C&I204: Planning for Instruction

1. C&I204: Planning for Instruction October 17, 2011

2. Today’s Class • Review the Keys to Quality Assessment • Review Clear Targets (objectives) • Explore examples of how teachers share learning targets with students • Discuss Assessment Bias • Discuss Inquiry Process and the Classroom Management Project • Work with your CM group

3. Keys To Quality Assessment Accurate Assessment 2. Assess What? 1. Why Assess? What’s the purpose?  Who will use the results? What are the learning targets?  Are they clear?  Are they good? 3. Assess How? Design What method?  Sampled how?  Avoid bias how?  Students are users, too. Be sure students understand targets. 4. Communicate How? Students can participate in the assessment process Students track progress and communicate. How to manage information?  How to report? Effectively Used 3

4. Reviewing Standards Let’s take a look at the format of the Illinois Learning Standards • Goal- very broad statement • Standards that relate to that goal • Benchmark (Not used very often) • Performance Descriptor • IIRC • ISBE

5. Tips for Making Targets Clear to Students • Turn the target statement into one or more “I can statements” • Use key words that have only one interpretation • Make sure the actions students will take to demonstrate their achievement are clear • Select action words or phrases that make explicit what students are expected to do. • Make sure students not only know WHAT needs to be in their work, but how to get there.

6. Visual Representation of Targets

11. Formative Assessments Agree/Disagree • Activate student thinking • Are active/kinesthetic • Uncover student ideas/preconceptions/conceptions Card Sort • Put choices on strips of paper or cards • Work in teams sort card First Word/Last Word • Variation of acrostics • Used to activate student thinking about a concept or topic • First Word – at beginning of unit – to uncover student ideas • Last Word – after learning experiences – to allow comparison of ideas/growth and depth of understanding

12. Formative Assessments QuickWrite (One-minute papers) • At the end of each class, take a minute or two to jot down on a slip of paper the most important point of the day. A-Z Review • Students work in teams and come up words or phrases related to content that match each letter of the alphabet 3-2-1 • Students indicate with a show of fingers how much they understand a concept (3- I could teach it, 2- Heard of it but need a review, 1- I have no idea)

13. Formative Assessments RSQC2: • recall and list in rank order the most important ideas • summarize those points in a single sentence, • question they want answered, • connectthis material to the course's major goal. PMI • Plus/Minus/Interesting Exit Slips • Students answer a question about a lesson before transitioning Bright Idea/Muddy Water • one or two ideas that were least clear to them from the lesson • One or two ideas that were clear to them from the lesson

14. Formative Assessments Clickers Whiteboards/Dry Erase Markers Index Cards • All can be used to have students answer questions during class discussion • Provides teacher with information about every student instead of just a few as in a question/answer session

15. Assessment Bias Anything within the assessment, the learner or the environment that causes the assessment data to be misrepresented or distort results • Poorly written test items • Cultural, ethnic or social bias • Poor lighting, noise and other distractions • Poor reproduction of materials • Student’s reading or writing level • Disposition of the student Example

16. Why Inquiry? • Focuses on people’s natural inquisitiveness • Student control, responsibility and choice increases self-efficacy and is motivating • Helps develop problem-solving skills • Students are engaged in authentic, meaningful learning experiences • Small group interactions are “life-like” • Allows for differentiated instruction • Develops proficient readers and thinkers

17. Inquiry Process • Topics based on student curiosity, questions, interests • Dig deeply into complex, authentic topics that matter • Flexible grouping • Student responsibility with peer leadership • Use of proficient reader/thinker researcher strategies • Draws on multigenre, multimedia resources • Going beyond fact-finding to synthesizing and applying knowledge • Actively using knowledge: take action, share, go public • Match learning to state and district curriculum

18. Classroom Management Inquiry Groups Guidelines are posted on the Wiki Getting Started- • In your group, formulate some researchable questions about your Classroom Management approach • Plan meeting logistics and how you will share information • Think about who you might interview

19. Next Time • Wednesday, October 19: Inquiry Group Work time • Read Ch. 5, Direct Instructional Strategies • Start formulating the instructional strategies for your lesson plan • Blog Post #3: You will reading your classmates’ blogs and thoughtfully responding to 3 of them (You will not need to write a 3rd post of your own) Due 10/19 • Blog Post #4: You will be using a Web 2.0 Tool to share your thoughts (I’ve used VoiceThread) We will discuss this in class