PowerTeacher Gradebook & Standards Bob Cornacchioli DERO Technical Services CEO

Agenda/Participants will be engaged in: Introduce Web Gradebook/Log in – How to demonstrations on most aspects – Short cuts to save keystrokes – Final Grade Entry – Creating Assignments & Associating Standards – Teacher Options Discussion regarding Comment Writing Ask Questions- this is your time for more resources

CEO - DERO Technical Services Contractor- PowerDataSolutions - ANCGroup Trainer - Pearson Systems Evangelist/Process Assistant- Level Data Marketing- ParkBench Software Director of Technology and Media Services – Shrewsbury Public Schools (16 yrs) PowerSchool Administrator ( 6 yrs) Bob Cornacchioli

The “how to enter” grades is the easier of the two! ENTERING GRADES GRADING PRACTICES

Ken O’Connor – aka The Grade Doctor Far more important than the keystroke of a grade is how the district has trained teachers in the proper techniques in determining that grade. The information Ken and others are saying about student achievement is mission critical. PowerTeacher has been designed with these principles.

Learning Conversations: The Culture of Grading Same Curriculum Across all classrooms HOPEZERO’s MISSING WORK EXTRA CREDIT TENDENCY MAKE UP WORK Evidence Same Grading Practices Across all classrooms??

Average Temperature in Vegas Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Rick Wormeli – check him out on YouTube

What does a 4 or a C really mean? With teachers at your Grade Level With teachers at your School With teachers in the District What does it mean for next placement? Setting Expectations & Emphasize Consistency

Change to your grading choices? Academic Performance Indicators 4 = Advanced 3 = Proficient 2 = Progressing but need improvement 1 = Warning N/A = Not accessed this term** Avoid homebound confusion by sending home letter grades and percentages on assessments! ?? Developmental and Habits Indicators C = Consistently U = Usually B = Beginning to demonstrate N = Needs Assistance

Entering Grades and using the features of Gradebook 2.3

What’s on the PowerTeacher Start Screen

Launch my Gradebook from school or home? Same as before

Always Allow The Web Gradebook is a JAVA application, if it is NOT OPENING on the computer, you may be running an older version of JAVA. Contact your tech department. LITTLE TECH TALK

Latest version Designed to handle standards better

What’s on this screen < < TABS < < YEAR < < CURRENT COURSES << LINK TO DIFFERENT STANDARDS < < TERM- VIP

What’s on the Student Info Tab? All Demograhic Info – Capabilities to Class/Groups/Individuals enlarged phone number plus Notifications

Reports - usable teacher run reports

Times out for added security

Don’t walk away from your screen, but if you do….

Your SBRC looks like this… How do I enter grades

I can’t read these standards- either! Click on the arrow to expand it, click on the X to close descriptions!

Gradebook vs. Grade Entry Exploring the Assignments Tab Click the + in the lower left

Optional - Creating Assignments

Tying Assignments to Standards

Connecting Assessments to Standards

Assignments - Standards

How Grades Flow…. Brian Andle’s Blog: Explanation of Assignments and Standards Brian Andle’s Blog: Explanation of Assignments and Standards

Allow Assignment Scores to Auto-Calculate Assignment Standards Scores Modified Screenshot

Auto Calculate Higher Level Standards

Control Click in the Box to access Grade choices.

Quick Fill – click on the standard header

Fill Scores saves time! Selecting the Fill Scores option requires a strategy Opt 1- Give everyone a default grade first then change those who were UP or DOWN Opt 2 – Give those few students the exception and then fill all others… applying grade to those with none.

Option for Enter Grades Individually - Score Inspector

Fill Down Saves Time….YOUR TIME! Strategy needed Fill and Change Enter “High and Lows” Fill Majority Fill Majority

Summative comment is associated with HR and scroll to the right! Fill down doesn’t really work for comments! The “C” implies comment saved. You can cut and paste. Beware of the gender or name mistake!!

I need another Category?

PUBLISH PUBLISH ASSIGNMENT With or without score !

