Monitoring Common Assessments
Title: Monitoring Common Assessments (evaluating classroom rigor)Description: This workshop focuses on evaluating the rigor of curriculum. Participants will utilize common formative assessments to monitor the implementation of a rigorous curriculum by examining student work and student results. Participants will explore strategies to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data that leads to the creation of SMART goals, selection of appropriate instructional strategies for interventions, and developing an accountability plan with results indicators. The application focus is that participants develop a plan to evaluate the rigor of the curriculum.
NOTES:
· PD hrs: If you are interested in facilitating this workshop for “Professional Development Hours” through ASU, please contact us at for details (including an Attendance Roster Form and a Participant Feedback Form)
· FEEDBACK: We would appreciate feedback regarding the quality of this PD Facilitator Kit and/or suggestions for improvement (including participant feedback and/or recommended changes to the Facilitator PowerPoint and/or Facilitator Guide). Please email feedback, comments, or suggestions for improvements to (be sure to include the exact name of the workshop).
TARGETED LEARNING FOR THIS WORKSHOP
Note: It is recommended that the facilitator post the objectives and guiding questions (also applicable VAL-ED Research-Based Critical Behaviors and relevant ISLLC Standards).
Introduction to the Instructional Leadership Model
Targeted Objectives:
· Participants will be introduced to the "Instructional Leadership Model" (a systems thinking approach).
· Participants will pre-assess their application level of the critical behaviors. (Research-Based Critical Behaviors are presented through the introduction of the action plan.)
Research-Based Critical Behaviors (Vanderbilt University research found that the following principal behaviors have a direct & significant influence on teachers’ performance)
· The introduction emphasizes a systems thinking approach regarding key processes & core components. Specific behaviors relevant to this workshop are listed in the action plan.
ISLLC Standard: (based on a ISLLC Standards Rubric derived from the ISLLC Performance Expectations & Elements)
· The introduction is not aligned to specific ISLLC Standards
Key Vocabulary
Core Components, Key Processes, Research-based Critical Behaviors (see action for specific definitions)
Key Words
· VAL-Ed Workshop, ISSLC Workshop, administrator professional development, principal expectations
Main Segment: Monitoring Common Assessments (evaluating classroom rigor)
Targeted Objective(s)
· Participants will increase their knowledge of how to use common assessments and their application for monitoring rigor in various data sets.
· Note: identify performance indicators, selecting common formative assessment, identifying strategies, analyze common formative assessment results
· Participants will connect learning to Research-Based Critical Behaviors and apply learning to developing an action plan to impact teacher performance and student learning
Guiding Questions:
· How do Instructional Leaders use Common Assessments to evaluate the rigor of the curriculum?
Research-Based Critical Behaviors:
· Evaluates the rigor of the curriculum.
ISLLC Standards:
· ISLLC 2.B Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction
· ISLLC 2.C Assessment and Accountability
Key Vocabulary:
Agenda and Segment Titles / Time in Minutes / Notes
Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model & Overview / 20
Using Common Assessments (to evaluate the rigor of the curriculum) / 100 / Purpose: to Evaluate the Rigor of the Curriculum
Conclusion & Development of an Action Plan / 20
TOTAL TIME / 140 (2.33 hrs)
PARTICIPANTS NEED TO BRING A CLASSROOM DATA SET
Materials
· Facilitator Guide for Monitoring Common Assessments
· Facilitator Power Point for Monitoring Common Assessments
· Agenda (facilitator makes this on chart paper)
· Post it notes, markers, chart paper, pens, T chart, articles, documents
Handouts:
· Action Plan
· Effective Data Exploration Worksheet
· SAMPLE – Common Assessment Data
Readings:
· Collaborative Scoring of Common Formative Assessments
Videos
· None
FACILITATOR RESOURCES
· Instructional Leadership: Core Components & Key Processes
· KBAD (Know and Being Able to Do) for each Core Components
· ISLLC Standards Rubric
Research Included
· Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
· Ainsworth and Viegut. (2006). Common Formative Assessments: How to Connect Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment
· Dagget, W.R. (September, 2005). Achieving Academic Excellence through Rigor and Relevance,
· Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)
· Bloom’s Cognitive Process Dimensions (2005)
· Laura Besser of the Center for Performance Assessment
References
· Elliot, Stephen, Goldring, Ellen, Murphy, Joseph, & Porter, Andy (July 2009). Vanderbilt Assessment for Leadership of Education: Handbook Implementation & Interpretation. Nashville, Tennessee. Discovery Education Assessment
· Strong, Richard W., Silver, Harvey F. and Perini, Matthew J. Teaching What Matters Most: Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCD), 2001.
· Bruce Wellman and Laura Lipton (2004). Data Driven Dialogue. Miravia LLC
Content Experts: Julia Kelly, Debra Gomez, Marsha Speck, Julius Koenigsknecht, Toni Reynolds
Presentation Notes
Management Considerations, Background Information, Notes, etc
Management Considerations:
· Directions / Notes relevant to each individual PowerPoint slide are listed in the PowerPoints notes section
· Ask the superintendent in advance to prepare a welcome and remarks regarding WHY this workshop is important for participants.
· Check with the superintendent in advance to see if s/he prefers to use established district administrative team norms.
· Typically, each segment of the workshop begins with a slide entitled “Segment Guiding Questions”
· Closure for each segment and/or the end of the workshop should be adjusted/adapted to the facilitators style
· The “Introduction of the Instructional Leadership Model” presents a systems thinking approach to the many components that impact teacher performance and student achievement, and is based on the Vanderbilt University research. Each workshop segment in the Instructional Leadership Series represents one component of a systems thinking approach to instructional leadership. The Instructional Leadership Series provides professional development opportunities for principals to gain a deeper understanding of each component, to recognize the level of implementation of each component in their school, to identify the leverage points applicable in their school, and apply concepts within a systems thinking approach. (Note: A leverage point is a specific component where improvement is needed, and improvement in the implementation of that component will have the most significant impact of teacher performance and student achievement.)
