Emporia State University

1. Emporia State University The Teachers College Teacher Work SampleModel Phil Bennett bennettp@emporia.edu 620-341-5367

2. Collaboration and Use • Emporia and Olathe mentor teachers • Emporia and Olathe elementary interns • Emporia State University faculty • Renaissance Group partner universities • Oklahoma teachers and university professors • Kansas Performance Assessment to obtain • professional license

3. Current Status at ESU • Required of all elementary and secondary interns/student teachers beginning Spring 2002 • “Practice” Teacher Work Sample completed • prior to Block 3/Student Teaching • The Teacher Work Sample is a major part of • the final grade for the course EL/ED 431

4. General Structure of the TWS • Contextual Information & Learning Environment Adaptations • Unit Learning Goals and Objectives • Instructional Design and Implementation • Demonstration of Integration Skills • Analysis of Classroom Learning Environment • Analysis ofAssessment Procedures • Reflection and Self-Evaluation

5. Factor 1: Contextual Information & Learning Environment • Educational Purposes • Increase student’s concept of classroom diversity • Link information about diversity to instructional design • Measurement Purpose • Provide information about student’s awareness of contextual factors and ultimately data to examine their ability to function as a professional in a diverse setting.

6. Factor 2: Unit Learning Goals & Objectives • Educational Purposes • Promote use of more challenging instruction for all PK-12 pupils • Promote use, interpretation and application of local and • state standards • Encourage student teachers/interns to avoid “knowledge only” • targets unless appropriate • Measurement Purpose • Aid in interpretation of gain scores (i.e., what kind of learning does the gain score represent; type and concentration)

7. Factor 3: Instructional Design & Implementation • Educational Purposes • Foster use of assessment & context data in planning instruction • Link instructional design to learning objectives • Encourage student teachers/interns to design challenging • lessons that: • -impact learning for all students • -address different learning styles, • -incorporate technology • -incorporate a wide range of reading abilities • -use learning-centered environments • Measurement Purpose • Examine relationship between gain scores & teaching approaches • Ensure that teachers understand and use a variety of appropriate • instructional strategies

8. Factor 4 Demonstration of Integration Skills • Educational Purposes • Demonstrate the ability to integrate across and within • content fields • Demonstrate the ability to teach thinking skills • Measurement Purposes • Ensure that teachers can facilitate all students’ abilities • to understand relationships between subject areas

9. Factor 5: Analysis of Classroom Learning Environment • Educational Purposes • Provide opportunity for student teachers/interns to link • learning results to classroom efforts • Promote student teacher/interns reflection on the impact the unit • had on individual, small group and whole group learning • Provide evidence of an appropriate classroom management plan • Provide evidence of an appropriate motivational skills • Measurement Purpose • Ensure teachers provide a classroom environment supportive • of student interaction in learning activities

10. Factor 6: Analysis of Assessment Procedures • Educational Purposes • Promote link between learning objectives and assessments • Encourage the use of different assessment formats • Encourage the use of challenging assessments • Measurement Purposes • Encourage student teachers/interns to avoid using simple • knowledge based assessments unless appropriate • Student Teachers/interns can present evidence of calculation • of student gain scores

11. Factor 7: Reflection and Self-evaluation • Educational Purposes • Promote analysis and synthesis of all activities • Promote professional development • Promote a better understanding of the implications of state • assessment and accreditation process on the teacher’s classroom • Measurement Purpose • Estimate the degree to which the unit was successful • Demonstrate that the student teacher/intern can successfully • evaluate the effects of his or her choices and actions on • student learning

12. Emporia State University Teacher Work SampleSurvey ofStudent Teachers/InternsSpring of 2002, 2003, & 2005

13. Spring 2002 Open-ended responses • Most important thing I gained doing the TWS: • Determining gain scores/student progress (13%) • Being accountable for individual student learning (11%) • Planning/using/pacing a teaching unit (10%) • Being aware of my teaching skills/instruction planning and how to improve (9%) • Learning how to present/analyze assessment data (9%) • Improving time management/organization (9%)

14. Spring 2002 Open-ended responses • The one thing that would improve the TWS assignment: • Decrease length (17%) • Make TWS less repetitive (12%) • Provide examples of good Teacher Work Samples (9%)

15. Spring 2003 Open-ended responses • Most important thing I gained doing the TWS: • Planning and implementing units and lessons (15%) • Reflecting about my experience of teaching (9%) • Learning to evaluate students’ gain scores (9%)

16. Spring 2003 Open-ended responses • The one thing that would improve the TWS assignment: • Having more specific details and better examples (16%) • Reduce/shorten the number of requirements/amount of work (12%) • More training sessions (12%)

17. Spring 2005“Agree-disagree” questions • The TWS accurately show-cased my knowledge/skills as a teacher. • 27% disagree; 73% agreed • The TWS was a valuable experience to my professional training. • 21% disagree; 79% agree

18. Crocker Validity Survey Results Response Percentages from TWS Raters

19. Who are TWS raters at ESU? • Readers/scorers of TWSs • Classroom teachers and university faculty • Trained in TWS purpose and format • Undergo anti-bias training and review before each scoring session

