How can we assess the quality of the documented curriculum, the enacted curriculum, the assessed curriculum, and the impact of the curriculum on students? From data analysis, to looking at student work, to power standards, to calibration, to professional learning communities, these tools help us to assess the curriculum.

1. Tools to Assess the Quality of the Curriculum, I, A, IS The Parable of the Low Hanging Fruit

2. In the beginning, all that was necessary to have effective curriculum was to hand a teacher the right text.

3. And because only national standardized tests (which had little relationship to the taught curriculum no matter the text), who really knew what effective curriculum, teaching, or learning looked like? It looked like this:

4. But one day, fearing that the US would lose its status as a world power because of its education system (A Nation at Risk), ED Reform began the first movement in American Education that has ever lasted more than 7 years. 100 95.1 100 90.2 90 92.2 85.4 80.5 84.3 80 ELA 75.6 Composite Performance Index (CPI) 76.5 70.7 70 68.7 60 60.8 Math ELA Math 53.0 50 Ed. Reform 2001 & 02 2003 & 04 2005 & 06 2007 & 08 2009 & 10 2011 & 12 2013 & 14 Ten years ago, only 24 % of the state’s 10th graders scored proficient or higher on the math MCAS exam.

5. And Since Ed. Reform began, we have developed many ways beyond buying a new textbook to fine-tune C, I, A, and IS. Many more are sure to follow. We truly are building the plane while flying it!

6. How do we know if our curriculum is working? Processes LASW Calibration of standards (NEC Mentor) Rubric calibration Observation/Evaluation of teaching Vertical Teaming Power Standards UBD curriculum development/rubrics for evaluation Professional Learning Community Critical Friends Data analysis: MCAS, AP, SAT analyses (Root Cause) Local Assessments Surveys Interviews Parent Comments Student Work Analysis

7. The Change in Assessment from Education Reform Old model New Model Go on

8. Tools/Use c I A IS

10. Time

11. Guaranteed—and assessed throughout the year

14. Positive reinforcement

16. Leadership

17. Learning organization

19. Interactive learning, ongoing feedback, personalization

20. Identifying similarities and differences, summarizing and note taking, reinforcing effort and providing recognition, homework and practice, graphic organizers, cooperative learning, setting objectives and providing feedback, generating and testing hypotheses, questions, cues, and advance organizers

21. Madeline Hunter: Anticipatory set, objective and purpose, input, modeling, checking for understanding, guided practice, independent practiceClassroom management (discipline, student socialization, teacher behavior, organization, interactions, equity) Classroom curriculum design (curriculum assessment)

24. WRITING: 24% of students write at proficient level; 4% at Advanced-NAEPThe Research

26. The least effective teacher showed gains of 14% in student achievement in one year.

27. Ineffective strategies: use lower order questions based on recall, teachers talk (lecture, teacher-centered class) instead of providing information in a variety of formats, imprecise feedback on tests (grades)—No clear idea of the essential concepts and the scaffolding necessary to get ALL students there.

28. The most effective had gains of 53% in one year.

30. Research:What Works at the SCHOOL level?

31. What Works for the TEACHER: discipline, student socialization, teacher behavior, organization, interactions, equity: routines, classroom climate Standards-based curriculum: backwards plan Goal setting, measuring progress

33. Student engagement (not teacher-centered)

34. Writing

35. High expectations for all students

36. “Front loaded” units—students know what the final product looks like (exemplars) and how they will be graded from the first day of the unit (rubric).

37. Gradual release of responsibility

38. Student self-assessment

39. Good FeedbackWhat to look for in evaluations and walk-throughs

41. Benchmarking the MCAS and Standardized TestsCALIBRATION Grade 3 MAT at 77th Percentile = Proficient Grade 4 ELA MCAS Grade 6 MAT at 49th Percentile = Proficient at Grade 6 ELA MCAS Grade 7 MAT at 56th Percentile = Proficient Grade 10 ELA MCAS Grade 3 MAT at 84th Percentile = Proficient Grade 4 math MCAS Grade 5 MAT at 69th Percentile = Proficient Grade 5 math MCAS Grade 7 MAT at 72nd Percentile = Proficient Grade 8 math MCAS Grade 7 MAT at 67th Percentile = Proficient Grade 10 math MCAS

42. Drilling Down with Data The PIM Process

43. Pim: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sdi/pim/ DATA

44. PIM GUIDING QUESTION: WHY HAVEN’T STUDENTS IN THE TARGETED GROUP LEARNED THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DESCRIBED IN THE STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES?

