Critical Evidence

Doug Reeves is known for getting right to the point. In a recent article in the American School Board Journal (1), he continues that tradition. His point in the article is that folklore often prevails over evidence. This is true not only for students who will be exposed to more evidence-based reading than ever with the Common Core Standards. He also makes it clear that school leaders and teachers also must be critical consumers of research and facts. A few of the typical myths due to lack of critical review of the literature are:
·         Giving everyone a trophy is an effective motivational strategy.
·         Curriculum and instruction must be customized for every type of learner.
·         If we had more data, we could make better decisions.

With all due respect to Doug Reeves, I’d like to be so brazen as to add a few myths about assessment:

·         More standardized testing will raise our students’ scores on international comparisons

·         One test is all it takes to know how well students have mastered their learning
·         One test is all it takes to evaluate a teacher
·         One test is all it takes for students to demonstrate college and career readiness.

Educational outcomes have not improved with the advancement of standardized testing. This is a complex issue that can only be improved by looking beyond the core.

(1)Doug Reeves, Claims vs. Evidence. American School board Journal, September 2012, pg. 36

Students as Assessors

During a classroom observation in Mr. T’s room, he announced a pop-quiz. Students’ faces quickly turned sour and murmurs of anxiety could be heard. A short while later, when I observed Ms. M’s classroom it was obvious that students approached assessment with curiosity and an open mind. So, what’s the difference in how they plan and manage assessment?

Ms. M. told the students what the learning targets were at the beginning of class. She explained how they would be evaluated at the end of the unit. During learning, the students weren’t aware that they were continually being assessed. They thought that the ball toss review was for fun. As students used trackers to record their learning they liked the helpful notes and stickers Ms. M. put on their papers. They didn’t mind making the changes and corrections she recommended because they knew it would improve their final scores.

When it came time for the test in Ms. M’s room, students prepared by writing test questions and quizzing each other. Sometimes they played games such as bingo or jeopardy. On the test they often had a choice of questions. They could complete 20 of the selected choice, 2 of the matching, pick 10 fill-in, and had a choice of essays, case studies, and problems to solve. Sometimes they watched a brief video or reviewed a website as part of the unit test. One time, Ms. M. even asked them to write case studies for the test.

When students have this type of engagement, empowerment, preparation, and ownership of assessment, their scores on local tests improve. The school noted that her students’ scores on standardized tests were higher. Was it confidence, a flexible mindset, or just good teaching - what do you think?

There is Nothing Authentic About Paper and Pencil Tests

Most educators would agree that standardized testing has a purpose. It can provide a big picture view of student learning and periodic snapshots of mastery. But, what about authentic and alternative measures of learning? The Common Core claims to assess performance but, it will require students to use their math and literacy skills to solve only paper and pencil problems.

How can authentic classroom experience be designed to support the Common Core Standards? The first step is to select one or two standards and then develop a progression from the standard, to instructional objectives, learning targets, high yield instruction, application of learning in real-world situations, and a range of assessments including formative, interim, and summative.

For example rather than asking students to calculate the perimeter and area of geometric shapes they could use those shapes to construct a town, robot, or 3D map within the constraints of a given area. In the classroom teachers can pre-assess student’s knowledge of shapes and formulas then target instruction to the gaps in learning. During instruction students can play a grab bag game where they match the shape to the formula. Finally, before the summative test, students write their own test questions and quiz each other.

These types of strategies blend the knowledge required for large-scale assessment with strategies that engage students in building this knowledge and demonstrating their proficiencies.

Drilling Down

There is no doubt that the Common Core State Standards will significantly change teaching and learning. Their emphasis on English Language Arts and Mathematics will place a distinct focus on teaching those skills in preparation for large-scale tests.

It’s equally if not more important to focus on local assessments. These are the assessments that take place minute by minute in the classroom and are used on a daily basis to uncover and display learning. They are embedded in instruction and shared between grade level and content teachers. These are the assessments that guide lesson plans, teaching strategies, selection of resources, and instructional responses.

 Developers of the Common Core say that the new standards will require substantial changes in curriculum and instruction. Few are saying that they will also require changes to everyday assessment. The importance of identifying the gap between the standards and their assessment is as important as closing the gap between socioeconomic groups.

Changes in the classroom will include reading textual material and then demonstrating learning through solving problems, conducting debates, and infusing digital literacy. It is in the classroom with formative assessments, checklists, learning logs, and rubrics that teachers engage students in assessment and use this information to improvement learning outcomes. It’s too late to wait for the standardized test results.