current role

• 10 years of teaching

• math coordinator

personal definition of assessment

• assessment is simply a procedure for making inferences

• no valid assessment but valid inferences

go to assessments

• whiteboards (opportunities to respond during class)

• with other teachers--> pause for conversation

how do you work smarter not harder?

• understanding what inference he is trying to make to take that to instruction

• challenges between understanding at risk assessments and proficiency ones (differences between the purposes based on the students)

can you share a story in how and what you assessed?

• He was a student in geometry, he was supposed to learn the distance formula, but he didn't want to. The teacher helped him work it out and understand his feelings about the issue.

give students and teachers opportunities to have flexible thinking

3rd grade teacher -- 6th year of teaching

personal definition of assessment

• getting to know what the kids now and how she is going to use that information

go-to assessments

• exit tickets on anything

• quick assessments are better

how do you work smarter not harder?

• make students do more of it to help themselves and others

• less work for you to grade each individual score

having an exit ticket every single day helped her learn more about her students and know where each of them are at and how she can help them

it allowed the student-teacher relationship grow and helped build the trust bridge

building relationships with the students and their families is so important!

sitting "with" them to help them and not at your teacher desk

connecting with each individual student in a way that interests them

laying out procedures and classroom structure at the beginning of the year will help smoothness in the classroom throughout the year

21 years of teaching

personal definition of assessment?

• students are being assessed all of the time to know how well the students are learning and where they are at

• her goal is for every student to grow in her classroom

• it is not all about the content

using small groups allows the teacher to see what the kids are doing and be present to help them

collaborate and keep the team close to you to get more accomplished

don't walk alone--lean into your co-workers and observe others' classrooms!!!

resources

• twitter (seeing what other schools/teachers post)

• constantly looking for new things!

• "How do you hug a porcupine?"

  
  

instructional coaching coordinator

started teaching in 1992

7 years teaching ELA

personal definition of assessment: having a goal or objective in your life that you want to accomplish

• Then you can see where you are at and what you need to do to get to your goal

Rubrics keep you more objective and close to the meaningful standards. Rubrics should be created by you so you can determine what the standards and objectives are that you want your students to match.

Students receive rubrics in advance, with the knowledge of what students need to accomplish, how they need to do it, and what skills they will need to have. This was very impactful for students because they could self-assess and know what they needed to work harder and what they may need guidance or improve on.

Resources: Excellence in Every Classroom (teaching period hierarchy)

Kindergarten teacher for 27 years

• 4th grade 1 year

• some pre-K

personal definition of assessment

• assessment is necessary and is a tool to determine what her students know and what is next.

go-to assessments

• fast and easy for little kids

• "tool box" with cubes

  • hands-on activity for her to walk around and see each student's response

work with your grade-level team and invest in each other!

advice:

• be extra nice to the secretary and the custodian

• listen to your team and your co-workers

  • they want you to succeed!

• take a risk

• stay off your phone

  • downfall of the new teacher

  • your students need to see you while you are with them

• don't take yourself too seriously, you will make a fool of yourself sometimes

• leave your home problems at the door!! (#1 TIP)

23 years of teaching

• 5th grade

• 8th/9th grade science

• MS Assistant Principal

• personal definition of assessment

  • Can students apply the knowledge?

  • Can they show me what the standard is asking for?

  • assessment through application

• Top tips for assessments

  • plan into your lessons

    • Break down standards and what they mean?

  • tests were open-ended

    • if students could test out on Monday, don't make them do it all week

  • information would continue throughout weeks so that every student could understand and apply their knowledge

• work smarter not harder?

  • go slow at the start, because you are going to receive a lot of information

    • take a little piece and enhance it, continue that process

  • layer your teaching years

    
    

K-State Alum!! woohoo

3rd grade teacher

Personal definition of assessment:

• The biggest thing is observing day to day what students are mastering and still struggling with

• not paper tests, but observations

Go-to assessments:

• small-group assessment to meet with every student, not just your struggling students

  • Don't make excuses about not having time for groups

Smarter, not harder?

• In every building, be a TEAM

  • No matter how many members you have

  • divide and conquer; have individual roles

  • Compliment your team members' strengths

• Use your student leaders in the classroom

you are not just assessing their academics, but what they also need emotionally and mentally

resources:

• "The Gift of Dyslexia"

  • how to do the day-to-day with students who have dyslexia

  • some of the smartest kids have dyslexia

SPED

teaching for 14 years

• elementary resource

personal definition of assessment

• wide range of assessment

  • observations and standardized tests

• uses both anecdotal and data-driven assessment

• uses behavior checklists

  • easier for staff and parents

Don't pre-judge students, but look at their data for academics and focus on their strengths

advice:

• Be careful about who you surround yourself with

  • positive people, NOT negative

resources:

• filtering out the stuff

  • reflect on WHY you are doing it

• leadership books

• behavior data app on phone for easy access

  
  

Coordinator for special services

15 years (coordinator and school psychologist)

Personal definition of assessment:

• Assessment is an estimation of the quality or nature of something

• snapshot of a student on a particular day

go-to assessments that guide his work:

• MTSS/RTI assessment

  • screeners, diagnostics, monitoring progress with intervention

• exit tickets

• cognitive assessments

  • WISC

look at all students as general students first before their added assistance

Assessment starts where the learning happens (general education)

Work smarter, not harder?

• have a process

  • The whole team all has to be on the same wavelength

  • framework for assessment and how to use the data

  • stay consistent

What did you notice about their ADVICE?

• I noticed that a lot of their advice was to surround yourself with positive and encouraging coworkers. This really stood out to me because it has nothing to do with teaching, but who you teach with!

What are the strategies that you hear most often?

• The strategies that I heard the most often were to plan assessment into your lessons, use exit tickets, and connect with your students to help them.

What lessons will you add to your toolbox from listening to these mentors?

• Some lessons that I will add to my toolbox are assessment opportunities within the lesson (opportunities to respond), becoming a TEAM with my coworkers, and focusing on student growth, not individual test scores.