Iowa+Teaching+Standard+5

[[image:rubric.gif width="256" height="225" align="left"]]Formal Assessment Rubric
==== Below is a file entitled "Writing Process Rubric." This is a lesson that uses a formal rubric during instruction, working from whole class instruction and class assessment, to small group practice and assessment, and finally to individual assignment and assessment, using the rubric with the class at each step of the unit. As we get done with each of these steps, we, as a class, utilize the rubric to assess the finished product, thereby intimately tying instruction and practice to the ultimate assessment and yielding a reliable assessment of the student's performance of the targeted skills. ====

Communicating Assessment Criteria
==== Below is an example from my class wiki of how I communicate assessment criteria and Iowa Core standards to both students and their families. I try always to provide the assessment criteria (most often in the form of a rubric) to the students at the beginning of each unit or at the start of an assignment and always have that same information posted in some fashion on my wiki. ====

Multiple Assessments
==== Attached is a file entitled "Adverb or Adjective." This is a worksheet I used as an adverb quiz after an adverb unit. You will note that I both deleted part of the pre-printed instructions and added additional directions. I quickly realized, after reviewing instructions with the class, that the simple fact that I altered the worksheet's customary instructions threw off a few of the students who may normally have some difficulty with instructions. However, I simply discussed the student's confusion with him/her privately and was able to allay any further confusion. ====

==== My rationale behind adding an instruction to "rewrite the sentence adding a descriptive word of the opposite part of speech from the underlined word" was twofold: 1) it allowed me to assess both receptive and expressive use of adverbs and adjectives, and 2) it reinforced the concept and importance of the revision step of the writing process. Additionally, I felt it was a broader assessment of the students' understanding of the adverb. It is obviously easier to distinguish an adjective from an adverb, but more difficult to produce (synthesize) an adjective or an adverb for appropriate inclusion into a sentence. This is evidenced in the student work sample attached, wherein the student correctly distinguished all 20 underlined words but created three incorrect sentences. ====

==== Consequently, through this assessment, I was able to ascertain who in the class still did not fully understand adverbs, as well as adjectives. Additionally, I was also able to present several times more the concept and importance of the revision step of the writing process. I was also able to reinforce the purpose for learning about parts of speech, specifically adverbs and adjectives, by letting them know we don't teach about adverbs so they can be kings and queens of grammar, but so they can be better communicators and writers (thus the addition of rewriting the sentence to be more descriptive). Therefore, I feel this was both an effective assessment and an effective teaching tool, which guided further instruction. ====

Student Goal Setting and Assessing
==== Below is a speech self-evaluation I require after each speech presentation. During each speech presentation, classmates practice good listening and evaluation skills by looking for two positives and two areas of improvement. The student speaker then gathers all student feedback and reviews both that feedback and the video of his/her own speech performance. After this review, the student speaker then completes this self-evaluation, both evaluating performance and setting goals for improvement. ====

Substantive, Timely, and Constructive Feedback
==== Below is an example of how I use JMC parent/student portal information to communicate feedback and information to both students and parents. Though this is only one way I communicate this information (other channels being teacher-to-student, emails and phone calls to parents, and both formal or informal P-T conferences), I have found this to be my quickest and most consistent way to communicate with students, parents, and resource teachers. ====

= ** Works with Staff, Administration, Students & Parents in Analysis of Student Progress ** =

==== I am a firm believer that both educators and parents, in addition to the students themselves, should actively analyze and hold the students accountable for their learning and educational progress. One of the best and most efficient ways of doing this - and all being on the same page about it - is by way of utilizing the gradebook on the student and parent portals. To this end, I created a jing to help students and parents understand how to use our student and parent portals so they could always monitor and analyze the students' progress. Our middle school teachers used this jing in their homerooms at the beginning of the year. ====