1. Now What??? What happens when one size doesn’t fit all? Review Broadcast Project Aspire Indiana Academy Developed by Sara Delano Moore

2. 2004 – 2005 Agenda Review broadcast Tiered lessons –November – tiering product by interest –December – tiering process by learning style –January – March – tiering content by readiness 3 broadcasts on this topic –Planning and implementation between broadcasts

3. Things to remember... This work is about using teacher time more effectively; not about having teachers do more work. This work is about providing students with options that maximize their opportunities to show you what they know. This work is NOT not an IEP or 504 plan for every child.

4. What information is here? This series presented four sets of information for your consideration and exploration. –Quick strategies for assignment modification February 2004 –Potential framework for small group work and classroom management. March 2004 –Suggestions for assessment and grading. April 2004 –Suggestions for using pretesting in your classroom. May 2004

5. Guidelines for Classroom Management What procedures and routines do you need to have in place? –Getting the teacher’s attention –Working in small groups –What to do if you don’t know what to do? –Classroom rules

6. Getting the Teacher’s Attention Red/green cards –red side up means “I need help” –green side up means “I’m OK” Name on a list –Students sign up on a list when they need help Three before me rule –Ask your question of three other students before you ask the teacher.

7. Anchoring Activities -- Classroom Safety Nets Anchoring activities are things students can do when they are stuck on the current assignment and can’t go on until you can help them. Examples… –Read a book –Work on another assignment –Solve one of the logic puzzles on the bulletin board.

8. Anchoring Activities You choose your own activities which are acceptable. For example, is it OK to work on homework from another class? Is it OK to work on an available computer? Is it OK to work with a partner?

9. Classroom Rules You are responsible for your own learning. You may not interfere with anyone else’s learning. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Don’t disturb others. All school/district rules and regulations apply.

10. For More Information This content was addressed in our second broadcast. You may wish to review the materials from that broadcast for additional thoughts and ideas. http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ –Resources tab at the top Broadcast Session 2

11. Last Five Problem Rule Situation: Some students do not need as much practice as others. Solution: Allow students to choose to do the last five problems (or the five most challenging problems in the assignment) for full credit on the assignment.

12. Last Five Problem Rule This is simple in math classes where problems at the end of a section are typically in increasing order of difficulty. If problems are not in increasing order of difficulty, as may be the case in a science text the teacher must identify the five most comprehensive or most challenging problems/questions for this assignment. An assignment under this rule should include 3 - 5 problems.

13. Last Five Problem Rule - Grading Grading: Students must score 100% on the five problems they attempt to receive full credit. With a small sample, there is no room for careless errors. If a student does not score 100%, he/she must complete the full assignment the next night in addition to any new assignment. In a block schedule setting, students may be required to have the last 5 scored by the teacher before they leave for the day.

14. Quick Checks & the Last Five Problem Rule If students are still having difficulty with the Last Five Problem Rule after a number of attempts and class discussions, consider using the quick quiz strategy as the deciding factor in whether to do the last five problems.

15. End of Class Quick Checks As with the last five problem rule, this strategy works best with specific skills. At the end of class, take about 5 minutes to give the students a quick, one or two item check. Students complete the check on the paper they’ll use for homework. Have the students grade their answers (correctness only, not step by step) and use that information to select a homework assignment.

16. End of Class Quick Checks Students who get the correct answers at the end of class can be given a homework assignment that is about 1/3 practice and 2/3 application and extension. Students who have incorrect answers at the end of class get a homework assignment that is about 2/3 practice and 1/3 application and extension.

17. End of Class Quick Checks Note that both groups get practice and application/extension, simply in different proportions. Having students work their check problems on the homework paper allows you to see that they are doing the correct assignment. The two assignments should be similar in time length; they may include different numbers of problems.

18. Feedback from Spring Positive responses –“If I give them a chance to do less homework this may to motivate them…” –“I love the strategies…” Negative responses –“Some parents state that their child never has any ‘homework,’ how can the teacher satisfy this concern with ‘last five’?” –“Do you track what assignment choice they make?” –“How can you perform assessments as a class?”

19. For More Information This content was addressed in our first broadcast. You may wish to review the materials from that broadcast for additional thoughts and ideas. http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ –Resources tab at the top Broadcast Session 1

20. Effective Group Tasks The task is too big for any one group member to do alone. Everyone brings something unique to the group. Everyone learns something from the group.

21. Ways to Form Student Groups Random grouping –Students are grouped by a random method such as counting off. Heterogeneous grouping –Students are grouped to create intentional variety within the groups. Homogeneous grouping –Students are grouped to create intentional similarity within the groups. Jigsaw groups –A mix of strategies is used.

22. When do I use each group formation strategy? Random grouping –Short term assignments –Students are all on a fairly level playing field Heterogeneous Grouping –Students bring a variety of relevant backgrounds to the assignment –The assignment will be stronger with a wide range of student attributes.

23. When do I use each group formation strategy? Homogeneous Grouping –Student background greatly influences success on the task –Different groups can approach the same content from different perspectives Jigsaw Grouping –Create homogeneous expert groups, matching content assignments to group strengths and skills –Create random or heterogeneous sharing groups to use the expertise developed.

24. How do you know who did what? Each student has a clear role and responsibilities. Each student knows his/her part in depth. Each student understands the parts of others.

