Spark #12, Winter 2013

AuthenticAssessment

ISSUE 12 - WINTER, 2013

p 14p 4 p 10

Sticky Curriculum

4 The Reflective Thinking Profile: Assessing Student Learning Beyond the Core Academic Subjects

Creative Fusion

10 Thinking About Thinking

What Works

14 Authentic Assessment

People Who Inspire Us

18 Correct Forward: An Interview with Larry Rosenstock

In Each Issue

1 Greetings from Paula

3 Spark Plugs

22 UCDS Mission Statement

RE L A T E S T O :

Ow

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Others' experiences

The community

Follo

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dire

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s

conversations

Ref

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References R

eferences

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Considers

Considers Reads

own

feel

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others' fe

elings others' ideas social cues

O B S E R V E S:

Vis

ually

Audi tora

l ly

Kin

esth

etic

ally

I n v e s t i g a t e s

A s k s c l o s e d A s k s o p e n - e n d e d

q u e s t i o n s t o q u e s t i o n s t o

b u i l d u n d e r s t a n d i n g b u i l d u n d e r s t a n d i n g

C o n s i d e r s m u l t i p l e s o u r c e s

o f i n f o r m a t i o n

I n i t i a t e s a p r o c e s s t o f u r t h e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g

Defines needs

of self

Interprets needsof others

Interprets needs ofcommunity

RECOGNIZES

PROBL

EM

S

Empathizes

Builds on personalexperiences

Sets goals

Solves Probl

ems

Uses rules

Uses strategies

Recognizes patterns

ORGANIZES INFORM

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Applies understanding

to new situations

Evalutates results Reflects o

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Initiatesconversations with adults

Initiatesconversations with peers

Advocatesfor self

Advocatesfor others

Advocatesfor community

Aboutself

Aboutothers

Aboutcommunity

Seeks asolution

Seeks multiplesolutions

Responds

reflectively:

Demonstrates

kinesthetically

Reports verbally

Creates written

communication

Creates visualrepresentations

SHARES

Communicates with clarity of purpose

Considers

audience

when

communicating

Revises

Collaborates

Reflects

Shares

Information

Di

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The process ofbuilding understanding

The process ofsharing information

The process ofcollecting information

Com

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Analyzi

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Intra

-/Inter-personal Academic

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Academic Intra-/Inter-personal

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Teacher

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The Reflective Thinking Profile is designedto show how a student approaches learningand furthers understanding. It is a visualrepresentation of an individual's thinkingprocess, problem-solving preferences andareas of strength and confidence.This profile differs from the Math, Readingand Writing Continua in that students do notfollow a sequence of ages and developmentalstages.Changes within each year and over the courseof a student's UCDS career reflect periods ofequilibrium and disequilibrium. The profile is a“snapshot in time” of how a student operateswithin the curriculum, both academically andintra-/inter-personally.

UCDSR e f l e c t i v eT h i n k i n gP r o f i l e

THISCURRICULUMFOSTERSSTUDENTSWHOARE:

•Curious•Open-minded•Reflective•Responsible•Respectful•Active in the give-and-take of community

•Problem solvers•Independent•Insightful•Adaptable•Flexible•Creative•Decision makers•Life-long learners•Able to effect change•Persistent

In this Issue

TM

Visit us online at www.ucds.org/spark for curriculum resources and information about our Math and Science Workshops for educators.

BY TEACHERS FOR TEACHERS™

Spark is published by

University Child Development School.

Head of SchoolPaula Smith

Assistant Head of SchoolTeacher Education Center Director Melissa Chittenden

Publication DesignJack Forman

Contributing WritersAlyssa Barr, Susan Foley, Meg Herland, Melissa Holbert,Julie Kalmus, Gretchen Morse,Jennifer Vary

Contributing EditorsDiane Chickadel, Melissa Chittenden, Jack Forman, Betty Greene,Stephen Harrison, Julie Kalmus, Kerri McGill, Shanthi Raghu,Abby Sandberg, Paula Smith,Natasha Rodgers

PhotographyStephen Harrison,UCDS Faculty and Staff

For submission information, please contact Shanthi Raghu [email protected] editor reserves the right to edit and select all materials.

© 2013 University Child Development School. All rights reserved.

For the past century our schools have been organizedas if we have a definitive answer to this question. The model has looked something like this

Learning to think, create, and communicate effectively with different audiences is beyond the scope of the factory model school. If our fourth grade students are going to thrive in 2030, we need an organizational structure for our schools that is based on a new set of assumptions about how and what children learn and about the way we use assessment to drive quality. I believe that the Common Core Standards adopted by 45 states over the past several years provide us with an opportunity to begin to re-organize our schools around a new paradigm. Classrooms organized to insure that students master the skills and concepts laid out in these national benchmarks can look a great deal different than a classroom based on the standardized instruction and seat-time metrics of the factory model.

Rather than deciding in advance how long it will take a fourth grade student to learn long division, standards based classrooms can be organized to ensure that each student reaches mastery. Learning, rather than teaching, becomes the driver of curriculum and instruction, and these decisions are made inside the school. In this mastery model, teachers use assessments not only to track a student’s progress, but also to inform instruction.

Continued >

Question:How long does it take a fourth grade student to learn long division?

This factory paradigm is built on several key assumptions that feel very scientific… that if we standardize inputs to the classroom and measure results, we can assure quality, that “experts” outside the school, rather than teachers, are best equipped to make the major decisions about curriculum and instruction, and that the goal is to acquire content knowledge that can be measured on a standardized test.

Over the past decade, our public schools have doubled down in attempt to get this system exactly right. School districts in the US now spend 1.7 billion dollars annually on standardized tests and test preparation.1 And in spite of efforts to change class size, to standardize curriculum, and to dictate specific instructional strategies, test scores have not changed much over this period. This is true even in districts that have narrowed the curriculum in order to spend more time on math and the other “basic skills.”2

Our factory model school system has not only failed to increase test scores. While our schools in the US have worked to implement wave after wave of top down reform, there has been a technology revolution in the world outside the classroom. With unprecedented access to everyone and everything, the pace of innovation in every professional field has become exponential, so much so, that the top ten jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004. Today our students have access to information that was a once only available to their teachers, can join or build a community that includes members from anywhere on the planet, and can share their work with a global audience. Clearly our schools will need to retool in order to stay relevant in this rich learning environment and to prepare students for a world where they are constantly learning. The skills that our students need look something like this

21st Century SkillsOral Communication Following others’ thinking Engage in generative discussions Respond to new ideas and circumstances Lead by Influence Innovate Curiousity Think Analyze Initiate ideas Weigh Evidence Problem Solve Critical Thinking Communicate Effectively Explain thinking Write Well Imagination Creativity Risk-taking Initiative Persistence Self-direction Reflection Character Cross-cultural competency Judgment Flexibility Adaptability Think Analyze Initiate ideas Weigh Evidence Problem Solve Critical Thinking

Communicate Effectively Explain thinking Write Well

Students in age group batches

# of studentsset by district

Textbook companies create curriculum,

set timetable for delivery

Teachers are trained to cover

every lesson in 10 months

Teachers and Students

work in isolation.

