Assessing LearningHitting the Mark!

Students Presenting

"This can feel a little crazy at times, as diverse needs seem to arise for many students at once. Referring students to others who have successfully resolved similar problems is helpful, and this encourages interdependence among classmates. Monitoring tools such as self-evaluation forms serve to promote thoughtful discussion between the student and teacher. Having a schedule for regular conferencing help students stay on track, and informal, day-to-day monitoring occurs 'on the fly'." --Jane Krauss

Defining Goals
The Travel USA project is an integrated curriculum. Jane and her teaching team use Oregon's grade 5 benchmarks for content standards in the areas of English, mathematics, and science as they planned the project.

Technology-related activities are aligned with the Guidelines for District Technology Skills for Students For More Info.... The visual arts are in evidence in this project as well, but state standards have yet to be set for this area. Jane identified standards and benchmarks addressed by the project and then used them to prepare scoring guides for each part of Travel USA.

After initial instruction, Jane's teaching shifts to guidance as students start working on projects. She spends time trouble-shooting, evaluating progress, and providing for the material needs of the students.

Monitoring Progress

Self-Monitoring

At the front of the room Jane keeps a checklist for monitoring student accomplishments. A visual timeline on the front board help students and teacher keep track of progress. Jane mounts a poster-sized calendar with milestones of the project to keep project work on track. She also makes a small version of the calendar for herself for formal conferencing, keeping a summary grading sheet to record completed assignments and evaluation scores.

Self-assessing

Sharing Assessment Strategies
"If the group gives you a really low score they have to give you a reason. If you ask them why, they will probably have a reason and tell you why."
-- Kaitlin

"As I spend more time with kids in project work I know they're learning to teach each other as well as communicate better and be able to express how they learn better." --Jane Krauss

Group work for the Travel Agency Simulation is structured so students can assess how well they are working as a team, on a daily basis. Students rate the extent to which they participate fully, share the load, and accomplish work. They also record group accomplishments in terms of what went well, and what needs work. Students evaluate themselves and are evaluated by their teammates. These evaluations are factored into the final project grade.

Students use the posted project timeline and criteria listed in the scoring guides to develop their daily goals on a form. At the end of each work period they reflect on their day's progress using the same form. These forms are kept in individual or team work notebooks that are stored in the classroom. Students use them to self-check, and Jane uses them to monitor and assess progress.

Conferencing

Jane Conferencing

 Jane reviews these forms regularly and uses the information to conference with students, individually or in their team. Conferencing occurs several times a week, more often for students who need more feedback or support. Since these forms are used throughout the project, monitoring is a natural part of the work.

Progress notes are sent home periodically as well, and parent support with homework is encouraged through conferencing when needed.

Self-reflecting

Reflecting
"Today I worked on my city information. I thought about how my group worked today. We worked hard but it was fun. I think we do a nice job of taking turns..." -- Katie

Students
Jane also uses open-ended reflective writing to get information from the students' vantage point. She gives students the same set of prompts for reflective writing at a few critical points during the project.

  • Reflective Writing Prompt

     

    " I wanted to make sure that kids were reflective about the processes that they were going through. And I think all of that reflection really builds a lot of good processes that are going to put them in good shape as they mature and are in relationships or in jobs." --Jane Krauss
Multiple Assessments

Scoring guides set criteria for each part of the project. Students discuss the criteria in advance so they know the quality of work expected. The guides reflect state standards for fifth graders in English, (reading, writing, research), oral communication, and technology. Final scoring is done solely by the teacher.

 

Students Work:

 

The State Reports
Students in Jane's class completed their state reports after hours of thinking researching, and writing. The three complete reports below represent the range of work Jane received.

Self-reflecting

Teachers
Jane takes time to reflect after she watches her students present. Listen for how another teacher considers the results of a project as she observes her students final work.
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