PowerTeacher Gradebook &

Standards (Part 2?)

Bob CornacchioliDERO Technical Serviceswww.derotechnical.com

CEO

Agenda/Participants will be engaged in:

• Introduce Web Gradebook/Log in– Short cuts to save keystrokes– Final Grade Entry – Creating Assignments & Associating Standards– Teacher Options

• Discussion regarding Comment Writing• Ask Questions- this is your time

www.derotechnical.com for more resources

CEO - DERO Technical Services

Contractor/ - PowerDataSolutionsTrainer - ANCGroup

Evangelist/Process Assistant- Level Data

Marketing - ParkBench Software

Director of Technology and Media Services – Shrewsbury Public Schools (16 yrs)PowerSchool Administrator ( 6 yrs)

Bob Cornacchioli

The “how to enter” grades is the easier of the two!

ENTERING GRADES

GRADING PRACTICES

Ken O’Connor – aka The Grade Doctor

Far more important than the keystroke of a grade is how the district has trained teachers in the proper techniques in determining that grade. The information Ken and others are saying about student achievement is mission critical. PowerTeacher has been designed with these principles.

Learning Conversations: The Culture of Grading

Have you had these chats yet?

Same Curriculum

Across all classro

oms HOPE

ZERO’s

MISSING WORK

EXTRA CREDITTENDENCY

MAKE UP WORK

Evidence

Same Grading Practices

Across all classro

oms??

Have you had these chats yet?

Average Temperature in Vegas

100 100 100 100 100 Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs

100 100 100 100 Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs

100 Average

Is it REALLY an80

Average

Rick Wormeli – check him out on YouTube

What does a 4 or a C really mean?• With teachers at your Grade Level• With teachers at your School• With teachers in the District• What does it mean for next placement?

Setting Expectations & Emphasize Consistency

Everyone on the Same Page

Change to your grading choices?Academic Performance Indicators4 = Advanced3 = Proficient2 = Progressing but need improvement1 = WarningN/A = Not accessed this term**

Avoid homebound confusion by sending home letter grades and

percentages on assessments!

??

Developmental and Habits IndicatorsC = ConsistentlyU = UsuallyB = Beginning to demonstrateN = Needs Assistance

Launch my Gradebook from school or home?

Direct LaunchLink to Launch PLUS

If Gradebook doesn’t launch – use click here link to Java assessment

Always Allow

The Web Gradebook is a JAVA application, if it is NOT OPENING on the computer, you may be running an older version of JAVA.

Contact your tech department.

LITTLE TECH TALK

Latest versionDesigned to handle standards better

What’s on this screen

< < TABS< < YEAR< < CURRENT COURSES<< LINK TO DIFFERENT STANDARDS

< < TERM- VIP

What’s on the Student Info Tab?

All Demograhic Info – Email Capabilities to Class/Groups/Individuals enlarged phone number plus Notifications

Reports - usable teacher run reports

Times out for added security

Don’t walk away from your screen, but if you do….

Your SBRC looks like this…How do I enter grades

I can’t read these standards- either!

Click on the arrow to expand it, click on the X to close descriptions!

Gradebook vs. Grade Entry

Exploring the Assignments

Tab

Click the + in the lower left

Optional - Creating Assignments

Tying Assignments to Standards

Connecting Assessments to Standards

Assignments - Standards

How Grades Flow….

Brian Andle’s Blog: Explanation of Assignments and Standards

Gradebook Preferences:

Assignment Grades

Customized Dictionary

“Cornacchioli”

Allow Assignment Scores to Auto-Calculate Assignment Standards Scores

Modified Screenshot

Auto Calculate Higher Level Standards

Control Click in the Box to access Grade choices.

Quick Fill – click on the standard header

Fill Scores saves time!Selecting the Fill Scores option requires a strategy

Opt 1- Give everyone a default grade first then change those who were UP or DOWN

Opt 2 – Give those few students the exception and then fill all others… applying grade to those with none.

Option for Enter Grades Individually - Score Inspector

Fill Down Saves Time….YOUR TIME!

Strategy needed• Fill and Change• Enter “High and Lows” Fill Majority

Fill Majority

Summative comment is associated with HR and scroll to the right! Fill down doesn’t really work for comments!

The “C” implies comment saved. You can cut and paste. Beware of the gender or name mistake!!