Test Knowledge to measure outcome

(1) Chingos, Matthew M., (2012) Strength in Numbers, State spending on K-12 Assessment Systems, Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings

(2) Ravitch, Diane, (2010) The Death and Life of the Great American School System. Basic Books

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This model can look something like this…

Here at UCDS this organizational model drives an ongoing generative conversation about our students and our instruction. Our teachers not only want to build skills and the understanding of a concept they have selected from our Continuum, but also want our students to be highly engaged in thinking, generating solutions, and in collaborating with peers. As teachers work in grade level teams to select, adapt, and design curriculum they ask:

Does the lesson provide every student a stretch? Does it connect with what the children already know and care about? What type of problem solving strategies and application skills are we hoping to foster? What types of practice work best and for whom? Are students learning how to learn in this domain? How will we coach students to evaluate their own work and to improve? What does mastery look like and what evidence will we use to evaluate our student’s performance?

Like a team of physicians discussing a treatment plan, our teachers use assessments to decide what is or isn’t working, and what to do next. We use multiple data points to measure progress but also recognize that a student’s current level of academic achievement is only part of the picture. Teachers know that a student’s drive, determination, and confidence are often more reliable measures of future success. We hold ourselves accountable to nurture this fire and use our Reflective Thinking Profile as a tool to understand how a student approaches learning, communicates, and solves problems.

We believe that assessment should drive both deep learning and excellent teaching. In our classrooms, teachers set the expectation that students will need different types and amount of practice to reach mastery. Students expect that they will be working at the edge of their ability but that they may in different places with different goals. Students also know that the teacher will be checking in to ask questions, provide specific feedback, and offer support. In every coaching conversation, teachers ask students to show/share their thinking, and help students evaluate their own work. Our aim is to help students develop the non-cognitive 21st century skills and habits of mind that they will need to learn independently. It is the quality of thinking and the skill of learning, rather than the speed to arrive at the correct answer, that we should seek to develop in our students. They deserve nothing less.

Paula SmithHead of School

We base our mastery model

on the following assumptions:

Students acquire the critical habits of mind to learn

independently.

Assessments require a student to develop a strategy, think

through alternatives, persist, and evaluate their own progress.

Students learn how to reflect, set goals, and to assess their

own performance.

Assessments help students think about their own thinking.

Students learn how to initiate an idea.

Assessments require generative thinking.

Students become both a learner and a teacher.

Assessments require students to share, incorporate others

ideas/feedback, and to publish/perform/impact their

community.

3

Spark PlugsAssessment resourcesfrom our bookshelves:

Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the Worldby Tony Wagner

What kinds of skills do our young people need to be successful? Wagner asked innovators in a wide variety of professions and fields what are the skills that matter most and what is most important to be a continuous learner and an active citizen, and he started to see some

similarities in their responses. In a world where knowledge is a commodity and the pace of change is incredibly fast, Wagner explores the core competencies that young people should build in order to be innovators themselves.

From the research, a pattern emerges—a childhood of creative play leads to deep-seated passions, which in adolescence and adulthood blossom into a deeper purpose for career and life goals. Play, passion, and purpose: these are the forces that drive young innovators.

The book itself is innovative – readers are able to access online videos via the quick response codes for smartphone that allow for further exploration:http://creatinginnovators.com/the-book/

Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research on What Works in Schools by Robert J. Marzano

Why does one student’s academic achievement look different from another’s? Background knowledge is defined as what a person already knows about a subject

before delving deeper. Based on research, the book begins with the premise of a relationship between achievement and background knowledge. Taking into account the differences in a student’s background and, thereby knowledge, upon entering the classroom, Marzano discusses approaches to building and enhancing a student’s academic background knowledge in school.

Learn more about the author at:http://www.marzanoresearch.com

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Characterby Paul Tough

Tough’s latest book explores the shift from a belief that schools and parents should focus on developing a child’s cognitive skills to a belief that what matters most in a child’s development is not the input,

necessarily, but how to encourage and foster growth in a areas such as persistence, self-control, grit, and curiosity. The book discusses these non-cognitive skills, also known as personality traits or character; where they come from; and how they are developed.

More about Paul Tough and the book at:http://www.paultough.com

Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills by Daniel Coyle

Daniel Coyle’s latest book is a condensed pocketbook full of tips directly taken from the scientific researchers of the talent hotbeds the author visited. Coyle starts with the two premises:

1. We all possess talents.2. We’re unsure how to develop those talents to their full potential.

His book takes off from there, providing the reader with some useful ideas to build talent.

For more information, see:http://thetalentcode.com/book/

Sticky Curriculum

4

Assessing Student Learning Beyondthe Core Academic Subjects

by Meg Herland & Jen Vary

The Reflective Thinking Profile:

Continued >

A small group of students is brainstorming a list of possible polling questions to ask their classmates. One child listens as her friends rapidly list several options. Moments later she interjects, “I really like your idea of asking a question that has specific choices. What if we had four to choose from instead of two?” Her friends nod their heads in agreement and continue to formulate their plan...

3

Employing the Reflective Thinking Profile, UCDS faculty carefully assess each student’s unique approach to each curricular and social context.

Students are assessed in Problem Solving and Collaborative scenarios across social and academic curricular curricula anc coached to explore new strategies in each arena.

Teachers work to assess each student’s communication style in various contexts and set targeted goals for exploration and growth.

UCDS teachers design curricula that support students to be active learners, problem solvers and reflective thinkers. At our core is the belief that to engage is to learn. Our curriculum is process driven and allows students to delve deeply into topics. As students work, their teachers observe how they approach each activity – their level of engagement and how they tackle problems. The teachers are attuned to each student’s process, noticing how they work individually and with others, recover and persevere through obstacles and challenges, communicate their ideas, and share what they have learned in multiple ways with peers and adults. As their students work, teachers facilitate conversations that help students reflect on their unique strengths and strategies. For this reason, the teachers at UCDS wanted a tool that would not only define these attitudes and work habits but also effectively affirm their importance as part of our curriculum. We wanted a way to measure the personal characteristics that we, as educators, have always known to be

integral to academic success. The UCDS Reflective Thinking Profile was developed by our faculty as a result and is specifically designed to assess these important skills.

