Its About Attitude and Not Aptitude

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Closing the Achievement Gap:Its Attitude not Aptitude

Using MSDE Web tools and the

principles of Assessment for Learning

to reduce the achievement gap

Dr. Bruce Katz

Regional Assistant Superintendent

PGCPS



´The typical child in the typical school-

especially the poor child of color in the

urban school- lives in an educational

environment of deep and pathologicalincoherence and ineffectiveness.µ

Richard F. Elmore



W hy the gap?

Inability to diagnose and prescribe

Mistaken beliefs

Unable to engage students in the

curriculum

Do not fully recognize the significance

of the statement - Teachers make a

difference



W hat to do?

Create a classroom environment that shows ALL students have the capability to achieve

FULLY align curriculum standards withassessment and instruction

Implement a balanced assessment system

Change the philosophy toward assessment, which will change the philosophy and

techniques of instruction Provide teachers with a new set of tools



How to do it?

Change the paradigm associated with:

² Instructional Planning

² Classroom Assessment

² Instruction



Its Attitude not AptitudePreserve:

² Self Esteem

² Self Image

Transmit:

² Ability to succeed² Positive relationship based on

mutual goals and success



Paradigm ShiftPlanning

Assessment

Instruction





Planning

Begin with a review of standards,

objectives, indicators, and assessment

limits

Identify the indicators to be taught and

assessed

Design two assessments

Review instructional strategies and

data points



Assessments Design two assessments with

questions aligned in rigor and content

to the indicators Make the questions in the format of the HSA

Share indicators and questions with

students Prepare a chart/table to record student

performance



Indicator

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Indicator



MSA Scale Scores

6 th 7 th 8th

Reading 381 385 391

Mathematics 396 396 407





Instruction

Share outcomes, objectives, with students

Give pretest and have students score and record

performance (not for grade)

Describe how students can master the material andachieve proficiency

Lesson format should include: warm-up, objective

check, whole class instruction (pacing), grouping (differentiated instruction based on student needs),

heterogeneous grouping, lesson assessment,

closure



Ex tended Learning

Tied directly to student needs

Small group and focused

Changed nature of teacher work to a

professional model

Changed nature of teacher/parent

interaction



ContinuedPlanning

R eview of student data

R egrouping of students

Planning of extended learning R eview and comment- leading to

descriptive feedback on student work

R eview of instructional strategies Scheduling learning walks and surgical

theatre



Educational

ProfessionalismExpectation

² Teacher knows his/her content

standards² Teacher works collaboratively

² Teacher can communicate standards to

students; parents² Teacher knows how to use assessment

to promote student learning



´If you want to make minor, incrementalchanges and improvement, work on

practices, behavior or attitude. But if

you want to make significant, quantumimprovement, work on paradigms.µ

Stephen R. Covey

The 8th Habit: From

Effectiveness to

Greatness



Learning Team Management

Options

Learning Team Management Options

High Involvement

Low Involvement

Help teams form; teams run independently

Help teams past roadblocks as needed by request

Present workshops (preplanned) in support of teams

Assist team leaders; they manage meetings

Plan and manage every meeting

Source ATI



Impact of Teacher E ffectiveness

on Student Achievement

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Gain Related to Teacher

Effectiveness

Gain Related to Student

Maturation

Gain Related to Teacher

Effectiveness

Gain Related to Student

Maturation

Most Effective Teacher

Least Effective Teacher

Source: Marzano, Classroom

Management that Works , ASCD,

2003.



Impact of Schools

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Average

School/Average

Teacher

Least Effective

School/Least Effective

Teacher

Most Effective

School/Least Effective

Teacher

Most Effective

School/Most Effective

Teacher

Least Effective

School/Most Effective

Teacher

Effects of a School vs a Teacher onStudent Entering at 50th Percentile

Source: Marzano, Classroom

Management that Works , ASCD,

2003.



Control of LearningIt is a mistaken belief to think that adults

are in control of student learning.

Students control student learning.Students control student learning.

Students control student learning and, if

necessary, will prove it to adults inmost unexpected and sometimes

disappointing ways



Session Summative

Assessment Its Attitude not Aptitude

The teacher is the most important

factor

Support effective Collaborative

Instructional Planning

Use valid formative assessments to

increase learning



SourcesChappuis, Stiggins, et. al., Assessment FOR Learning: An Action Guide for School Leaders,

2004

Covey, The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, Free Press, 2004

Maryland State Department of Education, www.mdreportcard.org/index.aspx ,www.mdk 12.org

Marzano, Classroom Management that Works, ASCD, 2003

Marzano, Waters, and McNulty, School Leadership that Works: From Research to Results,

ASCD, 2005

Stiggins, Arter, et. al., Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right- Using ItWell, 2004

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, Measured Progress, Assessment TrainingInstitute, 2005

Documents

Its About Attitude and Not Aptitude