1. Beyond the Benchmark: Using Daily Running Records and Other Formative Assessments to Inform Instruction
Summer Institute 2015

2. Course Description
When we ask the essential question, “How will I know if my students have learned it” we need to answer that with the assessments we use in the classroom. What is a common assessment? How do I use assessments, such as running records, to inform my instruction and improve student achievement? In this session, we will take a look at these questions and develop a common understanding about assessments and how to use them.
1 minute

3. Today’s Goals Participants will be able to…
Distinguish between formative and summative assessments
Use a variety of assessment strategies to analyze the needs of your students and plan for future teaching
Write effective common assessments as a PLC
Use common assessment data to plan for future instruction
Implement daily running records
Analyze and use daily running records
1 minute

4. I can distinguish between formative and summative assessments.
Starting Getting There Got it!
I can name a variety of formative assessments that I use in my classroom to inform daily instruction.
I conduct running records on my 3-6 grade students.
I know how to analyze running records to plan for on the spot and future instruction.
I use common formative assessments to inform my PLC team. Starting Getting There Got it!
I help students self-reflect using common formative assessments.
I plan corrective instruction/enrichment based on common formative assessments.
5 minutes

5. Tentative Schedule Session 1 Session 2 Session 3
Formative vs. Summative
Types of Formative Assessments
Session 2
Implementing and Analyzing Running Records
Session 3
Common Assessments
Other Formative Assessment Strategies

6. Grounding: Formative vs. Summative
Read section from Checking for Understanding. Annotate using the 3-5 District Annotation Marks
Underline major points or key ideas
circle key words or phrases that are confusing or unknown to you
use a question mark for questions you have during reading … be sure to record your question(s)
put a box around any academic words that might be important
use an exclamation mark for things that surprise you… briefly note what caught your attention
making a connection to something inside the text or to an idea or experience outside the text… briefly note your connection ?
15 minutes
Handout: Article !

7. Current Assessment Practices
Formative Assessments
Interim/
Benchmark Assessments
Summative Assessments
Purpose
Examples
10 minutes
HANDOUT: Types of Assessments

8. Current Assessment Practices
Formative Assessments
Interim/
Benchmark Assessments
Summative Assessments
Purpose
-Day to day assessments given that give immediate feedback to inform instruction
-given during a unit while instruction is still occurring
- Assessment FOR learning for classroom teachers instructional purposes
-given at intervals throughout year to evaluate student progress toward academic goals
- inform instruction at a classroom level
- also used to inform instruction at a school/district level
- measures student growth over time
-state or standardized tests that measure grade level proficiency or course knowledge
- used for student, school, and district accountability
- “sums up” student learning for a grade
Examples
-conferring
-quick quizzes
-running records
-exit slips
-whiteboards
-observations
-rubrics
- graphic organizers
- peer/self evaluations
-response logs
-2 sentence summary
-Writing continuum (when used throughout the year)
-Teacher/student discussion, Think Pair Share
-PALS quick checks
- Words their Way sorts/assessments
-Benchmarks
-MAP
-Writing Continuum
-PALS
- Words their Way Inventory
- Smater Balanced Assessment
MAP
District Writing Assessment in grades 2 & 5
ACT/SAT
- Unit Tests
Final projects/presentations
Include Analyzing Data to Guide Instruction handout
5 minutes

9. Formative vs. Summative Assessments
1 minute

10. What Formative Assessment is NOT
“Any questions?”
“Everyone understand?”
“Does that make sense?”
“Let me know if you need help.”
2 minutes

11. 5 minute write: Types of Formative Assessment
What is one type of successful formative assessment you have used in your classroom? What made it successful? What materials were needed? What did you use it to measure? How much time did it take? What made it formative vs. summative?
Share: Hand up, Stand Up, Pair Up
10 minutes
Name one you learned from someone else!

12. 5 Minute Break: Ticket Out
Complete my thought in two words or less.
Taking running records with intermediate students is….
12 minutes

13. Formative Assessment Strategy: Running Records
Benchmarks
Summative information
Determine a child’s instructional level at that point in time
Done 3 times/year
Standardized
Specific texts
Assess fluency, word attack skills, comprehension
Running Records
Formative information
On the spot decisions
Done frequently throughout the year
Variety of texts
Left hand, right hand, both
5 minutes

14. Isn’t this a primary thing?
Set the stage for a reading conference
Gives you insight into a child’s decoding strategies
Gives you insight into a child’s understanding based on their fluency
Determine if it is a child’s text truly is just right
Determine a child’s processing in a variety of texts
Gives students a sense of accountability
2 minutes

15. Documentation MATTERS!
Running record sheets
Notebook paper
Conference notes
Monthly chart
5 minutes
Running record sheets
Stack in binder ready to use
Hole punch and put behind child’s conference notes

16. Practice Running Record #1
Listen to the following reading. Take a running record using the same marks you use for benchmarking and the text provided.
10 minutes

17. Analyze a Running Record
MSV Analysis: A running record without MSV analysis only tells you how they sound and how many errors. It is necessary to analyze a child’s errors to determine teaching points.
Meaning: Does their error make sense?
Structure: Does their error sound right? Do they pay attention to grammar and make it sound right?
Visual: Does their error look right? What type of visual information are their using (beginning, middle, end)
What kind of self-corrections do they make? Are they fixing up for meaning, structure, or visual information?
10 minutes
Discuss percentages/100 words