46. TestWiz

47. Looking at Student WorkCalibrationRubricsLow, medium, and high protocolTeaching to the rubric

48. Can you predict how your students will do on the MCAS based on their class work, your tests, your textbook assessments?

49. Why LASW? Common expectations for writing (and reading) Calibrate to MCAS (at least) Common language Consistent experience for students Collaborative lesson planning Action plans for three levels of learners

50. DATA: What do you ask of it?

51. Score Analysis: Score Point 2 (AVERAGE SCORE)This response demonstrates a fair understanding of the mathematical concepts involving integers that underlie the task by completing 3 of the 6 elements. An incorrect number line is provided which shows the negative integers placed to the right of zero, and the positive integers placed to the left of zero. The explanation is unacceptable because it does not demonstrate an understanding that negative integers are placed to the left of zero on the number line: because everything on the right side of the 0 is - what ever number and it just goes like you would count from 0 - when it stops say to -20°. The response correctly indicates that +3 is the greater number and provides an acceptable explanation: cause 10 is below zero and +3 is above zero. The response correctly indicates that -3 is the greater number. However, the explanation is circular and does not demonstrate an understanding of negative integers because it is based on the incorrect number line provided in part (a): because it is on - and if you look at the line above then the -3 is higher then the -10.

52. START HERE You are here

53. Grade 4 ORQ Based on the article, describe the challenges Annie Smith Peck faced throughout her life. Support your answer with important details from the article.

57. Is clear and positive

58. Identifies specific strengths

59. Points to areas needing improvement

60. Suggests a route of action student can take

61. Limits amount of feedback to what the learner can accomplish

62. Models how students can self assess

63. Gives models, rubrics

64. Is timely

66. Recognize complexity and look at a variety of assessments and the effectiveness of possible interventions while limiting focus to three students Commonalities among three tiers Addresses high achievers’ needs. They are often ignored The Case Study Method

67. Case Study Interventions

68. MCAS Long Essay

69. MCAS Long Essay

70. Setting Clear (and Common) Expectations

71. Needs Improvement: 3 (of 6 for content/organization) essay for grade 7 ELA. This is what the average score for 7th grade looks like. NEXT STEPS? Root Cause?

72. Consider three levels of response

73. Math Rubric Scoring Guide : Students' Heights Rubric Score point 4: The response shows a comprehensive understanding of stem-and-leaf plots and how to interpret and draw conclusions from them. Score point 3: The response shows a general understanding of stem-and-leaf plots and how to interpret and draw conclusions from them. Score point 2: The response shows a basic understanding of stem-and-leaf plots. Score point 1: The response shows a minimal understanding of stem-and-leaf plots. Score point 0: The response is incorrect or contains some correct work that is irrelevant to the skill or concept being measured.

74. NCS Mentorhttp://www.ncsmentor.com/default.htm Score Analysis: Score Point 2The response demonstrates a basic understanding of a stem-and-leaf plot and how to interpret and draw conclusions from them by completing 3 of the 6 elements. The response does not correctly identify 147 cm as the mode of the students' heights. Instead, a flawed strategy which averages the heights results in an incorrect mode: you just add all the students' heights up and divide that number with the number of heights recorded. An incorrect stem-and-leaf plot is given which includes all of the students' heights but not in the correct format and, therefore, receives no credit. The response correctly identifies 142 as the median height of the students. The explanation demonstrates a correct strategy for finding the median: to find the median you put the numbers in order and then the number that is in the middle is the median. The response provides the correct conclusion about the heights of the two additional students: One of the new student's height had to be less than 142 centimeters and the other new student's height had to be more than 142. However, there is no attempt to explain how this conclusion was drawn or to provide a specific example. Successfully completing 3 of the 6 elements earns this response 2 points.