The Reflective Thinking Profile is a collection of social modes and character skills that are actively fostered by our curriculum. The profile helps define each student’s unique ways of engaging in his/her work. It spans all three academic skills continua—reading, writing and math—as well as the social/emotional arena. The profile is purposeful in design and reflects an understanding that children’s engagement and mindsets are flexible and can look quite different from one subject to another. The tool is used for assessment and as part of a comprehensive twice-yearly student progress report for both teachers and parents. The profile helps teachers to create appropriate challenges and stretches for their students and shape curriculum. Moreover, it affirms our belief that the skills beyond the core academic skills have a vital importance for student success.

At UCDS, these less tangible modes and learning behaviors have long shared equal importance with traditional academic disciplines. Throughout the day, students are actively coached to develop the reflective thinking skills that support them in persevering when problem solving, in collaborating with others and in communicating their understanding. As students use materials and interact with each other, they build tools that go far beyond traditional reading, writing and mathematical skills. Because our curriculum is driven by process, our students go further in their investigations than they would if they were seeking only a correct answer. They receive continuous feedback and are encouraged to reflect on their own strategies, gaining increased understanding, greater innovation and creativity in the problem solving process – core values at UCDS.

On the UCDS Reflective Thinking Profile, habits and skills fall into three categories: Approach, Problem Solving/Collaborating and Communication.

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Approachrefers to a student’s engagement in the process.

How do they initiate a process? Do they need to draw or build to understand it? Or does a student need to talk it through, making a verbal or written plan to get started? For example, during the writing process in a first and second grade classroom, a teacher observes and asks questions as three first grade students begin brainstorming and creating their individual stories in Writer’s Workshop. One child approaches the storyboarding process through drawing the beginning, middle and end of her story while her peer makes a detailed list of story elements such as character names, setting and plot to include before she drafts and a third child works from a step-by-step graphic organizer to start his story. Each of these children has a unique mindset that drives their engagement and flexibility in working through each step in the process. Teachers coach students as needed, providing strategies that contribute to their process. Students make choices and internalize, through reflection and conversations with teachers, the methods that work best for them.

Problem Solving/Collaboratingrefers to a student’s work habits and flexibility in the process.

Can they build upon the ideas of others? Do they ask for help when needed? How do they receive feedback and support? What strategies do they use when presented with a complex problem? In the classroom, back at the writer’s table, students engage in problem solving as they have conversations with teachers and each other about logical next steps for their story line. As they work, teachers support individual students to set attainable goals, helping them to use their areas of strength to support them during their challenges. An integral part of the process for children is celebrating mistakes and missteps as part of learning. Through the process they become adept at reevaluating and reframing, making discoveries about themselves as learners along the way. Persevering through a task and being preemptive in asking for help in the process are two of the strategies that teachers actively model for students. These steps in the learning process are key elements of our curriculum. 7

Assessment begins with understanding each student’s unique approach to complex problems and novel tasks. Faculty work to understand each student on a variety of levels.

In each academic and social arena, students are encouraged to work in collaborative teams. Faculty assess each student’s process and understanding in these contexts and progress as part of an indivualized set of short and long term goals.Continued >

The Reflective Thinking Profile is used to assess work habits and character skills throughout the UCDS program. This tool is used in our Early Elementary with students as young as three and continues through their final year at UCDS in 5th grade. The benefit to students is that, over time, they increase their awareness of themselves as information seekers and problem solvers. Effectively, they build a toolbox that contains both academic skills and work habits that they can access to support themselves through future challenges. Students are coached in the process of social problem-solving on the playground and in the classroom. Learning how to advocate for themselves and listen respectfully to others are integral parts of learning. At student-led Class Meetings, students collaborate to solve classroom problems and create a set of rules and codes for themselves and their peers. As 5th graders, students engage in a culminating service learning program, where they put the skills they have developed over the years into practice, identifying the needs of others in service to the greater UCDS community. These skills share characteristics with those utilized in the classroom at math time, in small group literature

Communicationrefers to how students share their understanding.

Do they participate in discussions? Can they offer ideas to others? Do they reflect on their own unique skills and strategies? For example, at Writer’s Workshop, as a student shares her final draft of a family’s summer adventure, the communication process extends beyond her teacher to include her peers. As a result she receives suggestions, support and affirmation. She can then build off of others’ ideas to change and to inform her future writing pieces. The dialogue among student, peers and teacher are valuable in setting or changing her approach for the next project. The process of taking risks, persevering and reflecting are ongoing in the writing process but can translate into any academic setting or social arena.

At Language Groups and Literature Circle, faculty often assess student understanding by posing

open-ended questions about shared reading. At right, students work to articulate their unique take

on story events in a group setting.

discussions, as well as in technology class and in the science lab. Learning to ask questions, seek resources, work in groups, effectively build on the ideas of others and actively participate in the process of group problem-solving deepens understanding and prepares students to engage as lifelong learners. They recognize their own unique mindsets and discover that they have multiple strengths to rely on as they persevere through academic and social challenges.

Approach, problem-solving, collaboration and communication have all gained new attention in the educational arena. In an age where technology and information occupy an enormous and dynamic proportion of our lives, workers need to be adept at listening to diverse opinions, processing complex information and communicating their ideas effectively to others. The complexity of our modern world means an individual can no longer hold all of the information needed to arrive at a solution. Working with others, persevering on complex problems and communicating with people in diverse fields of study demand these skills. The UCDS Reflective Thinking Profile helps assess the skills that are vital to success in the 21st Century.

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Carol S. Dweck, Ph. D.MindsetThe New Psychology of Success

Cathy N. DavidsonNow You See ItHow the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform The Way We Live, Work and Learn

Ellen WinnerStudio ThinkingThe Real Benefits of Visual Arts Educationco-authored with Lois Hetland, Shirley Veenema, and Kimberly Sheridan

21st CenturySchools Online21stcenturyschools.com

Related Spark Plugs:

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In addition to being its own document as illustrated on the previous pages, the Reflective Thinking Profile extends to each main curricular area. Above are the Reflective Thinking Profile “bands” that accompany the UCDS Reading, Writing and Math Continua documents.

UCDS MATH CONTINUUM

Approach Problem Solving Communication KeyW=winterS=spring

Continuum adapted by University Child Development School with permission from Bonnie Campbell Hill. No part of the Continuum may be reproduced or used without written permission of University Child Development School.Revised 09/2010.

