Rigor is Not a Four Letter Word: Assessment and Grading (Ch.8)

The Power of Formative Assessment

How do Formative and Summative Assessments differ?

Formative assessment can also be defined as "Assessment for learning".  This practice is to serve the purpose of promoting our scholar's learning. It differs from Summative assessment which is primarily designed to serve for .accountability, ranking and the certification of competency purposes.   According to the Black report of 2004, formative assessment is most desired as it provides information to be used as feedback, by teachers, and their scholars in assessing themselves and each other in  order to plan, modify teaching and learning.

Blackburn differentiates between the two as such:

Formative Assessment

1. Students are aware of the questions throughout the assessment process
2. Timing is flexible
3. Teacher's feedback is commentary and/or letter or number grade
4. Evaluation is used to guide future learning
5. Considers the students zone of proximal development http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/constructivism.htm
6. Test or task may be flexible
7. Student is involved in self-assessment
8. Sets reachable targets for future learning
9. Results are not used as a report card grade

Summative Assessment

1. Questions on a test are surprises to the student
2. Student must perform within time limits
3. Teacher's feedback is a letter or number grade
4. Evaluation is used to rand and sort students
5. Does not consider the student as an individual learner
6. Test or task is not flexible
7. Assessment by teacher or outside agency only
8. No direct follow-up; when it's over, it's over
9. Results figure in to the report card grade

When invoking the "formative assessment process" the facilitator must consider at the very least three significant steps to ensure student development.

• Look at your students (to learn about them)              
• Watch your student's progress
• Help them G-R-O-W

L:  Observe- One manner of observing students is to take an assessment of what they already know
W: Track- devise a system/structure that will enable you to record, code and measure the degree of mastery
H:  Apply-  use your accrued data to help your students become better readers, writers, thinkers, etc.

What specifically can I do to help my students to G-R-O-W?

G uage where your student are
R ecognize their strengths and weaknesses
O ne step at a time, provide instruction to help them grow
W atch them rise to higher levels.

* * *

Grading Practices
Mindset connection: http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/ 
"one teacher recently said to me, the only thing my students and their parents care about is an A".

In chapter 2:  "Inside The Mindsets" of the book Mindset Dweck reminds us that learning is about stretching onself rembemering formative assessment has to do with us (facilitators) identifing and appropriately working with students in their personal zone of proximal development.

Why do we grade students and what are the frequently expressed perceptions about "grading"?

When we grade we (Guskey and Bailey):

• communicate the achievement status of our scholars
• provide information they can use for self-evaluation;
• select, identify, and group students;
• provide incentives for students to learn
• evaluate effectiveness of instructional programs/practices
• provide evidence of students' lack of effort, responsibility

Blackburn shares her early challenges with assessment and cites her shift of "grading to justify grades" to evaluating student performance and communicating with students and parents to better impress upon them the need to intensify learning.

In order to decrease the phobias and hesitation that exists around grading and assessing student performance we can:

• recognize the value of grading to students, parents and others (value chart p. 136)

understand why a student or parent is concerned about grading. This will enable teachers and administrators to more effectively communicate the impetus behind your criteria.

• shift the emphasis to learning

de-emphasize the degree of weight placed on letters and numbers: seek to establish an understanding/culture "growth mindsets as opposed to that of the fixed"

• provide clear guidelines

provide scholars with rubrics that will enable them to have a clear understanding as to what you want them to know and or be able to do.  Offer examples of what success looks like (use student samples or even your own. Rigor is not simply making the work harder but in raising the bar it is our responsibility to set clear and concise scaffold assessments that would make achievement more plausible and probable. Revisit: Chapter 5 pgs. 84-89.

• require quality work

EXPECT THEM TO DO AND THEY WILL DO! INCREASED EXPECTATION LEADS TO INCREASED RIGOR! Set the standard and put the supports, systems, structures in place that will empower students to meet or exceed the height of the preset bar.
On page 139 a sample rubric provides the scholar with a clear overview of what he/she is expected to do.  The areas are defined as performance elements and each are weighted and defined by 3 modifiers (Outstanding, Great and Not Yet).  With such a tool, learners can regularly monitor their progress and ensure that they are filfilling all of the requirements as stated by the facilitator.

• communicate clearly

be clear and clearly articulate your policy about grades (classwork, homework, missing assignments, participation, etc.)

Considerations of a grading policy should include:

1. description of types of assessments (tests, projects, homework)
2. description of weight of assessments (percentage of grade)
3. overall expectations for completion (completion/not yet project policy)
4. procedures for making up work (student absenteeism)
5. opportunities for extra help (regularly scheduled days, times, periods)

• be patient

challenges with grading/assessing students are ongoing and we must therefore consistently monitor our practice and work under 5 Principles for Evaluation and Grading as posted below.

1. use a variety of assessments
2. make sure the type of assessment matches your purpose
3. clearly explain what you are evaluating and the purpose of the evaluation
4. create and provide explicit guidelines for grading
5. build in opportunities for students to succeed