75. 1. Begin with the end in mind2. Set measurable goals

76. Understanding by Design Standards-based teaching Clear goals Assessments matched to goals Activities are the LAST part of the work.

77. Content priorities Worth being familiar with Discussions Quizzes, formative assessments homework Important to know and do Big Ideas Understandings Major performance assessment or Final unit exam

78. Stage 1 – Desired results Stage 1 – Desired Results Content Standard (s): Provide a framework for curriculum design; generalizations that define parameters about what students are expected to know and be able to do Essential Question (s): Inquiry used to explore the generalization to enable students to earn the understanding Understanding (s): Students will understand that… Insight into the generalization; what students will walk away with Knowledge: Student will know … Skills:Students will be able to … Specific priorities about what students are expected to know and be able to do Design Standard for ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS 45

79. Three stages of backward design 1. Identify desired results 2. Determine acceptable evidence Then, and only then 3. Plan learning experiences & instruction 46

81. academic exam questions, prompts, and problems

82. quizzes and test items

83. informal checks for understanding

85. Selected response

87. Complex

88. authenticworth being familiar with important to know & do ‘big ideas’ worth understanding 48

89. Reliability:Snapshot vs. photo album We need patterns that overcome inherent measurement error Sound assessment (particularly of State Standards) requires multiple evidence over time – a photo album vs. a single snapshot Should a teenager get their drivers license with just a written or just a performance assessment?

91. FACETS OF UNDERSTANDING: Which of the following 6 facets to you expect students to do in this unit to demonstrate their understanding? Explanation Interpretation Application Perspective Empathy Self-knowledge

93. The complexity of curriculum improvement is growing yearly. What Works?

94. Professional Learning Communities

96. Rigor: Higher Order Thinking Skills

97. Collaboration: Purposeful Co-labor-ing

98. Positive school culture

99. A resolution for continuous improvement

101. The BLACK BOX:What do we need to do to unpack the needs and potential of the classroom?

103. The main problem is that pupils can assess themselves only when they have a sufficiently clear picture of the targets that their learning is meant to attain. Surprisingly, and sadly, many pupils do not have such a picture, and they appear to have become accustomed to receiving classroom teaching as an arbitrary sequence of exercises with no overarching rationale.

104. A particular feature of the talk between teacher and pupils is the asking of questions by the teacher. This natural and direct way of checking on learning is often unproductive.

108. CONNECTING: Daily classroom plans to benchmarks to MCAS

109. Collaborative assessment of student work, common lessons to improve, continued assessment—The next step for high achievers, average students, and students who have greatest needs.

110. Open Response practice across the disciplines. One per unit exam, commonly chosen and commonly assessed

111. Commonly assessed ORQs by grade levels and departments

112. Common assessment of long essay in grades 4, 7 and 9 and 10.

113. Increased time

114. Targeted teaching

115. Common exams—finals, mid-terms, unit—over time

116. Common syllabi for teachers with the same course

117. Exams match benchmarks, student expectationsPossible Action Responses

119. To provide 2 or three additional periods of math weekly to these students

120. To develop a specific curriculum for general weaknesses (ORQ, SA, fractions) and targeted individualized contracts for specific student needs.

121. To assess student progress every two weeks on general weaknesses and the specific weaknesses of each student

123. Strength: The district has been declared in need of improvement based on the underperformance of two subgroups. Strengths: The district has an aligned curriculum with clear benchmarks. The district uses TestWiz to analyze subgroup needs to provide targeted instruction. The district develops an ISSP for each student who has received a Warning in MCAS. There is some homeroom time and x-block time to provide targeted instruction to specific students.

124. Weakness: The district does not have time, much money or staff to add more instructional time.

125. Opportunities: Grant money is available, but only $3000. Software can provide support and differentiation.