Examining Student Work EIP Training Session 2 February 5, 2003 Thomaston, CT Alice Henley Consultant SERC 25 Industrial Park Road Middletown, CT (860) X311

? Essential Questions ? How does examining student work collaboratively promote reflection on instructional practice? How does examining student work improve instruction that will meet the needs of all learners? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

A Sample of One Teacher’s Feedback to A Student Can we do better?

Examining student work has always been part of a teacher’s job. But, in recent years, that practice has moved from being a solitary activity to being a more collaborative effort in which teachers learn about their practice by sharing with and listening to colleagues. Tools for Schools, NSDC, Feb/March 2001

TTYN Turn To Your Neighbor Turn to your ‘ shoulder ’ partner or ‘ face ’ partner when directed and take two minutes to identify key words in the following statement.

Protocols and Purposes Protocols provide a safe environment for teachers to share their students ’ work with colleagues, reflect on their own practice, ask questions, and give and receive feedback. The structure keeps teachers focused for a significant period on what ’ s actually in the student work – the most important evidence of teaching and learning. Protocols are way of making the most of the time people do have.

Protocols and Purposes Protocols provide a safe environment for teachers to share their students ’ work with colleagues, reflect on their own practice, ask questions, and give and receive feedback. The structure keeps teachers focused for a significant period on what ’ s actually in the student work – the most important evidence of teaching and learning. Protocols are way of making the most of the time people do have.

Protocols and Purposes Cumulative - look an an accumulated body of evidence and draw new meaning Descriptive - heighten understanding of an individual child Evaluative - analyze and then change teaching strategies and/or curriculum Perspective - take a moment in time and then extend outward Reflective - look at the authenticity of a task

Various Protocols

COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING 1.Gather Information, Identify Focused Concern and Collect Data 2.Determine Objective (s) (in measurable terms) 3.Generate Strategies/Solutions (brainstorm ideas for teacher to use) 4.Develop and Implement Plan (who.. will do what…when…where…and for how long) 5.Monitor Progress and Evaluate (adjust or create a new plan as needed)

Facilitation Tips There are likely to be places in the protocols where there is some level of discomfort. It is the job of the team to provide feedback, not “fix” the problem or to offer definitive answers. When presenter is “listening” physical distance from group can help. Remind them not to get defensive and to take notes. Presenters need to listen for new ideas, perspectives, and approaches. This is not about them, it is about the question they have raised. The crucial step is for the presenters to talk about the what were, for them, the most important feedback, comments, ideas and questions they heard.

Getting Ready Select a project, task or assessment that addresses a school wide goal. Or in a specific student case, an overlying problem or concern. Typically, a worksheet or quiz is not enough of a basis for giving feedback. Make sure any relevant materials are also made available, e.g. rubrics, timelines, etc. Select student work that is an authentic response to a task. You may need to include drafts, reflections, etc.

Getting Ready Frame a question that has real interest for you. –Broad questions such as “What are the strengths and weaknesses you see in this student’s work?” “Will elicit a wide range of answers.” –Narrow questions may provide feedback that is most useful. “What evidence is there in the students’ work of mathematical problem solving?”

Developed by The Prospect Archive and Center for Education and Research, North Bennington, VT to focus on the work of one student as a way to better understand that student’s way of knowing. Review of Process – Facilitator reviews the process. The process is formal. You are free to pass. Everyone listens carefully. There is no cross dialogue. Comments are kept short. Setting the Tone – Practice responding descriptively. Separate judgment from description. Descriptive Review

Work is Presented/Context – Teacher puts the work out for the team to see and /or read. Teacher then provides a brief introduction to the work. Descriptive Rounds – Selection of rounds is based on type of work. Examples include: literal description, what is the student working on, teaching focus, recommendations, debrief/feedback. Each round builds on the previous one, seeking to identify a child’s strengths and deepen an appreciation for the individual child.

Descriptive Review Hearing from the Teacher – Presenter has time to say what was learned about this child. Reflecting – The group reflects on the process.

Descriptive Review Timetable StepsTime Review of Process 5 minutes Setting the Tone15 minutes Work is Presented with Context 5 minutes Descriptive Rounds30 minutes Hearing from the Teacher10 minutes Reflecting 5 minutes

Let’s Try One…

name Let’s Try One…

Questioning Research Questions or Inquiry Questions (What are the learning benefits of writing in math?) Focusing Questions (How is the rubric working?) Clarifying Questions (How were the students grouped?) (Not Why? – just quick succinct answers)

Probing Questions (Why did you choose this story?) Feedback Questions (Have you thought about involving the students in the writing of the rubrics?) Reflection Questions (What worked well?) Facilitator ’ s Questions (What do you see that makes you say it is creative?)

Collaborative Assessment Conference Developed at Harvard University’s Project Zero to provide a means for teachers to look together at pieces of student work and discuss, quite literally, what they see. Getting Started – Group chooses a facilitator to keep them on task. Presenting teacher puts the selected work in a place where everyone can see it. Participants observe or read the work, making notes. Describing the Work – “What do you see?” Group members respond without making interpretations, evaluations about the quality of the work, or statements of personal preference.

Collaborative Assessment Conference Raising Questions – “What questions does this raise for you?” Presenting teacher makes notes but does not respond yet. Speculating about What the Student is Working On – “What do you think the child is working on?” Participants offer their ideas. Hearing from the Presenting Teacher - Presenter provides her perspective, describes what she sees, answers any questions raised and adds other information.