• Comment space on your report card may be limited. Please ask! 4000 is a default setting so before you write a novel ask someone!

PS V. 7.1 – Limit Comment Length

If you or your teachersCopy and paste from Word to Poweschool, deselect straight quotations to avoid special characters in advance of typining your comments

I need another Category?

Remember - you can never delete a category once an assignment has been associated to it – unless you remove all assignments- YEAR to YEAR

PUBLISH

PUBLISH ASSIGNMENT With or without score!

Assignments that are √“Include in Final Grade” MUST be Published

Or….You get an alert

Calculations

Using PT Admin- your district will have to set policy on grading standards. The Gradebook will have to be set per school to look: • Default setting for final grades• Allow teacher modifications OR NOT• Calculations for Most Recent Scores

Decisions Decisions

Decisions DecisionsSet by School – Lock Teacher Changes?

Weigh Most Recent?

Gradebook Preferences: StandardsBy default standards are not selected

Teachers must check both boxes and set the final grade method

Can’t lock preferences- discuss this and set expectations!

YOUR EVIDENCEIn Student View- if a standard was assessed multiple times in a term ( associated to multiple assignments) the summary tab provides access to evidence. The calculated grade is a 2 based on the last 3 assessments, if a teacher overrides score based on evidence – “none” would have a score!

Web Gradebook does:CALCULATES Final Score & PROVIDES evidence to support space teacher assessments:

POWER still is in the teacher’s ability to override Final Score

• Mean• Median• Mode• Highest• Most Recent -3 (set by Admin)• Times Standard was assessed

Set-up can save teacher keystrokesStandard ELA.5.12: Presentation (overall appearance is legible and visually appealing)

Assessed 3 times in a term : 4,4,3

What should go on the report card: 4 or 3?

Based upon your district’s response – CUT OFF VALUES

Grade Value of Conversions Scales

When teachers assess a standard more than once associated to multiple assignments, PTG averages these scores. Grade Value can’t be ZERO as seen earlier in this presentation.

Conversion Scales Match Grade Scales

Conversion Scales Match Grade Scales

Optional Idea: Include the rubric as the “description” for each standard. Benefits: Teachers see rubric/Parents as well if assignment was published to the Parent Portal.

Optional Idea: Using the Class Content tab and Class Info Button, teachers could include Class Info/Syllabus/Rubric in the description area. This can be invaluable to parents using the Portal.

Let’s Talk Comments

• What makes a good comment?• Who are you writing them for?• How much should you write?• Who reads them before they go home?• How much time should I allocate?• What kind of stuff should I reference?• Have you communicated expectations?

Sample Term 3

Nancy was wonderful to have in class. I hope she has a great summer!

This is an actual comment!

Your DISTRICT may have:• 10 Math Standards• 15 ELA- Reading and Writing Standards• 5 Science Standards• 8 Social Studies Standards• T3 also runs from the end of March through June

Sample Term 2Drew is a cheerful and helpful member of our classroom community. He continues to develop his skills in all academic areas of the 2nd grade curriculum. He reads fluently with expression and can use the various comprehension strategies to show his understanding of the text. In his writing, Drew is learning to use the techniques taught to create organized and descriptive pieces. He can quickly and accurately recall the basic math facts and uses them to solve problems. Drew was able to show his understanding of the important concepts introduced in Science and Social Studies this trimester.

Where did this teacher get some of her verbiage?

Tips from some Veteran’s

I suggest everyone starts with a positive statement, then comment on the MAJOR curriculum areas. I like to throw in a goal for the child the next trimester then end with a positive about how I look forward to continued success. Oh… spell check everything and watch your word counts!

Maryann HoganGrade 2, Floral Street School, Shrewsbury

Sample Comment Writing ActivityPair up by grade levelWork with colleagues from different schoolsBe sure to review standards for T1Mention student by nameAppoint a typist and a spokesperson

The data tells you, student:• Struggles or exceeds in some math concepts• Very inquisitive, hand writing could be better• Struggles or exceeds in reading or some other ELA standard• Include a behavior and/or effort statement

Gradebook Preferences: Comment BankTeachers can create their own comment banks – Discuss this Parents prefer Narrative Comments

Gradebook Preferences: Score CodesTeachers can create additional Score Codes for their GradebookVisible through the Parent Portal

Bob CornacchioliDERO Technical Serviceswww.derotechnical.combcornacchioli@gmail.com

Q & A