[ola] Re: Performance Assessm. - Do you have to answer all the questions?
- From: Eliza Pfeifer <epfeifer@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 14:36:51 -0700
Warren! So sorry that I didn't respond to this thread. Sometimes there
are so many emails, that I jsut didn;t see this one. You share some really
great materials here! And yes, I give them the questions in target
language, but haven't always!
On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 8:42 AM, Warren Billings <
wbillings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> All,
>
> I've shared the Google folder that is shared with my students. It includes
> my assessments so far for this year and the most recent rubric. I've shared
> these not as exemplars but to share my growth regarding performance
> assessments.
>
> They are a work in progress and as you can see they evolve each time to
> more accurately measure proficiency in a student-centered environment.
>
> I just participated in a Performance Assessment work day with Jim LeBaron
> and Michelle Lewison where we had a consultancy protocol regarding
> performance assessment.
>
> In that meeting we talked about possibly videotaping our classes so that
> students can watch and self assess their interpersonal communication
> proficiency. I am looking into the legal logistics regarding posting videos
> of students to a Google classroom. I am excited about this possibility to
> assess spontaneity in a second language experience
>
> Spanish Class Folders
> <https://docs.google.com/a/pittsfieldnhschools.org/folderview?id=0B2IaLgtjIsuTSWV3UDZBdUV2Q0E&usp=drive_web>
>
>
> On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 9:18 AM, Warren Billings <
> wbillings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Oh, and I love the idea of averaging the assessments until quarter or
>> semester ends. You are so right that some proficiency levels drop with some
>> topics and then come back up.
>>
>> How do we assess their growth before the end of quarter or semester?
>>
>> Maybe it's sufficient that a learner is discussing different topics and
>> broadening their vocabulary at roughly the same proficiency level. So the
>> rubric wouldn't change until quarter ends, just what is being talked about.
>> Then next quarter the proficiency expectation is bumped up.
>>
>> I have a Teacher Workshop day today and will be developing my rubrics so
>> I'll be sure to share out at the end of the day.
>>
>> Happy Friday!
>>
>> On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 9:13 AM, Warren Billings <
>> wbillings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> I love the idea of your open ended questions, that makes so much sense!
>>>
>>> Do you give them the prompts in English? I have been trying to make all
>>> my prompts in Spanish but it's difficult because my novices (MS+HS) can't
>>> understand complete sentences.
>>>
>>> Even my Sp. III students (NH right now) have not understood all the
>>> questions which is to be expected since some of the Q's are from their
>>> journal work and some are not.
>>>
>>> Here are my assessments so far. Much to improve! They are too specific,
>>> narrow focused, too high a proficiency level to understand, etc.
>>> Assessments + Rubrics
>>> <https://docs.google.com/a/pittsfieldnhschools.org/folderview?id=0B2IaLgtjIsuTR2dnM21ybVhKYzA&usp=drive_web>
>>>
>>> I like the idea of open ended questions in L1... I will be thinking
>>> about this until our next assessment.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Oct 7, 2014 at 7:05 PM, Eliza Pfeifer <epfeifer@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> You are correct. They will definitely not remember all the vocab. The
>>>> trick is to make your questions open ended, maybe give a few prompting
>>>> questions if needed.
>>>>
>>>> Here are a few of my assessment questions from this week.
>>>>
>>>> Compare your life in the summer to your life in the fall. Which season
>>>> do you prefer and why?
>>>>
>>>> How do you feel in the fall? Why do you feel that way / When do you
>>>> feel that way?
>>>>
>>>> We certainly had vocabulary come up in the week that did not go with
>>>> these questions, but somehow kids work them in. Someone told me they are
>>>> afraid in the fall because their dad has a beard and does not in the
>>>> summer. Afraid and beard were vocab words that were important to here
>>>> while other students talked about feeling stressed or excited or nervous
>>>> and went on to explain why. All students could show proficiency in their
>>>> own ways.
>>>>
>>>> What might help with the grades is not eliminating prior grades until
>>>> the end of the quarter. Sometimes, proficiency levels drop as students
>>>> integrate new vocab and grammar. At the end you could give a more
>>>> comprehensive test with multiple questions that could replace all the check
>>>> point grades.
>>>>
>>>> Does this help?
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Oct 7, 2014 at 8:25 AM, Warren Billings <
>>>> wbillings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I am struggling to understand performance and how it fits into the
>>>>> students' control of the class vocabulary.
>>>>>
>>>>> Right now I'm grading students performances based on proficiency. Each
>>>>> new performance assessment overwrites the old one. So their writing may
>>>>> have met expectations last week but they need to meet the expectation this
>>>>> week to pass. Each week is progressively harder. Assessments are closed
>>>>> notes.
>>>>>
>>>>> Right now the students do not have to answer all the questions to earn
>>>>> a meets expectations grade. For example, the student can write about only
>>>>> one topic covered that week and still get an "A" if he writes in complete
>>>>> sentences in Spanish II.
>>>>>
>>>>> I think it's great that the students are able to use the topic they
>>>>> are most passionate about or that stuck with them most to show their
>>>>> writing proficiency.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's great that they don't have to understand all the vocab words on
>>>>> the day they are assessed but are able to slowly figure it out through
>>>>> contextual usage.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is it an issue that they aren't held accountable for all the vocab
>>>>> words? It shouldn't have to be at a certain time because everyone
>>>>> understands words at different paces. For example the kid that broke his
>>>>> thumb playing basketball sure remembers how to say "I broke my thumb." but
>>>>> it doesn't always stick for someone who has never broken a bone.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is it important that they are eventually assessed on how to say
>>>>> specific vocab. words like "I broke"? Or is it enough that they are able
>>>>> to
>>>>> talk about *something* each week to show their proficiency. Maybe
>>>>> eventually use "I broke" later on in the year?
>>>>>
>>>>> Please let me know what you think. These are ideas and systems that I
>>>>> have developed after "Dilemma Consultancies" with teachers at the i3
>>>>> conference and East Coast Bootcamp.
>>>>>
>>>>> Have I gone too far? Should I assess students on every little vocab
>>>>> word covered in class?
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Warren Billings
>>>>> Spanish Teacher
>>>>> Pittsfield Middle High School
>>>>> Pittsfield, NH
>>>>> Telephone: (603) 435-6701 x4226
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Eliza Pfeifer
>>>>
>>>> Spanish Instructor | St. Mary’s Academy
>>>>
>>>> _________________________________
>>>>
>>>> 4545 S. University Blvd., Englewood, CO 80113
>>>>
>>>> 303.762.8300 x 393 | fax: 303.783.6201 | epfeifer@xxxxxxxxxx
>>>> <jwimbish@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Warren Billings
>>> Spanish Teacher
>>> Pittsfield Middle High School
>>> Pittsfield, NH
>>> Telephone: (603) 435-6701 x4226
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Warren Billings
>> Spanish Teacher
>> Pittsfield Middle High School
>> Pittsfield, NH
>> Telephone: (603) 435-6701 x4226
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Warren Billings
> Spanish Teacher
> Pittsfield Middle High School
> Pittsfield, NH
> Telephone: (603) 435-6701 x4226
>
--
Eliza Pfeifer
Spanish Instructor | St. Mary’s Academy
_________________________________
4545 S. University Blvd., Englewood, CO 80113
303.762.8300 x 393 | fax: 303.783.6201 | epfeifer@xxxxxxxxxx
<jwimbish@xxxxxxxxxx>
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