Collaborative Assessment Conference Discussing implications for teaching and learning – Together the group discusses their own teaching, children’s learning and ways to support this student. Reflecting on the conference – The group reflects on the process.

Collaborative Assessment Conference Timetable StepsTime Getting Started 5 minutes Describing the Work 8 minutes Raising Questions 7 minutes Speculating about What the Student is Working On 5 minutes Hearing from the Teacher15 minutes Discussing Implications 10 minutes Reflecting 5 minutes

Let’s Try One… K-2 Task Which objects do you think will float and which do you think will sink? Be sure to make predictions and categorize the objects that sink. What do you think they have in common or how are they different?

Tuning Protocol Developed by the Coalition of Essential Schools to provide teachers with feedback on authentic assessments. Introduction – Facilitator introduces the protocol. Participants introduce themselves. Presentation - A teacher shares samples of student work and sets the context by describing the teaching/learning situation. The presenter offers a focusing question. Participants take notes. Clarifying Questions – Participants can ask non- evaluative questions.

Tuning Protocol Examination of Work/Individual Writing – Participants write their thoughts and suggestions for strategies. Participant Discussion/Feedback – Presenter listens to the discussion. Participants discuss issues raised, striving to understand the situation and raise possible answers. Presenter Reflection – Presenter talks about the discussion. Participants again take notes. Debriefing – Presenter and participants discuss both the process and the content of the protocol.

Tuning Protocol Timetable StepsTime Introduction 3 minutes Presentation12 minutes Clarifying Questions 5 minutes Examination of Work/Individual Writing 7 minutes Participant Discussion12 minutes Presenter Reflection 5 minutes Debriefing 5 minutes

Let’s Try One…

Listening to Colleagues’ Thinking Listen without judging. Recognize you bring your own assumptions to the table. Try to leave them at the door. Use controversy as an opportunity to explore and understand each others’ perspectives. Make your own thinking clear to others. Be patient and persistent. HORACE, November 1996, p.2, Coalition of Essential Schools

“ If teachers are to become skilled at independently identifying and addressing idiosyncratic learning problems of their students, they must learn to reflect critically on student work as well as on their own teaching practices. ” Source: “ Lifelines to the classroom: Designing support for beginning teachers ”, by Kendyll Stansbury and Joy Zimmerman. Knowledge Brief, WestEd, 2000.

Reflection Ask yourself “ Why do I see this student work this way? What does this tell me about what is important to me?" Look for patterns. Compare what you see and what you think about the student work with what you do in the classroom.

When You Reflect, Ask What did you see that was interesting or surprising in the student work? What did you learn about how the student learns? What did you learn from your colleagues? What questions do you have? What will you try in your classroom as a result of this exercise?

Standards in Practice Developed by The Education Trust in 1997 to allow for alignment between classroom assignments and instruction with standards. Setting the Stage - A teacher volunteers to bring in a sample assignment and a set of student work. Completing the Assignment - Group members do the assignment in order to experience the task.

Standards in Practice Identifying Standards – Group takes the standards they are using and find those standards to which this assignment might be directed. Creating a Scoring Guide - Construct a scoring guide (rubric) for this specific assignment. The range should be 4=ideal work, to 1=minimal effort. The rubric must include words denoting quality.

Standards in Practice Scoring the Work – Participants use the scoring guide to score the student work, first individually then as a team. Summarize results - Does this work meet the standards? If not, what are we going to do about it? Create an action plan. “ Was the assignment well designed to help students achieve the standards. ”

Standards in Practice Timetable StepsTime Setting the Stage 5 minutes Completing the Assignment10 minutes Identifying Standards10 minutes Creating a Scoring Guide 10 minutes Scoring the Work10 minutes Summarize results 10 minutes

The Assignment

Effective Questions to Ask for Examining Student Work What does the student know/do? What are the student’s interests? What are the student’s strengths? What strategies does the student use? What strategies are not used? Are there patterns in errors? What are the next steps for instruction?

Other Protocols to Consider Action Reflection Protocol (Education Development Center) Art Shack (Riverdale Grade School, Portland OR) ATLAS Learning from Student Work (ATLAS Communities) California Protocol (CA Center for School Restructuring) Case Story (CES) The Charrette

Other Protocols to Consider Chalk Talk (CES) Collaborative Analysis of Student Learning (CAStle) ASCD Constructivist Protocol (Daniel Baron at Harmony School, IN) Consultancy (CES/Annenberg Institute National School Reform Faculty) Critical Incidents Protocol (See Costa & Killick’s model as well as David Tripp’s work)

Other Protocols to Consider Final Word Protocol (Coalition for Essential Schools) Learning Record Assessment System (Mary Barr, Center for Language in Learning)(formerly CA) Lesson Study (Japan) Primary Language Record (Centre for Language in Primary Education, London) Slice (Joseph McDonald) Sticky Issues (CES) Text-Based Seminar (CES)

Web Sites “ Examining Student Work ” by Ruth Mitchell Learning About Student Work ALPS Active Learning Practices for Schools Rounds at Project Zero Education Trust

More Web Sites 02.html Looking Collaboratively at Student Work: An Essential Toolkit CATALYST: Voices of Chicago School Reform “Hoover Middle School Teachers Examine Student Work” Coalition of Essential Schools

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