ReflectiveThinkingProfile

Domain Marking Key:

GDemonstrateswith guidance

SSometimes

demonstratesindependently

FFrequently


CConsistently


Discovery Emerging Developing Beginning Expanding

Bridging Fluent Proficient Connecting Continuing

(ages 3, 4, 5) (ages 4, 5, 6) (ages 5, 6, 7) (ages 6, 7, 8) (ages 7, 8, 9)

(ages 8-11) (ages 9-12) (ages 10-13) (ages 11-14) (through adulthood)

Child Teachers

Number SenseOperations, Patterns, Varialbles





__ Reads and writes numbers to 100__ Skip counts by 2’s and 5’s__ Holds a number constant while counting on__ Regroups using manipulatives in addition__ Demonstrates understanding of 2-digit place value__ Demonstrates understanding of 3 digit place value__ Subtracts using manipulatives__ Recognizes and records sums up to 20__ Relates pictures to symbols of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4__ Creates multi-variable patterns

Geometry and Measurement__ Divides 2-D shapes to form different shapes__ Identifies 2-D shapes in a variety of orientations__ Identifies and creates single line symmetry__ Measures, compares and estimates using manipulatives__ Identifies area and perimeter

Statistics and Probability__ Reads, interprets and discusses information on simple graphs and charts

__ Rote counting to 10__ Recognizes numerals to 10__ Counts objects to 10 with one-to-one correspondence__ Makes marks to represent numbers or equations__ Recognizes patterns__ Extends single variable patterns

Geometry and Measurement__ Recognizes basic shapes__ Builds basic shapes__ Draws circles__ Sorts objects by one attribute __ Compares relative size of objects (bigger, smaller, equal, etc...)__ Uses descriptive language (size, speed, temperature, etc...)

Statistics and Probability__ Collects and counts objects or data__ Contributes data to a pictorial graph

__ Rote counting to 31__ Writes numerals to 10__ Counts objects to 20 with one-to-one correspondence__ Skip counts by tens__ Uses language to describe quantity and relationship (more, less, equal)__ Adds using manipulatives__ Understands the concept of 1/2__ Creates single variable patterns

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies basic shapes in the environment__ Draws triangles and rectangles__ Demonstrates understanding of relative location (above, below, beside, etc.) __ Measures using non-standard units__ Uses comparative language__ Demonstrates awareness of time (before/after)

Statistics and Probability__ Records data__ Shares findings

__ Rote counting to 100__ Counts objects beyond 20 with one-to-one correspondence__ Compares and orders numbers to 100__ Groups units into sets of ten__ Uses a combination of tens and ones to build two digit numbers__ Recognizes, interprets and records addition equations

Geometry and Measurement__ Combines 2-D shapes to form different shapes__ Sorts objects by 2 or more attributes__ Uses language to describe relative location (above, below, beside, etc...)__ Recognizes symmetry__ Measures length, width and height using non-standard units__ Uses time vocabulary (yesterday, today, tomorrow)

Statistics and Probability__ Adds information to graphs and charts__ Compares and contrasts findings

__ Recognizes numbers to 1000__ Applies addition facts__ Regroups using the addition algorithm__ Uses repeated addition to multiply__ Regroups using manipulatives in subtraction__ Recognizes, interprets and records subtraction equations__ Divides using manipulatives__ Understands pictorial and symbolic representations of fractions__ Compares numbers using >, <, =

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies 3-D shapes__ Measures area and perimeter using manipulatives__ Uses tools to find metric and US measures

Statistics and Probability__ Collects data for analysis__ Utilizes strategies for organizing data

__ Applies subtraction facts__ Demonstrates understanding of whole number place value__ Regroups using the subtraction algorithm__ Multiplies two-digit by two-digit numbers using partial products__ Builds simple division problems with remainders__ Builds equivalent fractions__ Adds and subtracts fractions with like denominators__ Understands decimals as parts of a whole

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies properties of geometric shapes (circles,squares, rectangles, triangles)__ Generalizes and applies rules for area and perimeter__ Uses manipulatives to find surface area and volume

Statistics and Probability__ Interprets and generalizes information found in bar and line graphs

__ Applies multiplication facts__ Regroups using subtraction algorithm across zeros__ Applies multiplication algorithm __ Uses manipulatives for long division__ Builds improper fractions and mixed numbers__ Adds and subtracts fractions with unlike denominators__ Compares and orders fractions__ Reduces fractions__ Generalizes understanding of place value for whole numbers and decimals__ Adds and subtracts with decimals

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies properties of polygons __ Compares, contrasts, and identifies angles__ Generalizes and applies rules for volume and surface area

Statistics and Probability__ Identifies relevant data__ Organizes data to create graphs__ Interprets information from a variety of graphs__ Calculates mean, median and mode

__ Applies division facts__ Uses long division algorithm__ Multiplies and divides with decimals__ Converts fractions to decimals __ Finds missing variable in simple addition, multiplication, subtraction and division equations__ Identifies relationship between fractions, decimals and percents

Geometry and Measurement__ Creates angles according to their properties__ Recognizes symmetric figures and identifies lines of symmetry__ Identifies properties of polyhedra

Statistics and Probability__ Predicts and finds likelihood of outcomes __ Uses mean, median, mode and range to analyze data__ Displays data in a variety of graphic forms

__ Applies order of operations to solve equations__ Uses ratios and proportions to solve problems__ Describes simple algebraic rules for patterns__ Multiplies fractions__ Divides whole numbers by fractions__ Finds percent of a known quantity

Geometry and Measurement__ Measures angles and lengths to construct 2-D figures __ Measures angles and lengths to construct 3-D figures __ Finds area and circumference of a circle __ Applies knowledge of ratios to create a scale map or drawing

Statistics and Probability__ Represents possible outcomes using a variety of methods (area or tree diagrams)__ Finds all possible outcomes for a given situation to determine probability

__ Finds and writes functional rules for linear and simple exponential relationships and patterns__ Explains numbers by comparing and sequencing whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, exponents and negative numbers__ Performs operations on real numbers __ Applies associative and commutative laws to problem solve and check work

Geometry and Measurement__ Understands relationships between measuring systems__ Compares different measurable attributes of polygons and 3-D shapes (height, length, weight, capacity, area, volume and perimeter)__ Understands concept of rate

Statistics and Probability__ Questions different interpretations of the same data__ Creates data analysis investigations: considers problem, collects and records data, describes and interprets data and develops hypotheses based on data

