Strengthening Teacher Education in Mathematics at

HBCUs

Building Teacher Capacity to Design and Implement

Assessments FOR

Learning

Presenter: Adrienne Y. Bailey, CoachExecutive Leadership Program of Educators(ExEL)

at Harvard University and QEM ConsultantQEM Workshop, August 29, 2009

Jackson, Mississippi

Executive Leadership Program of Educators (ExEL)

ExEL…. Funded by the Wallace Foundation Began in 2006 as a way to build on and integrate

several university separate programs and approaches (Harvard’s education, business and government schools)

A multi-year collaborative effort to help district and state superintendents and their teams bring high quality teaching and learning to scale

ExEL Strategy……. To help public school district and state department

of education participants and teams develop and enhance knowledge and skills in instruction, management, and leadership and to use these strengthened capacities to refine their organizational strategies

Executive Leadership Program of Educators (ExEL)

Three levels: individual, team and network

Connected to 18 districts and 6 SEAs Four high-leverage strands:

1. Laser focus on teaching and learning

2. Systems development & organizational

coherence

3. Leadership & team development

4. State and local networks Utilizes PELP framework

Public Education Leadership Project (PELP)

PELP Coherence FrameworkTheory of Action

Puts STUDENT LEARNING at the core of the district and schools

Guides leaders in making decisions and taking actions that lead to organizational coherence focused on STUDENT LEARNING

Helps leaders identify the key elements that support a district wide improvement strategy

Serves as leverage to develop strategies that will improve performance for all students.

Instructional Core

Student

Teacher Content

PELP Coherence Framework

Instructional CoreThe relationship between teachers and students in the presence of content.

Do we have a consensus on good teaching? Do we have consistent expectations within a grade

level, course and department regarding challenging standards, instruction and assessment priorities?

Do we have agreed upon transparent criteria for proficiency to be met in each individual classroom,grade level and school district?

PELP and EXEL Key Themes

Moving from….. Management to leadership Compliance to reciprocal

accountability Culture of initiatives to

STRATEGY focused on student and adult results

Assessment OF learning to assessment FOR learning

Assessment Crisis

Assessment Assessment

OF VS FOR

Student Learning Student Learning

Assessment OF Learning

Historical Context…… District-wide standardized testing programs (1960s)

Statewide testing programs (1970s) National assessments (NAEP, 1970s/1980s) International assessments (TIMMS) Required annuals standardized testing of every student in math and reading in Grades 3-8

(NCLB, 2002)

The Absence of Assessment FOR Learning

If we wish to maximize student achievement in the US, we must pay far greater attention to the improvement of classroom assessment. Both assessment OF learning and assessment FOR learning are essential.

Richard StigginsKappan, Professional Journal,2002

Definition: Assessment FOR Learning

A new way of thinking…!!Assessment FOR Learning is part of everyday

practice by students, teachers and peers that seeks, reflects upon and responds to information from dialogue, demonstration and observation in ways that enhance ongoing learning.

3rd International Conference on Assessment for Learning, March 2009

What Does the Research Say?

Does formative assessment make a difference? (Black and William 1998) Testing Motivation and Learning (The Assessment Reform Group 2002)

Classroom Assessment (Brookhart and Bronowicz (2003)

Self Assessment (McDonald and Boud 2003) Using Assessment for Learning (Brookhart 2003)

Feedback (Higgins et al, 2002) Setting and Using Criteria (Osmond et al 2002)

Why are Assessments FOR Learning Necessary and Effective?

Regular and timely feedback regarding student attainment

Multiple measures to demonstrate understanding in various formats

Agreed upon criteria for proficiency Results provide predictive value Collaboration activities amongst teachers

Deliberate alignment of classroom, school and district assessments connecting to state tests

Are Teachers Ready?Committee on the Foundations of Assessment Report, 2001

National Research Council

Recommendation #9: Instruction in how students learn and how learning can be assessed should be a major component of teacher pre-service and professional development programs. Training should be linked to actual experience in classrooms in assessing and interpreting the development of student competence. To ensure that this occurs, state and national standards for teacher licensure and program accreditation should include specific requirements focused on the proper integration of learning and assessment in teachers’ educational experience.

Facing the Brutal Facts-Assessment Competent Personnel

Level of assessment literacy remains low among school personnel. (Plake, 1995, Stiggins 2002, Metler 2005)

Over 50% of the states do not require competence in assessment for licensure as a teacher (Stiggins, 1999)

No licensing exam that verifies competence in assessment (Stiggins, 2002)

Less than 20 states require student assessment knowledge and skills for administrators. (Trevisan, 1999)

Implications for Teacher Preparation and Practice

Teachers should be skilled in: Choosing and developing assessment methods appropriate for instructional decisions

Administering, scoring and interpreting results of both externally produced and teacher produced assessment methods

Using assessment results when making decisions about individual students, planning teaching, developing curriculum and school improvement

Implications for Teacher Preparation and Practice

(Cont’d)

Developing valid student grading procedures which use student assessments

Communicating assessment results to students, parents, other lay audiences, and other educators

Recognizing unethical, illegal and otherwise inappropriate uses of assessment information

What Assessment Competencies are Required in Your State at Your

Institution?

Teacher licensure Teacher preparation

programs to

enable teachers to engage in

Assessment FOR Learning??

New Mexico Teacher Competencies

for Licensure Professional Teacher — Level II

Selects appropriate assessment tools and strategies for specific learning outcomes.

Uses formative and summative assessment for remediation and instructional planning.

Maintains documentation of student progress.

Consistently maintains communication with students and families about student progress.

Master Teacher –Level III

Designs and uses multiple methods of measuring student understanding and growth.

Integrates assessment data from multiple sources into instructional planning and improvement.

Maintains documentation of student progress.

Develops a two-way system of communicating with students and families about student progress.

Balancing Assessments Of and For Learning

Do no harm… Leave No Child Behind

Public Education Leadership Project

Instructional Core

A real voyage of discovery…

…consists notof seeking newlandscapes but of seeing throughnew eyes .Marcel Proust