· If this is the first workshop in the series for the participants, this systems thinking approach is a critical part of the Instructional Leadership Series and must be discussed thoroughly.
· If participants have previously discussed this systems thinking approach, the facilitator may quickly review the systems thinking approach (5 minute overview/reminder).
· Each workshop in the Instructional Leadership Series focuses on one VAL-ED Core Component, one VAL-ED key process, and a set of Research-Based Critical Behaviors. The Research-based Critical Behaviors are used to focus thinking at the beginning of the workshop through the introduction of the action plan. At the beginning of the workshop participants do a “pre-assess” of their application level of the critical behaviors related to that specific core component and key process. At the end of the workshop participants create an action plan including “who will do what by when,” which is typically focused on one prioritized Research-Based Critical Behavior (listed in bold on the Action Plan).
Notes:
· [#] The number of the PowerPoint slide that aligns with that portion of the presentation is listed in bracket
· Each segment in the template contains the objective and guiding questions for that unit. Each segment in the PowerPoint begins with a slide entitled “Segment Guiding Questions”
· Ask the superintendent in advance to prepare a welcome and remarks regarding WHY this workshop is important for principals.
Establishing Norms …use district’s, use list on PowerPoint slide, or add process of establishing norms for the workshop. (“Norms Development Framework” handout is available)
· Check with the superintendent in advance to see if s/he prefers to use established district administrative team norms
· If you are comfortable with the proposed norms in the PowerPoint, use them as listed.
· If you are not comfortable with those norms you may insert your own proposed norms.
· If you feel it necessary to engage the participants in the process of establishing norms …here is a recommended process:
o Explain that norms are a part of our everyday lives. However, typically that are not formally “adopted” or “written.” Give examples like the norms of acceptable behavior within a family (and note how those can vary) and norms of acceptable behavior in an office, etc. Norms are ground rules that govern the group. So…norms should be stated as commitments to behave in a certain way – meaning they are both observable and measurable. Pose the following questions to prompt participants thinking about desired observable behaviors during the workshop:
q What behaviors will you “accept” from others during a workshop?
q What behaviors will you commit to and hold others accountable for?
q What behaviors do you think will make the collaborative work more productive during the workshop?
q What are your Pet Peeves? (Consider what you do not want to see at this workshop.)
o As a table, ask participants to brainstorm norms for their collaborative work during this workshop …as an engaged learning team (each table group). Think about your pet-peeves of meetings. Consider PLC concepts like the DuFour ideas. Think about what you’d expect from teachers. Place one norm (observable action) per one sticky note. Organize the observable actions by topic/theme. Select approximately one observable action per topic/theme. Place these FEW ITEMS on a chart paper and post on the wall.
o As a whole group, determine which norm (observable action) from the lists should be considered as a norm for the workshop (select agreed-upon items and place a check mark beside it.
o Once you have an agreed-upon list, pose the following questions:
q How might our norms be improved?
q Is there anything missing?
q Is there anything else you want to add or refine to your initial brainstorm list?
o Post agreed-upon norms on chart paper
Facilitator Formative Assessment Notes:
This information is intended to provide guidance to adjust the pacing or lesson within the workshop. After you have worked through this workshop, you may make modifications and/or additions to these items to guide other facilitators.
· Observe participants’ engagement in superintendent’s opening remarks
· Listen to shared interests of participants. Do comments align with workshop outcomes?
· Observe participants’ reaction to the proposed norms.
Notes to Inform Pacing/Adjusting Lesson
· .
Follow-up Strategies
Extending the Learning:
· Use the reflection and discussion questions with participants to reinforce the application and successful implementation of concepts.
· Use the Research-Based Critical Behavior listed in the Action Plan to engage the principal about his/her implementation of those behaviors. You might you pose the following questions to help ensure the principal has a clear picture of the desired end result.
o What is meant by xxx?
o What would it look like when that is implemented effectively in your school?
o What would it sound like, in terms of teacher talk?
o What is your vision? What impact can these behaviors have on school culture?
· Use the reading to engage the principal in deeper learning or clarifications. Discuss how to apply the concepts in his/her school, and/or how the ideas inform the action plan.
· Based on the principal’s level of expertise, choose one of the books used as a resource for the workshop and recommend that specific book as a book study. You may want to select one or two chapters and/or specific pieces of texts for follow-up dialogue with the principal.
· Use reflective questioning to engage the principal in a conversation to clarify learning and application possibilities.
· Use questioning strategies and push principal to provide evidence that the new learning is being applied in the school and confirm implementation of the action plan.
· Engage the principal in reflective dialogue about his/her professional growth resulting from participation in this workshop and/or implementation of the action plan.
Reflection Questions for Coaching
· How is this topic compatible with district, school, and/or personal beliefs?
· What new learning will be implementing as a result of this workshop?
· How will you manage the implementation so that you avoid it being perceived as too complex?
· How have you monitored common assessments for rigor?
· What were the challenges you’ve encountered relevant to monitoring common assessments? How have you addressed those challenges?
· What will be the most difficult area to monitor for rigor?
· What changes or addition will you need to make to your current tools used for monitoring?
Group Discussion Questions for Online Forum
· How have you implemented or improved your monitoring of common assessments?
· Describe a scenario in which you effectively used the “Data Exploration Worksheet” with a learning team (group of teachers).
· Share HOW you are getting common assessments and discuss of data from common assessment to become a part of the culture of your school. What is your evidence that it is becoming a part of the culture?
Quiz Questions
· .
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