Making Formative Assessments an Everyday Part of Education Scott Trimble Workshop on Instruction and Assessment Octobe

1. Making Formative Assessments an Everyday Part of Education�Scott Trimble Workshop on Instruction and AssessmentOctober 25, 2010 Presented by Michele Reynolds, Fayette County Public Schools Jana Beth Slibeck Francis, Daviess County Public Schools

2. K-W-L Chart A long standing classroom tool, the KWL chart is a great formative assessment tool. It serves as a great pre-assessment. Imagine�a 5th grade teacher is getting ready to plan for a unit on the American Revolution. Each student completes the K-W section of the chart. Using the data collected, the teacher plans the unit by forming instructional groups to correct misconceptions that might have been listed in the K section. Grouping students into study groups based on the W section. Not reteaching concepts the majority of students listed in the K section. A long standing classroom tool, the KWL chart is a great formative assessment tool. It serves as a great pre-assessment. Imagine�a 5th grade teacher is getting ready to plan for a unit on the American Revolution. Each student completes the K-W section of the chart. Using the data collected, the teacher plans the unit by forming instructional groups to correct misconceptions that might have been listed in the K section. Grouping students into study groups based on the W section. Not reteaching concepts the majority of students listed in the K section.

3. K-W-L Chart in Action K-W-L charts get to a student�s readiness and interest�two key ideas for differentiation. Here�s an example of how a teacher might organize the data. The faithful K-W-L chart serves as a wonderful pre-assessment. It not only shows a teacher student readiness by examining the K section but it also gives a teacher insights into student interest. This is important for differentiation because teachers change the content, process or product based on student�s interest, readiness or learning style. The K-W-L chart shows both readiness and interest. If the teacher distributes the K-W-L chart at the end of the unit and students complete it, it also serves as a powerful post-assessment. What a student writes in the L column demonstrates the key learnings for the unit. Here�s an example of how a teacher might organize the data. The faithful K-W-L chart serves as a wonderful pre-assessment. It not only shows a teacher student readiness by examining the K section but it also gives a teacher insights into student interest. This is important for differentiation because teachers change the content, process or product based on student�s interest, readiness or learning style. The K-W-L chart shows both readiness and interest. If the teacher distributes the K-W-L chart at the end of the unit and students complete it, it also serves as a powerful post-assessment. What a student writes in the L column demonstrates the key learnings for the unit.

4. �Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment� Black and William asked�Does better formative assessment equal higher achievement? Results of 0.4 to 0.7 Standard Deviations with the largest gains for low achievers. A 0.7 standard deviation means 25 percentile points on the ITBS or 4 points on the ACT to the composite score. Key areas for improvement include More descriptive feedback by both teachers and students Increased student self-assessment More opportunities for students to communicate about learning The Black and William article points to why formative assessment is so critical. If research has found that formative assessment produces results, what do we have to lose if we try it? In his new book Transforming Professional Development into Student Results, Douglas Reeves points out how the world is focused only on effects and not causes. We live in a show me the results culture. Basically, as Reeves says, we are so focused on the Scarecrow getting his brain we fail to see the man behind the curtain. The Black and William article points to why formative assessment is so critical. If research has found that formative assessment produces results, what do we have to lose if we try it? In his new book Transforming Professional Development into Student Results, Douglas Reeves points out how the world is focused only on effects and not causes. We live in a show me the results culture. Basically, as Reeves says, we are so focused on the Scarecrow getting his brain we fail to see the man behind the curtain.

5. Cause and Effect Data Kentucky�s Accountability Timeline First of May�Students Take Test Middle of September�Results Received October�Analysis of Results November/December�School Improvement Planning Our timeline makes it difficult to exam both the cause and effect. Reeves gives this example of why it is important to consider cause data as well. Take the problem with teen obesity in the country. Would we only why students the first of May each year? Would we only provide feedback on their eating habits 5 months later? Ignore the cheeseburgers, fries, and soda? As crazy as this sounds, this is just what we do to students and their achievement. Throughout the workshop we are going to give you many different ways to practice formative assessment. In the second half of the workshop we will talk about how teachers need to leverage formative assessments for the greatest gains in the classroom. Our timeline makes it difficult to exam both the cause and effect. Reeves gives this example of why it is important to consider cause data as well. Take the problem with teen obesity in the country. Would we only why students the first of May each year? Would we only provide feedback on their eating habits 5 months later? Ignore the cheeseburgers, fries, and soda? As crazy as this sounds, this is just what we do to students and their achievement. Throughout the workshop we are going to give you many different ways to practice formative assessment. In the second half of the workshop we will talk about how teachers need to leverage formative assessments for the greatest gains in the classroom.

6. Pre and Post Assessments