18. But there’s no comprehension questions to ask them!
Resource: Question Stems
Within
Beyond
About
2 minutes

19. Choose Teaching Points
Choose 1-2 teaching points for right now to move that child forward. Practice right there in the text.
Jot down 1-2 teaching points for later in the child’s conference notes. Use these to plan your reading conferences or small group instruction for students with similar needs.
5 minutes
Consult F & P continuum

20. Practice #2
Partner 1: Read the piece provided, making some M/S/V errors along the way.
Partner 2: Take a running record
Analyze the record together. Choose 1-2 teaching points.
Switch roles and repeat.
20 minutes

21. 10 Minute Break: Ticket Out
Whip Around
The important thing about running records is…
15 minutes

22. Formative Assessment Strategy: Common Assessments
A common assessment is an assessment given by a team of teachers who teach the same grade level or the same content area. They share the responsibility for the learning of a group of students.
For an assessment to be truly common, all teachers must participate. All teachers use the same instrument and the same grading criteria for determining student proficiency.
2 minutes

23. What Makes it Common? Student Learning Objective Protocol
Proficiency Criteria
Timeline for implementation
Follow Up Discussion
Materials
Independent/ Instructional level text
Read aloud
Whole group, small group, one to one
Assessment tool
2 minutes

24. Why Common Formative Assessments?
More efficient for teachers than planning assessments on their own
Provides equity for students
Provides an effective strategy for determining whether the curriculum is being taught AND learned
Encourages team discussions about instructional practices
Develop systematic interventions
2 minutes

25. Why Common Formative Assessments?
Address all four PLC focus areas:
What do we want students to know?
How will we know if they’ve learned it?
What will we do if they don’t?
What will we do if they already know it?
Makes for efficient, data driven progress report processes
Will be an effective way to monitor progress on Student Learning Objectives (SLO’s) that will be team written
2 minutes

26. Common Assessment Myths
I can’t teach today. We have a common assessment.
Common assessments are done at the end of an assessment.
I can’t do that assessment in my classroom because my colleagues aren’t doing it.
I have to do it TODAY or it’s not common!
My ELL students and/or special education students have to do it exactly like we are.
5 minutes

27. Where do we start?!?! Where are you at right now? Start there!
It has been the district goal to begin designing common assessments during PLCs…every building is in a different place with this and needs to continue to grow.
Set a team goal for the remainder of the year…it will set you and your team up for success next year 
Do you have common assessments for report card standards?
For focus standards in OEU’s?
Do students have multiple opportunities to show success with report card standards?
2 minutes

28. And…You’ve Already Started 
We have a variety of common assessments already in place- summative and formative.
MAPS
Running Records
Benchmarks
Words Their Way Inventory
Writing Continuum
Amy
2 minutes
They may not address specific standards, but do give you a focus for instruction.

29. 7 Step Process to Writing a Common Assessment
Decide what to assess
Decide how to assess.
Develop the assessment plan.
Determine the timeline.
Write the assessment.
Review the assessment.
Set proficiency criteria.
All 7 steps: 20 minutes
Handout- note taking sheet for 7 steps

30. Sample Common Assessments
Talk at your table. What are some examples of tasks that you are already asking your students to do?
What would make them a common assessment?
Share out brief examples.
10 minutes

31. Resources for Writing Your Common Assessments
Committee Work
Module Planners
5 minutes
Done for report card standards only as this point
Module planners to know which standards to focus on as a starting point

32. Reminders
Don’t over do it on one assessment- focus on a single standard or teaching point so it is easy to assess and reteach.
Do not plan to do this at the END of your OEU- that is summative and will not allow you time to reteach.
Think simple 
Amy
2 minutes

33. We’ve Written our Assessment: Now What?!
Look at your assessment data to determine the needs of your students. Plan for Corrective Instruction Chart
Who needs extensive reteaching in a small group?
Who needs a quick reminder/reteach in a conference or small group conference?
Who needs enrichment in a conference or a small group conference?
Remember: What we do with our assessment data is infinitely more important than the assessment itself!
5 minutes

34. Record Keeping Documents
How do you track your common assessment data?
By student?
By standard?
By OEU?
Record keeping is an important part of knowing your students and their needs!
Have a record keeping system for your common assessments and your assessing within an OEU
Tiffany
5 minutes

35. Formative Assessment Strategy: Reader’s Notebook
The Reader’s Notebook is an excellent way to see students’ thinking, either through a prompted response or through their own thinking about their text
A rubric for Reader’s Notebook Expectations helps students understand the accountability and self-reflect on their practices
A Reader’s Notebook gives you instant information when you sit down to confer with a student
5 minutes

36. Formative Assessment Strategy: Reading/Book Logs
Does the student read daily?
What kinds of texts are they reading?
How long do they read?
Are just the books just right?
Do they finish their books?

37. Formative Assessment Strategy: Observational Notes
Book clubs, Conferences, Partner work, turn and talk, share time
Do they participate?
Is the student able to offer ideas or build on ideas?
Is the student able to use strategies with some support, little support, or independently?

38. Involving Students in Formative Assessments
Self-reflection rubrics
Red, Yellow, Green Scale
Conferring
Common Assessment feedback
Goal setting
Writing Continuum
5 minutes

39. Assessment is NOT a dirty word!
Assessments happen all day every day- it’s natural for teachers!
Balance is key.
Find ways to keep “checking for understanding” engaging for students so they understand the importance
Whip Around
2 Minute Write
Hand up, Stand Up, Pair Up
Four Corners
Ticket out
Additional ideas on list provided
ctional_Tools/60FormativeAssessment.pdf
10 minutes

40. Ticket Out: Goal Setting
I used to think ____________________ about formative assessments/running records/common assessments, but now I think _________________________________.

41. Professional Resources