25. Group Roles and Responsibilities Facilitator -- keeps the group on task; equalizes participation Supplier -- brings materials to and from the team; ensures sufficient resources Recorder -- documents group decisions and actions; summarizes the work of the group periodically

26. Group Roles and Responsibilities Reporter -- shares the group’s work and questions with the teacher and classmates Researcher -- provides background information to the group We’ve made a set of cards with group roles and responsibilities and posted it on the web page as a file you can download and use.

27. What if one group finishes early? Members of this group can take on a consultant role in the class. There’s a card for this in the role set on the web page You may wish to encourage the use of consultants by including a place for them on the “credits” of the assignment or listing working with a consultant at least once as part of the assignment.

28. Group Rules Everyone must have the same question before the teacher is asked. Everyone must do the job assigned to him/her. Everyone must make his/her best effort to contribute to the group and to learn from the group.

29. Grading Group Assignments Grades can be assigned as a combination of individual and group assignments. Students can complete an in-depth assessment on their own part and a broader assessment of the larger project.

30. Grading Group Assignments Consider peer assessments as a component of the grade. At first, think about having these only help students or dropping the highest and lowest peer assessments from a larger group. Teach the students before the task what the peer assessment criteria are.

31. Feedback from Spring Participant question –“How much instructor guidance is recommended in helping the groups set up the grading rubrics?”

32. For More Information This content was addressed in our second broadcast. You may wish to review the materials from that broadcast for additional thoughts and ideas. http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ –Resources tab at the top Broadcast Session 2

33. Thoughts on Assessment Based on the work of Rick Stiggins at the Assessment Training Institute in Portland, OR

34. Two Forms of Assessment Assessments of Learning –Intended to sort, classify, and rank students –Provide “snapshots” of performance across large populations –Useful to the public, politicians, school boards, and other stakeholders to get the “big picture” Assessments for Learning –Intended to promote improvement and learning –Provides specific data about specific children –Useful to teachers and students to strengthen instruction and improve student learning

35. What does research suggest? Assessments of Learning –One study, results have been challenged –Some tiny achievement gains –Increased drop-out rates, decreased graduation rates, particularly problematic for minority students Assessments for Learning –Many studies over wide range of student samples –Gains of 0.5 – 2 standard deviations –Gains typically greater for students at the low end of the scale (i.e., the gap is reduced)

36. Students may hit the target today or they may not. If they do not, it is crucial that they remain willing to return and try again tomorrow. -- Rick Stiggins

37. What can teachers do? Provide accurate classroom assessments Give students specific, descriptive feedback on their work Involve students in the process of designing assessments, creating rubrics, keeping records of assessments, and communicating the learning these assessments show

38. To learn more about this work Visit the web page of the Assessment Training Institute in Portland, OR –http://www.assessmentinst.com/http://www.assessmentinst.com/ Read the two “Black Box” articles from Phi Delta Kappan –http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htmhttp://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm –September 2004 issue (not available online unless you are a subscriber/member) Two articles in this issue – one by Stiggins and one revisits the Black Box paper from October, 1998 (link above)

39. Test suggestions Teacher-directed –The teacher creates the choices and assigns specific options to each student. Student-directed –The teacher creates the choices and students select from the available options.

40. Teacher-Directed Test Modification This version of the strategy takes more time, but allows more teacher control. At key points in the test, typically essays, the teacher indicates which of a number of choices students should complete. If there are three essay questions, the teacher might indicate which two each student is to answer.

41. Student-Directed Test Modification This version of the strategy takes less time, but gives more student control. At key points in the test, typically essays, the teacher gives several options and allows the students to choose which to complete. For example, there might be three essay questions and each student selects the two he/she knows best.

42. Student-directed Test Modification Where students have worked in small groups on various projects or topics, this strategy works particularly well. The set of questions addresses the broad range of student investigations. Students choose the item(s) which relate to their own investigations.

43. Hybrid Test Modification The teacher creates the options and makes specific assignments for some of the options. Students have free choice from the remainder. For example, the teacher creates three essay questions and students are required to respond to two, one of the teacher’s choosing and one selected by the student.

44. Test Modification In either case, it is important to keep the items relatively parallel in structure and value. Students will perceive some items as more difficult than others; this should result more from their comfort with the content than some “absolute” measure of item difficulty.

45. For More Information This content was addressed in our third broadcast. You may wish to review the materials from that broadcast for additional thoughts and ideas. http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ –Resources tab at the top Broadcast Session 3

46. When should I pre-test? Remember elementary school spelling tests. Pretest discrete pieces of information which students (or some students) are likely to know already.

47. Making time for pre-tests. Add pre-test questions on to the end of the test for the previous unit. –Make it very clear that performance here does not count towards the test grade. Incorporate pre-testing into a day where students are completing a variety of activities and only those students who are confident of their prior knowledge opt to take the pre-test.

48. What makes a good pre- test? Direct and clear items focused on discrete content. Un-ambiguous questions and answers. Easy items to grade Quick items to administer.

49. How should I use pre-test results? Mastery-level pre-test scores can be recorded in lieu of assignments students are exempted from. Students may have the option of completing the assignment to increase their score from the pre- test. Their score might also go down.

50. For More Information This content was addressed in our fourth broadcast. You may wish to review the materials from that broadcast for additional thoughts and ideas. http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ http://www.bsu.edu/academy/aspir e/ –Resources tab at the top Broadcast Session 4

51. Next Steps Use your team time this afternoon to plan the implementation of one strategy from these broadcasts each week for the next 2 – 3 weeks. Share your implementation through the Project Aspire web page.