Takes risks Focuses attentionIdentifies salient informationDisplays eagerness towards mathematicsFormulates a planMakes informed predictions

Effectively documents the processExpresses ideas with clarityCollaboratesReflects

Implements a variety of strategies Perseveres Asks questions to support processModifies strategiesDisplays flexibilityEstimates, predicts and assesses reasonableness of an outcome

G S F CG S F CG S F CG S F CG S F CG S F C


G S F CG S F CG S F CG S F C






UCDS READING CONTINUUM




Domain Marking Key:


SSometimes


FFrequently


CConsistently



Bridging Fluent Proficient Connecting Independent


(ages 8-11) (ages 9-12) (ages 10-13) (ages 11-14) (Ages 12+)

Child Teachers

Types of Text and Oral Reading

Engagement

Reading Strategies

Comprehension and Response

__ Notices purpose of signs, labels, logos (environmental print)

__ Recognizes own name in print

__ Shows interest in print__ Explores reading materials (books, magazines,

charts)__ Actively listens to books read aloud, one-on-one__ Actively listens to picture books read aloud, in a

group setting

__ Holds book correctly, turns pages__ Shows beginning/end of book or story__ Knows some letter names

__ Responds to books__ Comments on illustrations in books__ Participates in group reading (books, rhymes,

poems, songs)


Engagement

Reading Strategies


__ Memorizes words or phrases to read __ Recognizes names of signs, labels, logos

(environmental print)__ Recognizes some names and words in context

__ Actively listens to chapter books read aloud in a group setting

__ Imitates conventional reading-notices pictures/text__ Sustains exploration of reading materials (5-10

minutes)

__ Uses illustrations to tell stories__ Follows text top to bottom, left to right and front to

back__ Practices finger-voice-print matching __ Knows most letter names and some letter sounds__ Begins to blend and segment sounds orally__ Uses picture cues to make guesses about words

__ Rhymes and plays with words__ Participates in reciting of familiar books, poems

and songs__ Connects books read aloud to own experience


Engagement

Reading Strategies



Engagement

Reading Strategies



Engagement

Reading Strategies


Reading Strategies


Reading Strategies


Reading Strategies


Engagement

Reading Strategies


Engagement

Reading Strategies


__ Reads books with increased focus on text__ Begins to identify basic genres (fiction, nonfiction

and poetry)__ Begins to read own writing

__ Begins to read for short periods (5-10 minutes)

__ Relies on illustrations and print__ Uses finger-print-voice matching__ Knows letter names__ Knows letter sounds__ Blends letter sounds__ Begins to read high frequency words __ Uses letter cues to make guesses about words __ Identifies titles and authors

__ Retells main event or idea in literature__ Participates in guided literature discussions

__ Reads early-reader books with controlled vocabulary

__ Reads early-reader books with non-controlled vocabulary

__ Identifies basic genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)__ Uses basic punctuation when reading orally__ Reads own writing

__ Reads (10-15 minutes)__ Learns information from reading and shares with

others__ Begins to make connections when listening to a

story

__ Uses letter/sound cues and patterns (phonics)__ Reads high frequency words __ Begins to self-correct

__ Begins to retell beginning, middle and end __ Identifies characters and story events

__ Reads beginning chapter books__ Reads a variety of materials __ Begins to read aloud with fluency

__ Reads silently__ Reads for increasingly longer periods (15-20

minutes)

__ Begins to use word structure cues (e.g., prefixes, suffixes and compound words)

__ Begins to use meaning cues (context) to increase vocabulary

__ Begins to self-correct for meaning using context__ Begins to self-correct based on punctuation cues__ Identifies chapter titles and table of contents (text

organizers)

__ Retells story events in sequential order__ Makes personal connections with facts,

characters and situations __ Compares and contrasts characters and story

events within a series__ Makes predictions based on story events __ Begins to follow simple written directions

Types of Text and Oral Reading Types of Text and Oral Reading Types of Text and Oral Reading Types of Text and Oral Reading Types of Text and Oral Reading__ Reads a variety of books __ Begins to identify specific genres (realistic fiction,

historical fiction and fantasy)__ Begins to identify reading material at independent

level__ Reads aloud with fluency

__ Reads for increasingly longer periods (20-30 minutes)

__ Finishes a variety of books

__ Uses context cues to increase vocabulary__ Uses word structure cues (e.g., prefixes, suffixes

and compound words)__ Self-corrects using punctuation cues__ Self-corrects for meaning using context__ Begins to use chapter titles and table of contents

to locate information

__ Summarizes main idea of passage__ Compares and contrasts characters and story

events between texts __ Follows simple written directions__ Summarizes setting and plot __ Identifies main characters and supporting

characters__ Identifies point of view of character

__ Reads medium-level chapter books__ Identifies reading materials at independent level__ Identifies specific genres (realistic fiction, historical

fiction, fantasy)__ Begins to read aloud with expression

__ Reads for extended periods (30-40 minutes)

__ Gathers information by using the glossary, captions and indices to increase understanding

__ Reads tables and maps __ Finds facts in nonfiction

__ Begins to discuss literature with reference to setting, plot and characters

__ Recognizes the difference between fact and opinion

__ Responds to issues and ideas in literature, as well as facts or story events

__ Makes connections to other authors and books __ Follows written directions

__ Reads challenging children’s literature__ Begins to select and read nonfiction__ Begins to develop strategies and criteria for

selecting a variety of reading materials__ Reads aloud with fluency and expression

__ Begins to use resources to locate information__ Reads information from graphs__ Uses table of contents and index to locate

information__ Uses resources to increase vocabulary

__ Discusses literature with reference to setting, plot and characters

__ Begins to discuss theme __ Begins to use new vocabulary in oral and written

response to literature__ Begins to infer and draw conclusions __ Begins to support opinions with reasons and

examples

__ Reads complex children’s literature__ Reads nonfiction __ Begins to select and finish a variety of genres__ Uses strategies and criteria for selecting reading

materials

__ Uses resources to locate information __ Analyzes information from graphs, tables and

maps__ Uses resources to increase vocabulary

__ Begins to discuss author’s purpose and style __ Begins to identify literary devices (e.g., simile,

metaphor, personification, foreshadowing)__ Begins to generate in-depth response in small

group literature discussions__ Begins to generate in-depth written responses to

literature__ Uses increasingly complex vocabulary in oral and

written response to literature__ Begins to summarize nonfiction information__ Uses reasons and examples to support ideas and

conclusions__ Begins to make connections between text and

environment

__ Reads young adult literature__ Selects and finishes books from a variety of genres

__ Begins to integrate nonfiction information to further develop understanding of a topic

__ Seeks recommendations and opinions about literature from others

__ Generates in-depth oral responses to literature__ Generates in-depth written responses to literature__ Identifies literary devices __ Begins to reflect on literature from varying points

of view__ Begins to develop criteria for evaluating literature__ Begins to interpret and analyze reading content

critically__ Makes connections between text and environment

G S F C Uses a variety of reading strategiesG S F C Reads across genresG S F C Prepares for literature discussionsG S F C Displays eagerness towards literature.

