Notes and Thoughts About Observation #2

My second observation focused on Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards (TAPS) number 5 and 8.

5. Assessment Strategies: The teacher systematically chooses a variety of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment strategies and instruments that are valid and appropriate for the content and student population.

5.1 Aligns student assessment with the established curriculum and benchmarks.  

5.2 Involves students in setting learning goals and monitoring their own progress.  

5.3 Varies and modifies assessments to determine individual student needs and progress.  

5.4 Uses formal and informal assessments for diagnostic, formative, and summative purposes.  

5.5 Uses grading practices that report final mastery in relationship to content goals and objectives.  

5.6 Uses assessment techniques that are appropriate for the developmental level of students.  

5.7 Collaborates with others to develop common assessments, when appropriate.  

8. Academically Challenging Environment: The teacher creates a student-centered, academic environment in which teaching and learning occur at high levels and students are self-directed learners.

8.1 Maximizes instructional time.  

8.2 Conveys the message that mistakes should be embraced as a valuable part of learning.  

8.3 Encourages productivity by providing students with appropriately challenging and relevant material and assignments.  

8.4 Provides transitions that minimize loss of instructional time.  

8.5 Communicates high, but reasonable, expectations for student learning.  

8.6 Provides academic rigor, encourages critical and creative thinking, and pushes students to achieve goals.  

8.7 Encourages students to explore new ideas and take academic risks.

On this particular day, I was giving a test to the 6th grade class.  My performance tests have variety: students can demonstrate in at least three different ways that they have mastered the material, there is differentiation in content and product (differentiation in process has already occurred).  Even though I know that my classroom has been set up to ensure completion of Standards 5 and 8, I wanted to make sure that the Evaluator would make the link.  To that end, I gave the class instructions for the day and underlined the items that would match elements in the Standards.  The process for giving the test was not "a dog and pony show" for the Evaluator, this is what I routinely do; however, I normally would not underline the instructions....  Here are some of the items listed for the class that day (I did not include the highlighted Elements for the class, those were added for this blog):

Finish TEST TODAY on #13 [Element 8.3]. This is a summative test [Element 5.4] and will go on your report card. You can warm up on your own [Element 8.1] in the way that will help you prepare. 

Remember [Element 5.2, 5.3, 8.7]:
5 extra points for playing it from memory (correctly)
5 extra points for playing it "fast" (correctly)
10 extra points for playing it fast from memory (correctly)

This is to assess your skill in the standards about reading notes and performing alone [Element 5.1]!  Set a goal of making a 100 [Element 5.2, 8.5], but if you don't, figure out what you did wrong [Element 8.6], and you can try again for a higher grade in a couple of days [Element 5.5, 8.2, 8.6, 8.7].  I'd like all of you to make a 110 [Element 8.5]!  After you play, give yourself a grade of 1-5 and make a note of what you need to improve in your book [Element 5.2]. I'll use the grades to help you get better [Element 5.3]! Everybody will grade everybody silently and we'll compare scores.... We'll talk to each other - kindly -to tell them how to get better [Element 8.2].

100-110       Fantastic! Keep up the great work, it's paying off!

95-100         Great! You're right on track!

90-94           Very good! Practice some and try again for a higher grade.

85-90           Doing OK, but there are some things you need to review.

80-84           Need to review a couple of things and may need to have some additional help

70-80           You may have missed some important concepts - let's get together to clear those up.

<70              Let's talk....

In the end, my evaluation was successful and the comments appropriate (the class went very well).  It would seem to me that this level of detail is not necessary if you and your school evaluator have a good working relationship and you are comfortable with making 3s in all areas of the Standards.  In many ways, this Observation Instrument is just like all the ones before: you will pass unless you are doing something horribly wrong.  TKES just has more definition than the previous GTOI, et al.  I feel it is important for me to make 4s on at least several of the Standards; so, I am putting forth effort to make as many of the Elements observable as possible.