APS Teacher EvaluationModule 7: Preparing for My Mid-Year Conversation

Rate your understanding of the revised teacher evaluation system:• Fist – I didn’t know it was changed.• 1 finger – I just understand SMART goals, not sure what else I am

supposed to do. • 2 fingers – I understand SMART goals and my documentation log. • 3 fingers – I understand all the components, but still have a few questions

on how I will be rated.• 4 fingers – I understand all the components and don’t’ have any questions. • 5 Fingers – I could help my colleagues in understanding in the entire

process.

Check for Understanding- Fist to Five?

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APS Teacher Evaluation Process Overview

Teacher Lesson Plans

Writes

SMART Goal

Document Log Observations Mid-Year Evaluation

Evaluator Monitors

Lesson Plans

Writes Compiles Participates Participates Participates

Approves Reviews Conducts Facilitates Facilitates

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Mid-Year Conversation1. What does a mid-year conversation look like?2. How should my data be presented?3. How will my SMART goal be measured at the

end of the year?4. Plan for checking for student understanding5. Progress on Documentation Log

Agenda

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What is student progress goal setting?

Step 1:

Determine needs

Step 2:

Create specific

learning goals based on pre-assessment

Step 4: Monitor student progress

through on-going

formative assessment

Step 3: Create and implement

teaching and learning

strategies

Step 5:

Determine whether the

students achieved the

goal

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• Monitor progress • Adjust instruction as needed

Determining Goal Attainment- Key points

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On the chart paper on your table list the ways you are monitoring students’ progress towards achieving your SMART goal.• If more than one person is using that

method/data put check marks next to it to represent the number of those using it

Check for Understanding: Charting

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Activity 1: What key questions does the evaluator ask?

Videos• Mid Year Conversation on Goal Making Acceptable Progress

• Mid Year Conversation on Goal that is not on Target

1. What does the mid-year conversation look like?

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• Provide a summary of class/focus group data, not individual sets of data

• Present data in a table or graph that shows baseline and mid-year data to highlight growth or lack of growth

2. How do I summarize and present my data?

Base-line data

Mid-year data

Growth from base-line to mid year

End of year data

Growth from base-line to end of year

Student A

Student B

Student C

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Insert example from school’s ILT SMART goal and data summary.

ILT Data Example

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• How will you summarize your data for the mid-year conversation?

• Sketch out your data table• Check for understanding: Share with three

other people and listen to their ideas.

Activity 2: Data

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• Monitor progress • Adjust instruction as needed

Determining Goal Attainment

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Look for adjustments in this order:1. Strategy Implementation

– Did I implement the strategies appropriately?2. Are they appropriate strategies for the target group

and the content?– Are other strategies needed in place of? In addition to?

3. LAST- is the target appropriate and realistic?4. What additional checks for understanding do I need?

What if my target group is not on track to meet the goal?

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Determining Goal Attainment

Step 1:

Determine needs

Step 2:

Create specific

learning goals based on pre-assessment

Step 4: Monitor student progress

through on-going

formative assessment

Step 3: Create and implement

teaching and learning

strategies

Step 5:

Determine whether the

students achieved the goal

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High Growth

Medium Growth

Low Growth

Highly Effective Effective Developing/ Needs Improvement

Ineffective

More than 50% of students exceeded goal with no more than 10% not meeting the goal

At least 80% of students met or exceeded the goal

Less than 50% of students did not meet goal and50% or more met or exceeded the goal

Greater than 50% of students did not meet goal

3. How will my SMART goal be measured at the end of the year?

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High Growth

Medium Growth

Low Growth

Highly Effective Effective Developing/ Needs Improvement

Ineffective

More than 50% of students exceeded goal with no more than 10% not meeting the goal16 students earn a score of 3 or higher which represents 89%

At least 80% of students met or exceeded the goal

15 students earn a score of 3 or higher which represents 83%

Less than 50% of students did not meet goal and50% or more met or exceeded the goal

9 students earn a score of 3 or higher which represents 50%

Greater than 50% of students did not meet goal

8 students earn a score of 3 or higher which represents 45%

Music Example: At least 80% of my students will meet or exceed the benchmark for the music assessment which is a score of 3 or proficient on the rubric. (When using Smart Music, a score of 75% or greater will be proficient.) [18 total students]

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High Growth

Medium Growth

Low Growth

Highly Effective Effective Developing/ Needs Improvement

Ineffective

More than 50% of students exceeded goal with no more than 10% not meeting the goal___students earn/score ___ which represents ____%

At least 80% of students met or exceeded the goal

___students earn/score ___ which represents ____%

Less than 50% of students did not meet goal and50% or more met or exceeded the goal

___students earn/score ___ which represents ____%

Greater than 50% of students did not meet goal

___students earn/score ___ which represents ____%

For your SMART goal, what numbers are needed for each rating?

