1. Grading AND Assessment IN THE MYP AT GWA
Thursday October 6/2016
1:45-2:15pm
ROOM 314

2. Today’s Objective:
The objective for today is to learn about criterion referenced assessment and how students are assessed in the MYP.
We will focus on the following:  
the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and its academic structure and
how criteria are used to assess concepts taught in each subject area at GWA.
“best –fit” approach to grading assessments and determining overall grades.

3. The Philosophy
Assessment is a continuous process and is designed to address the MYP objectives in each of the eight subject groups and the personal project, according to a criterion-referenced approach.
From the IBO Standards Document

4. Assessment is… Formative and Summative Criterion-related
different criteria for each subject
IB assessment criteria are used to assess both formative and summative work and must address all objectives within the criterion.
Ongoing and process-oriented (part of the learning experience).
A reflection of the student’s abilities and achievement level at the end of the course.
“Best Fit” against the criteria, taking into consideration a number of different tasks.

5. Assessment activities should:
Assess the application of knowledge, rather than the recall of facts.
Be varied in the type of activities to address different objectives
Inform student, parent and teacher about the student’s achievement against the criteria
Allow students the opportunity to reach the highest band of the rubric
Be a reflection of the student’s abilities and achievement level

6. Rubrics are… A communication tool with students A teaching tool
Used in every subject, for summative and formative tasks
Contain criteria, descriptors, levels of achievement

7. A B C D CRITERION Subject Groups
Language and Literature (Language A: English and Arabic)
Analysing
Organizing
Producing Text
Using Language
Language Acquisition (Language B – French, Spanish and Arabic
Comprehending spoken and visual text
Comprehending written and visual text
Communicating
Using language
Individuals and Societies (Humanities)
Knowing and Understanding
Investigating
Thinking critically
Sciences
Inquiring and Designing
Processing and evaluating
Reflecting on the impacts of science
Mathematics
Investigating Patterns
Applying mathematics in real-world contexts
Arts
Developing skills
Thinking Creatively
Responding
Physical and Health Education
Planning for performance
Applying and Performing
Reflecting and improving performance
Design
Inquiring and Analysing
Developing ideas
Creating the solution
Evaluating
MYP Projects
Planning
Taking action
Reflecting

8. MYP GRADES 1-7
Grade
Boundary Guidelines
Descriptor 1
1-5
Produces work of very limited quality. Conveys many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding of most concepts and contexts. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills. 2
6-9
Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts. Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills. 3
10-14
Produces work of an acceptable quality. Communicates basic understanding of many concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations. 4
15-18
Produces good-quality work. Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations, but requires support in unfamiliar situations. 5
19-23
Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations and, with support, some unfamiliar real-world situations. 6
24-27
Produces high-quality, occasionally innovative work. Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real-world situations, often with independence. 7
28-32
Produces high-quality, frequently innovative work. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real-world situations.

10. Reflection
Student reflection is critical when learning from both formatives and summatives.
Students need to ask the following questions as they review what they learned.
Where did I “go wrong”, “what did I miss”
How could you have done better?
Where did you feel you were successful?
In the MYP students are given opportunities to evaluate their work to support further learning and academic development, examples include:
Portfolios
Interviews
Group Discussions