Assignments that are √ “Include in Final Grade” MUST be Published Or…. You get an alert

Calculations Using PT Admin- your district will have to set policy on grading standards. The Gradebook will have to be set per school to look: Default setting for final grades Allow teacher modifications OR NOT Calculations for Most Recent Scores

Gradebook Preferences: Standards By default standards are not selected Teachers must check both boxes and set the final grade method Can’t lock preferences- discuss this and set expectations!

YOUR EVIDENCE In Student View- if a standard was assessed multiple times in a term ( associated to multiple assignments) the summary tab provides access to evidence. The calculated grade is a 2 based on the last 3 assessments, if a teacher overrides score based on evidence – “none” would have a score!

Web Gradebook does: CALCULATES Final Score & PROVIDES evidence to support space teacher assessments: POWER still is in the teacher’s ability to override Final Score Mean Median Mode Highest Most Recent -3 (set by Admin) Times Standard was assessed

Set-up can save teacher keystrokes Standard ELA.5.12: Presentation (overall appearance is legible and visually appealing) Assessed 3 times in a term : 4,4,3 What should go on the report card: 4 or 3? Based upon your district’s response – CUT OFF VALUES

Grade Value of Conversions Scales When teachers assess a standard more than once associated to multiple assignments, PTG averages these scores. Grade Value can’t be ZERO as seen earlier in this presentation.

Grade Value of Conversions Scales Depending upon which standard based educator your curriculum folks have read, the concept of AVERAGE isn’t part of the standards movement. YET the Gradebook has to apply some sort equation in order to convert scores to these Grade Labels 4,3,2,1. Feedback from districts to Pearson has resulted in a new version (2.3) of PowerTeacher with the installation of PS 7. Averaging of standards scores assigned to multiple assignments is now becoming clearer. PowerTeacher Gradebook is still evolving!!!!

Optional Idea: Include the rubric as the “description” for each standard. Benefits: Teachers see rubric/Parents as well if assignment was published to the Parent Portal.

Optional Idea: Using the Class Content tab and Class Info Button, teachers could include Class Info/Syllabus/Rubric in the description area. This can be invaluable to parents using the Portal.

Let’s Talk Comments What makes a good comment? Who are you writing them for? How much should you write? Who reads them before they go home? How much time should I allocate? What kind of stuff should I reference? Have you communicated expectations?

Sample Term 3 Nancy was wonderful to have in class. I hope she has a great summer! This is an actual comment! Your DISTRICT may have: 10 Math Standards 15 ELA- Reading and Writing Standards 5 Science Standards 8 Social Studies Standards T3 also runs from the end of March through June

Sample Term 2 Drew is a cheerful and helpful member of our classroom community. He continues to develop his skills in all academic areas of the 2nd grade curriculum. He reads fluently with expression and can use the various comprehension strategies to show his understanding of the text. In his writing, Drew is learning to use the techniques taught to create organized and descriptive pieces. He can quickly and accurately recall the basic math facts and uses them to solve problems. Drew was able to show his understanding of the important concepts introduced in Science and Social Studies this trimester. Where did this teacher get some of her verbiage?

Tips from some Veteran’s I suggest everyone starts with a positive statement, then comment on the MAJOR curriculum areas. I like to throw in a goal for the child the next trimester then end with a positive about how I look forward to continued success. Oh… spell check everything and watch your word counts! Maryann Hogan Grade 2, Floral Street School, Shrewsbury

Sample Comment Writing Activity Pair up by grade level Work with colleagues from different schools Be sure to review standards for T1 Mention student by name Appoint a typist and a spokesperson The data tells you, student: Struggles or exceeds in some math concepts Very inquisitive, hand writing could be better Struggles or exceeds in reading or some other ELA standard Include a behavior and/or effort statement

Gradebook Preferences: Comment Bank Teachers can create their own comment banks – Discuss this Parents prefer Narrative Comments

Gradebook Preferences: Score Codes Teachers can create additional Score Codes for their Gradebook Visible through the Parent Portal

Bob Cornacchioli DERO Technical Services Q & A