. Cooksley a call.
Balanced Literacy - Writing
- Write Aloud/Modeled Writing
- Shared Writing
- Interactive Writing
- Guided Writing
- Independent Writing
To learn more about each of them, go to the tStaff Resource Page and scroll down to find the Balanced Literacy Document.
The Administrative Team continues to learn together about each facet of Balanced Literacy. This month we are focusing on Writing. We have seen some great examples of Shared and Interactive Writing in classrooms and share what it looks and sounds like.
See the video below for an example of Shared Writing.
How to Use Shared Writing
- Helping students understand how to write an essay
- As a mini-lesson each portion of an essay -the introduction, adding details, writing the conclusion
- Writing Trait of Voice - write a paragraph together
- Descriptive verbs
- Technical writing - doing an example together
All of these examples illustrate how you might help the students know your target. Don't you wish you would have had a professor in school do this with you as you learned how to write papers?
December Challenge Question
Tool for Improvement - Formative Assessment and Feedback
I keep saying this - "It is the most simple thing to do and IT IS FREE!!!!" Just like Learning Targets which are connected to both Formative Assessment and Feedback, "What is the argument for NOT doing this?"
Formative Assessment
- Formative Assessment is NOT formative if you do not use the information gained about student learning to change/adapt your instruction for the next day.
- It is NOT formative if you use every learning attempt as a grade - research suggests after three attempts you might be ready to formally assess and put evidence in the grade book. Otherwise it penalizes students and it is hard to recover - feedback should help a student improve on the next attempt.
- You must know if ALL students are learning the content/skills you are teaching - not just the few who answer your whole group questions.
- Formative assessments are NOT an "event" - meaning it isn't always the formal quizzes or "worksheets" we give students that can be used to help us understand student learning.
- Observations, listening, asking questions during conferencing with students, and the learning activities done in class are the BEST information we can glean about our students' learning.
Feedback
- Feedback must be specific, timely and helpful
- Feedback must help students know how to improve - NEXT TIME - but there needs to be a next time!
- Feedback provides rich information to the student about what they know/do well and what they need to improve upon
- Feedback is best given verbally, but written feedback is effective as well
- Feedback is not "nice job" - but tells the student specifically what they did to hit the established Learning Target and why
Updates
DLT Update from November
- 6th Grade Standards Based Grading was briefly discussed. DLT will determine whether 6th grade will move in this direction next school year (2016-2017)
- John Hattie's meta analysis was studied and discussed
- The three big areas Oskaloosa focuses on are: Learning Targets (.75), Formative Assessment (.90) and Feedback (.75) and Self-Assessment (1.44).
- We will only see results when 90% of our teachers are doing these 90% of the time.
MTSS Secondary
The date is December 15th from 8:30-11:00
MTSS for Early Literacy
Literacy consultants will use the Iowa Professional Development Model to assist leadership teams as they build a MTSS.
Dates:
- December 10th
- February 18th
- April 14th
Offered in: Albia, Burlington, and Fairfield from 9-3 each day
Go to "My Learning Plan" to sign up. Recertification credit available
SINA Team meeting
Date: December 3rd at 3:30
Literacy "Look-For" Document
Still in the refinement stage, the tool takes a close look at the "Instructional Technique" category of the "Tool for Improvement". The tool will be used to help us determine the implementation and use of techniques we want to see used in classrooms. It provides the "target" for teachers - by listing specific instructional techniques to be used across classrooms.
It is not being used to put a spotlight on individual teachers - in fact, data will not be connected to any individual teacher; rather it will be by building or by grade level.
The data will be collected several times during the year by Admin, AEA, teachers and Instructional Coaches. Leadership teams in each building will analyze the data to help determine learning opportunities needed based on the information collected.
The tool will be used at the Elementary level first as part of the SINA work being completed. We will pilot the tool prior to collecting usable data.
If you have questions, please ask!
Standards-Based Grading Video
The goal is to have this project completed by the end of the school year. If you are interested in being a "star" in the video, just let me know!
PLC Shirt and Jeans
Iowa Core Learning Tidbits
Iowa Core Connection
- Pre-writing
- Drafting
- Revising
- Editing
- Finishing/Publishing
In addition, the traits language is used as students take part in genre writing: Persuasive (argument), narrative, and expository (Informative).
- Ideas
- Organization
- Voice
- Word Choice
- Conventions
- Sentence Fluency
- Presentation
Close Reading with Laura Robb
PLC for December - HS CTE (Career and Technical Education)
Action Plan:
PLC Members are all incorporating Math skills in their course. They will track math skills throughout the school year based on the assessments given to students.
PLC for December - HS Math
Action Plan:
- Continual evaluation: Each teacher will constantly evaluate student learning over each concept. Reteaching will take place when necessary.
- Retake assessments: Students will retake assessments that they do not show mastery on, until they have mastered the concept. Before retaking an assessment student must complete a re-take assignment to prove that they have learned the concept.
- PLC Discussions: PLC meetings will discuss student learning and strategies that have worked as well as those that need tweaked
- Goal setting on assessments:Teachers and students will set goals on each assessment in order to guide learning and motivation
Are you a PLC or are you a GROUP?
PLC Video Library Purchased
Any topic you might think of around being a productive PLC is available. We can use them as learning opportunities during a Facilitator meeting or during a PLC.
In addition, I have purchased 2 hours of Virtual Coaching - it is customized to our needs and is provided by a Solution Tree consultant.
Doing Data Right - a Summary
"From 'data chats' to 'data fridays', teachers are involving their students in looking at data. Does your approach increase student motivation - or decrease it?"
How DO you involve students in examining their performance?
"Teachers foster a mastery orientation when they focus on individual improvement, recognize and reward effort, and evaluate students privately." This way students can be focused on areas they need to improve, you can provide specific feedback to help students improve and they can reflect and set goals based on your feedback.
Remember: John Hattie's research says there is a 1.44 effect size for setting high expectations and having students reflect and self - asses!!
I will be sending the entire article out to all staff next week for you to read.