(Engages in own books and listens to books read aloud)G S F C Chooses books at an appropriate levelG S F C Focuses attention

G S F C PerseveresG S F C Seeks resourcesG S F C Identifies own reading strategies and pursues goals

G S F C Offers ideasG S F C Expresses ideas effectively in discussionsG S F C Responds to the ideas of othersG S F C Takes support role in discussionsG S F C Asks questionsG S F C Shares favorite reading materials

Child Teachers

RE L A T E S T O :

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A s k s c l o s e d A s k s o p e n - e n d e d q u e s t i o n s t o q u e s t i o n s t o


C o n s i d e r s m u l t i p l e s o u r c e so f i n f o r m a t i o n


Defines needs

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RECOGNIZES

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Advocatesfor self

Advocatesfor others


Aboutself

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Aboutcommunity

Seeks asolution


Responds

reflectively:

Demonstrates

kinesthetically

Reports verbally

Creates written

communication


SHARES


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Revises

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THIS CURRICULUM FOSTERS STUDENTS WHO ARE:



“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome.”

– Arthur Ashe

10

Creative Fusion

by Susan Foley & Gretchen Morse

At UCDS we purposely choose the forms of assessment that best serve our students and teachers. Over the years we have researched, gathered and created a variety of assessment tools and practices that guide how and what we teach. UCDS teachers carefully choose and create assessments that not only give us information about a child’s academic performance but also provide insight into a child’s thinking process. In particular, we know that when students reflect on their own thinking they become successful independent learners. Through reflection on one’s own thinking process, an individual practices learning how to learn. In turn, each student develops independence

and the ability to generalize his or her thinking strategies to other problem-solving scenarios. In fact, we consider these reflective skills to constitute the core of our program, providing a platform on which academic growth occurs.

Our curriculum is built from a continuum of skills or benchmarks (at right) that describe how we generally expect students to acquire academic abilities. We acknowledge that academic growth is not always a linear process, and the continua documents allow teachers to note where a child’s abilities currently lie without being constrained by his or her age or grade. These are living documents that we regularly review. Throughout

the process of examining our reading, writing, and math continua, we sparked discussions about the problem solving skills that surround academic abilities. These skills seemed to fall under the bigger umbrella of Critical Thinking. As we considered the ways students communicate their understanding, approach and method to solve problems, we decided that these abilities were not unique to one academic content area. And so, with that realization, we were ready to embark on creating a continuum that would give a picture of each child’s Critical Thinking abilities.

11

UCDS MATH CONTINUUM




Domain Marking Key:


SSometimes


FFrequently


CConsistently



Bridging Fluent Proficient Connecting Continuing


(ages 8-11) (ages 9-12) (ages 10-13) (ages 11-14) (through adulthood)

Child Teachers






__ Reads and writes numbers to 100__ Skip counts by 2’s and 5’s__ Holds a number constant while counting on__ Regroups using manipulatives in addition__ Demonstrates understanding of 2-digit place value__ Demonstrates understanding of 3 digit place value__ Subtracts using manipulatives__ Recognizes and records sums up to 20__ Relates pictures to symbols of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4__ Creates multi-variable patterns

Geometry and Measurement__ Divides 2-D shapes to form different shapes__ Identifies 2-D shapes in a variety of orientations__ Identifies and creates single line symmetry__ Measures, compares and estimates using manipulatives__ Identifies area and perimeter

Statistics and Probability__ Reads, interprets and discusses information on simple graphs and charts

__ Rote counting to 10__ Recognizes numerals to 10__ Counts objects to 10 with one-to-one correspondence__ Makes marks to represent numbers or equations__ Recognizes patterns__ Extends single variable patterns

Geometry and Measurement__ Recognizes basic shapes__ Builds basic shapes__ Draws circles__ Sorts objects by one attribute __ Compares relative size of objects (bigger, smaller, equal, etc...)__ Uses descriptive language (size, speed, temperature, etc...)

Statistics and Probability__ Collects and counts objects or data__ Contributes data to a pictorial graph

__ Rote counting to 31__ Writes numerals to 10__ Counts objects to 20 with one-to-one correspondence__ Skip counts by tens__ Uses language to describe quantity and relationship (more, less, equal)__ Adds using manipulatives__ Understands the concept of 1/2__ Creates single variable patterns

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies basic shapes in the environment__ Draws triangles and rectangles__ Demonstrates understanding of relative location (above, below, beside, etc.) __ Measures using non-standard units__ Uses comparative language__ Demonstrates awareness of time (before/after)

Statistics and Probability__ Records data__ Shares findings

__ Rote counting to 100__ Counts objects beyond 20 with one-to-one correspondence__ Compares and orders numbers to 100__ Groups units into sets of ten__ Uses a combination of tens and ones to build two digit numbers__ Recognizes, interprets and records addition equations

Geometry and Measurement__ Combines 2-D shapes to form different shapes__ Sorts objects by 2 or more attributes__ Uses language to describe relative location (above, below, beside, etc...)__ Recognizes symmetry__ Measures length, width and height using non-standard units__ Uses time vocabulary (yesterday, today, tomorrow)

Statistics and Probability__ Adds information to graphs and charts__ Compares and contrasts findings

__ Recognizes numbers to 1000__ Applies addition facts__ Regroups using the addition algorithm__ Uses repeated addition to multiply__ Regroups using manipulatives in subtraction__ Recognizes, interprets and records subtraction equations__ Divides using manipulatives__ Understands pictorial and symbolic representations of fractions__ Compares numbers using >, <, =

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies 3-D shapes__ Measures area and perimeter using manipulatives__ Uses tools to find metric and US measures

Statistics and Probability__ Collects data for analysis__ Utilizes strategies for organizing data

__ Applies subtraction facts__ Demonstrates understanding of whole number place value__ Regroups using the subtraction algorithm__ Multiplies two-digit by two-digit numbers using partial products__ Builds simple division problems with remainders__ Builds equivalent fractions__ Adds and subtracts fractions with like denominators__ Understands decimals as parts of a whole