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15 minute break

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How do you know they learned it?

I TAUGHT STRIPE HOW TO WHISTLE

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I DON’T HEAR HIM WHISTLING

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I SAID I TAUGHT HIM. I DIDN’T SAY HE LEARNED IT

From Checking for Understanding, King Features Syndicate.

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“…at the very least, teachers should check for understanding every 15 minutes.”

-Douglas FisherChecking for Understanding

4. What data sources would be appropriate for …

• Progress monitoring goal progress throughout the year?

• TOOL- APS Comprehensive Assessment Inventory

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One tool to support checking for understanding

• Activity 3: Preview the text • Think

about “In what ways will this help me check for understanding more frequently?”

• Turn and talk

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Activity 4 choice a: Final Word Protocol

1. Skim the text- APS Assessment Inventory (5 minutes).2. Select one phrase that strikes you.3. (1-2 minutes) Participant [sharer] closest to the door reads

the phrase s/he selected including why s/he selected it.4. Each listener has 1 uninterrupted minute to “reflect back”

on what the sharer said.5. Final word: sharer has 1 minute uninterrupted time to react

to what has been said in the group.6. Repeat the cycle with the person to the right of the first

sharer.

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Activity 4- choice b:Four “A”s Text Protocol

1. Read the text silently, highlighting and writing notes in the margin on post-it notes

2. Answer the following four questions • What Assumptions does the author of the text hold?• What do you Agree with in the text?• What do you want to Argue with in the text?• What parts of the text do you want to Aspire to?

3. In a round, each person identifies one assumption in the text, citing the text (with page numbers, if appropriate) as evidence.

4. Continue in rounds- Agree with, Argue with and Aspire to 5. What does this mean for our work with students?6. Debrief the text experience.

26Text- APS Assessment Inventory

Activity 5: Plan to Check for Understanding

1. Identify (star/highlight) which strategies you currently use in your classroom/program (page 47-50).

2. Talk to your neighbor about how these checks for understanding lead to changes in your instruction.

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Next Steps

Identify 2-3 checking for understanding strategies you do not currently use that you will incorporate in your work to achieve your SMART goal.

Plan for utilizing 1-2 of these in your SMART goal work.

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How does checking for understanding fit into the teacher performance standards? (1)

Performance Standard 4: Assessment of and for Student Learning/AssessmentThe teacher systematically gathers, analyzes, and uses all relevant data to measure student academic progress, guide instructional content and delivery methods, and provide timely feedback to both students and parents/guardians throughout the school year.

The educational specialist gathers, analyzes, and uses data to determine learner needs, to measure learner or program progress, to guide instruction, and to provide timely feedback to learners, parents/guardians, and staff.

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How does checking for understanding fit into the teacher performance standards? (2)

Performance Standard 4: Assessment of and for Student Learning/Assessment

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Highly EffectiveEffective

Effective is the expected level of performance.

Developing/Needs

ImprovementIneffective

In addition to meeting the standard, the teacher uses a variety of informal and formal assessments based on intended learning outcomes to assess student learning and teaches students how to monitor their own academic progress.

The teacher systematically gathers, analyzes, and uses all relevant data to measure student academic progress, guide instructional content and delivery methods, and provide timely feedback to both students and parents/guardians throughout the school year.

The teacher uses a limited selection of assessment strategies, inconsistently links assessment to intended learning outcomes, and/or does not use assessment to plan/modify instruction.

The teacher uses an inadequate variety of assessment sources, assesses infrequently, does not use baseline or feedback data to make instructional decisions and/or does not provide timely feedback on student academic progress in a timely manner.

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Additional Reading:

Brief 6: Standard 4-Assessment of and for Student Learning

5. Mid-year Conversation and Progress on Documentation Log

• Bring to the mid-year conversation items you have identified for your documentation log thus far.

• Be ready to share the description of the evidence and why you might include it.

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Mid-Year Conversation1. What does a mid-year conversation look like?2. How should my data be presented?3. How will my SMART goal be measured at the

end of the year?4. Plan for checking for student understanding5. Progress on Documentation Log

Agenda

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Check for Understanding: Exit Ticket

What is needed for my mid-year conversation?

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To Do List

– Prepare for mid-year conversation– Plan to use checks for understanding and be ready to

share at ______ meeting

Focuses on student results

Connects teaching with learning

Leads to improved instruction in the classroom

Contributes to school improvement

Setting and monitoring student achievement goals…

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“Arlington Public Schools will provide every student with highly effective educators that have the necessary tools to positively impact student learning and growth.”

APS Teacher Evaluation VisionSince 1999

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APS Teacher EvaluationA Process for Student and Teacher Growth