20. Crocker validity, Spring 2002Does the TWS measure Knowledge/Skills necessary for beginning teachers? Not at all Yes, absolutely (1) (2) (3) (4) 0 3.5 32.5 64 N=28, in %

21. How important to practice of beginning teachers? Unimportant Somewhat Important Critical important (1) (2) (3) (4) 0 3.5 46.5 50 N=28, in %

22. How often would a beginning teacher engage in each:

24. Extent that TWS tasks reflect following INTASC standards:

26. Crocker Validity, Spring 2003 Does the TWS measure Knowledge/Skills necessary forbeginning teachers? Not at all Yes, absolutely (1) (2) (3) (4) 0 2.8 27.8 66.7 N=36, in %

27. How important to practice of beginning teachers? Unimportant Somewhat Important Critical important (1) (2) (3) (4) 0 2.8 52.8 41.7 N=36, in %

28. How often would a beginning teacher engage in each

30. Extent that TWS tasks reflect following INTASC standards

32. TWS-Specific Survey of Recent Graduates after at Least 1 Year of Teaching, Summer 2004 • Emporia-area new teachers who completed a TWS during student teaching • Telephone survey

33. Guiding question:What aspects of the Teacher Work Sample (TWS) do you do in your teaching job?

34. Do you…

35. Do you… yes no % %

36. Do you… yes no % %

37. Candidate Performance Data and Research

38. Means for Candidate Scores, Learning Gain, Objective Mastery Index Student Gain Scores are around 65% Objective Masters are around 77%

39. Mean percentage scores for additional semesters • Fall 05 87.8% Some major changes were made this semester for which candidates were not as prepared as in earlier years. This likely had some impact on scores the next two semesters as well. • Spring 06 89.88% • Fall 06 88.94% • Spring 07 91.5%

40. Descriptive Data(overall group) • Strengths • Awareness of classroom context • Ability to write outcomes and align instruction • Use of collaborative/multi-learner environments • Use of “active learner/inquiry” models • Employment of multiple learning strategies • Use of formative assessments • Use of assessment throughout instruction • Ability to depict assessment data • Use of technology • Reflection on personal classroom successes & failures • High degree of reported learning impact

41. Descriptive Data (overall group) • Challenges • Assessment design (planning is all right but • needs more “rigor”) • Reflection on professional development plan • Alignment of objectives, instruction, and assessments

42. Comparison of TWS Scores by Subject Fall 03

43. Assessing The Benefits and Challenges of Completing A Teacher Work Sample During Student Teaching From The Perspective Of PK-12 Student Teachers/Interns and Cooperating Teachers

44. Background • Dr. Darla Mallein, Emporia State Social Science faculty member and methods instructor • Spring 2003 • Descriptive study utilizing surveys of student teachers/interns and cooperating teachers

45. Benefits of TWS According to Student Teachers/Interns • Raised student teachers/interns’ awareness of the impact they have on students’ learning (30%) • Student teachers/interns specifically stated there were no benefits of completing the TWS (16%) • Helped student teachers/interns reflect on teaching and learning (14%) • Prepared student teachers/interns for real-life applications (14%) • Required student teachers/interns to create adaptations and activities to meet the needs of all their students (12%)

46. Benefits of TWS According to Cooperating Teachers • Prepares student teacher/intern for Quality Performance Accreditation, NCLB, and other real-life applications (32%) • Provides student teachers/interns opportunity to plan and teach a complete unit that aligns with standards, objectives, activities, and assessments (24%) • Helps student teachers/interns reflect about teaching and learning (16%) • Gives student teachers/interns the practice in administering and analyzing pre- and post-test assessments (15%) • Raises student teachers/interns’ awareness of their impact on student learning (15%)

47. Problems with TWS According to Student Teachers/Interns • The directions for completing the TWS were unclear or confusing (22%) • Student teachers/interns had trouble finding the time to complete the TWS (16%) • Some requirements were difficult to complete (15%) • Student teachers/interns had difficulty completing the TWS because of lack of training, lack of good examples, and lack of resource people to contact with questions (14%) • Completing the TWS was time-consuming (14%) • The TWS detracted from other classroom duties (12%) • The TWS was hard to adapt to grade level, subject area, unit topic, assigned classroom, or curriculum (10%)

48. Problems with TWS According to Cooperating Teachers • Student teacher/intern had a difficult time dealing with time constraints (19%) • Completing the TWS was time-consuming (15%) • Completing the TWS generated stress, frustration, procrastination, and feelings that the project was not valuable (12%) • Directions for the TWS were unclear or confusing (11%) • Student teacher/intern had difficulty adapting TWS to grade level, subject area, assigned students, or district curriculum (11%) • Creating, administering, and analyzing assessments were difficult for student teachers/interns (11%)

49. Suggested Changes for TWS According to Student Teachers/Interns • Provide better training and resources for student teachers/interns and cooperating teachers (35%) • Simplify the TWS by shortening the requirements and making it more practical (31%)

50. Suggested Changes for TWS According to Cooperating Teachers • Provide better training and resources for student teachers/interns and cooperating teachers (20%) • Simplify the TWS by shortening the requirements and making it more practical (19%) • Move the TWS requirements to a different semester other than the student teaching semester (11%)