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies properties of geometric shapes (circles,squares, rectangles, triangles)__ Generalizes and applies rules for area and perimeter__ Uses manipulatives to find surface area and volume

Statistics and Probability__ Interprets and generalizes information found in bar and line graphs

__ Applies multiplication facts__ Regroups using subtraction algorithm across zeros__ Applies multiplication algorithm __ Uses manipulatives for long division__ Builds improper fractions and mixed numbers__ Adds and subtracts fractions with unlike denominators__ Compares and orders fractions__ Reduces fractions__ Generalizes understanding of place value for whole numbers and decimals__ Adds and subtracts with decimals

Geometry and Measurement__ Identifies properties of polygons __ Compares, contrasts, and identifies angles__ Generalizes and applies rules for volume and surface area

Statistics and Probability__ Identifies relevant data__ Organizes data to create graphs__ Interprets information from a variety of graphs__ Calculates mean, median and mode

__ Applies division facts__ Uses long division algorithm__ Multiplies and divides with decimals__ Converts fractions to decimals __ Finds missing variable in simple addition, multiplication, subtraction and division equations__ Identifies relationship between fractions, decimals and percents

Geometry and Measurement__ Creates angles according to their properties__ Recognizes symmetric figures and identifies lines of symmetry__ Identifies properties of polyhedra

Statistics and Probability__ Predicts and finds likelihood of outcomes __ Uses mean, median, mode and range to analyze data__ Displays data in a variety of graphic forms

__ Applies order of operations to solve equations__ Uses ratios and proportions to solve problems__ Describes simple algebraic rules for patterns__ Multiplies fractions__ Divides whole numbers by fractions__ Finds percent of a known quantity

Geometry and Measurement__ Measures angles and lengths to construct 2-D figures __ Measures angles and lengths to construct 3-D figures __ Finds area and circumference of a circle __ Applies knowledge of ratios to create a scale map or drawing

Statistics and Probability__ Represents possible outcomes using a variety of methods (area or tree diagrams)__ Finds all possible outcomes for a given situation to determine probability

__ Finds and writes functional rules for linear and simple exponential relationships and patterns__ Explains numbers by comparing and sequencing whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, exponents and negative numbers__ Performs operations on real numbers __ Applies associative and commutative laws to problem solve and check work

Geometry and Measurement__ Understands relationships between measuring systems__ Compares different measurable attributes of polygons and 3-D shapes (height, length, weight, capacity, area, volume and perimeter)__ Understands concept of rate

Statistics and Probability__ Questions different interpretations of the same data__ Creates data analysis investigations: considers problem, collects and records data, describes and interprets data and develops hypotheses based on data

Takes risks Focuses attentionIdentifies salient informationDisplays eagerness towards mathematicsFormulates a planMakes informed predictions

Effectively documents the processExpresses ideas with clarityCollaboratesReflects

Implements a variety of strategies Perseveres Asks questions to support processModifies strategiesDisplays flexibilityEstimates, predicts and assesses reasonableness of an outcome



G S F CG S F CG S F CG S F C






The UCDS Math Continuum (above) is one of several assessment documents developed by faculty and staff. These documents use a combination of developmental research, state and national learning-standards, and school-specific curricula to track student growth in each major subject area. Faculty use the Math, Reading and Writing Continua to assess student learning and communicate with parents on a regular basis.Continuum adapted by University Child Development School with permission from Bonnie Campbell Hill. No part of the Continuum may be reproduced or used without written permission of University Child Development School.

Continued >

Our original plan was to create a fourth continuum, modeled after the reading, writing and math continua we were already using. We didn’t realize at the start just how long, complex and valuable this journey was going to be. We wanted this continuum to go beyond the list of skills and concepts that were carefully teased out in the other documents. Our ambition was to create a multi-dimensional tool not only to assess a child’s thinking but also to assess the process of thinking. We devoted many of our in-service days over the next two years to thinking about thinking. The school worked with the staff of ILABS, University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, to begin the process of looking deeper into our own practices in light of the exciting, emerging research in the field of neuroscience. Small teams of teachers traveled to attend workshops hosted by Mel Levine, John Ratey, Ron Richhart and the Foundation for Critical Thinking. Upon returning from such workshops, these teachers led the staff in discussions to further understand the thinking process. We filmed students solving puzzles and interviewed them about their processes. As a staff we

reviewed and reflected on these videos. We repeated this exercise with teachers working through puzzles and problems. We invited researchers and leaders in the field to visit our school and add their perspectives and knowledge to our discussions. These visitors included Robert and Michelle Root-Bernstein, Ellen Winner, Jennifer Amsterlaw, Ron Richhart, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and John Ratey. We also broke into small groups to read about and share a variety of teaching philosophies including Bloom, Vygotsky, Dewey, Waldorf, Piaget, Montessori, Reggio-Emilia and Levine. These activities helped the faculty create shared language and informed our ongoing discussions. We explored and tested a few versions of the UCDS Critical Thinking Continuum over the next few years (below).

One surprising decision that we arrived at was that a Critical Thinking continuum was not serving the purposes we hoped it would. The language seemed to emphasize science and math rather than fitting all domains and the layout implied that the document was tracking linear skills that to us seemed better described as learning traits or habits

of mind. We came to the conclusion that one continuum would not suffice. We needed to add information about thinking processes to each of the existing continua (reading, writing and math) to illustrate how an individual’s thinking and problem solving was often dependent on that specific domain. For example, one child may consistently explain his or her thinking when solving a math problem, but may not do this in a literature group discussion. Having a place on each continuum to document thinking in a specific domain gave a more thorough picture of each student.

Although including descriptors of a student’s thinking process in each academic continuum deepened the way we used these assessment tools, faculty still believed that providing additional information about a student’s Reflective Thinking with peers and in the community could valuably document how a child’s social/emotional skills are growing. To this end, faculty began developing a resource to describe Reflective Thinking, which is a snapshot of how a student interacts with the community and approaches situations where problems need to be solved. In order to support this valuable part of our

12

After several revisions and ongoing experimentation, the evolving Critical Thinking Continuum struck the UCDS faculty as being too focused on math and science domains, but not as universal as the Reflective Thinking Profile would soon become. At left is the Critical Thinking Continuum.

curriculum, we decided to re-envision the fourth planned continuum as the UCDS Reflective Thinking Profile. This description is a profile because it provides a snapshot in time of a student’s communication and collaboration style. From year-to-year, these snapshots are an ongoing source of data on how a student is developing as a learner and community member. In addition, this document acts as a guide for teachers as we continually coach students on how to practice and implement these essential skills.

The continua and Reflective Thinking Profile are used to assess and track a child’s growth and are considered living documents. As a faculty we examine these documents regularly, discuss their effectiveness and adjust them to reflect what we value and teach. The useful documents that result from these cooperative efforts are appreciated by all. By far the most value comes from what we gain taking the journey together. By undertaking this process, it gives us time to delve into theories about learning and thinking and more clearly define what we want to coach and assess in our everydayteaching.

13

DOCUMENT IDEAS: Like a snail shell… spirals outward. Start in the center, then continues around through the six bloom stages, but each time you reach the same stage, it’s on a higher level. (Two people may be at the understanding phase, but it may look totally different because they’re understanding on different levels, i.e on different rungs of the spiral.) To demonstrate how thinking is specialized among different content areas, there could be multiple arrows spiraling out together from the same central location, representing writing/math/etc., and each one is marked independently (this would keep the thinking skills out of the content continua). Alternately, different spirals could represent the cognitive vs. affective vs. psychomotor domains. Each time around the spiral demonstrates having reached cognitive dissonance and questioning your knowledge, thus leading to further investigation and more trips around the spiral. Specific check-off points on the spiral can be described by Bloom’s Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor verbiage.

Remembering

Understanding

Applying

Analyzing

Evaluating

Creating

• This is basically new Bloom’s pyramid within the confines of Mel Levine’s

areas of thought. Each pie piece is a Mel category and within each of the pieces

the Bloom hierarchy is shown. • We thought of possibly adding another pie piece for Social Cognition

• Thought of considering a 3 rd dimension for cognitive, affective and psychomotor

considerations Questions: How to cover the different subject areas on the document?

Possible answers: 1) fit them into current chart using smaller pie pieces within each of Levine’ pieces,

or 2) Multiple documents—math/science and reading/writing.

Remembering

Understanding

Applying

Analyzing

Evaluating

Creating

Critical Thinking

Rule Thinking

Creative Thinking

Conceptual Thinking

Problem Solving

RE L A T E S T O :

Ow

n experiences

Others' experiences

The community

Follo

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Follows

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conversations

Ref

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References R

eferences

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peers

adults

Con

sider

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Considers

Considers Reads

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O B S E R V E S:

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A s k s c l o s e d A s k s o p e n - e n d e d

q u e s t i o n s t o q u e s t i o n s t o


C o n s i d e r s m u l t i p l e s o u r c e s

o f i n f o r m a t i o n


Defines needs

of self



RECOGNIZES

PROBL

EM

S

Empathizes


Sets goals

Solves Probl

ems

Uses rules

Uses strategies

Recognizes patterns

ORGANIZES INFORM

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to new situatio

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n proces

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Asks extending

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REPORTS:

Abo

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elf

Abo

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ther

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About community



Advocatesfor self

Advocatesfor others


Aboutself

Aboutothers

Aboutcommunity

Seeks asolution


Responds

reflectively:

Demonstrates

kinesthetically

Reports verbally

Creates written

communication


SHARES


Considers

audience

when

communicating

Revises

Collaborates

Reflects

Shares

Information

Di

spl

ays Flexibility




Com

municating

Gathering

Analyzi

ng

Intra

-/Inter-personal Academic Intra-/Inter-personal Academic Intra-/Inter-perso

nal

A

cade

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Child

Teacher

Date



THIS CURRICULUM FOSTERS STUDENTS WHO ARE:



1. Defining CharacteristicsStarting with the exisiting Critical Thinking continuum and incorporating reasearch, faculty identified and prioritized Reflective Thinking skills.

2. Identifyinga Framework

With the help of developmental

psychologists’ findings, faculty explored

different organizational schemes for a new

document.

3. Creating a Document Teachers

devised a variety of ways tographically organize these traits using spirals,

circles, pyramids and spider webs. With revisions, the work led to an early, experimental version of

the Reflective Thinking Profile (below left). The final version of this document can be seen in the

Sticky Curriculum article on Page 4.

Auth

enti

c As

sess

men

t:

14

What Works

15

Walk through the doors at University Child Development School and you will immerse yourself in a form of authentic assessment that occurs daily in each of our classrooms. You will see it as children work collaboratively with peers, individually and one-on-one with teachers. Our interactive daily assessments drive curricular planning in all subject areas and allow for the individualized instruction of our students. We all know that academic assessments from around the world come in a variety of forms depending on the school district, leadership, required curriculum and teachers. Typically these assessments inform school leaders, teachers and parents about a student’s periodic progress. At UCDS we use a format of daily authentic assessments that are beneficial not only to the teachers and parents but also to the students. Our systems for daily anecdotal assessments provides information for teachers that allows them to generate innovative and skill-specific curricula, detailed communication to parents and individual stretches and goals for students each and every day.

For UCDS teachers, the development of our daily curricula and the assessment of how it worked is a cyclical process: decide the academic skills to be addressed, create the project, try it out with students, assess their work on that project, evaluate the overall effectiveness of the project with colleagues and redesign the next steps based on what was observed from the students.

Let’s unpack this process by looking at the subject area of math... Continued >

by Alyssa Barr &Melissa Holbert

16

Our math curriculum is a dose of complex story problems inspired by classroom read-aloud books and targeted mathematical concepts that are all packed into a daily “Math Vitamin.” The development of each Math Vitamin begins with our Math Continuum of skills. Teachers use the skill benchmarks found in that continuum document as a resource to create a thoughtful, invigorating story problem.

For this example, teachers create a project that will address multiplication and factoring skills and connect to a story line about animal research found in their classroom read-aloud book. As students begin to explore the math task, the teacher overhears two students talk about their strategy to find all the possible factors for 32.“I think we should start with a number line and then start checking to see if each number will build an array for 32.” With a plan in place, the two students continue the Math Vitamin process. As their strategy moves past 16, they begin to notice that no new numbers are building 32. At this point the teacher assesses their process and steps-in to add the depth needed to move these students to a new level of thinking. She challenges them to look at patterns and relationships with factors. “Let’s look at other arrays and see what you notice about how factors are growing.” The students quickly notice that numbers past the halfway

mark of the original number will never have any new factors. “Wow! That is totally going to save us so much time with our bigger numbers.”

Moving around the room, the teacher assesses

another student’s process and observes that she is not interacting with the peers next to her and that the paper she has for documenting her work remains blank. Even though there are students around her at the table who are talking and engaged with the project, this student is sitting quietly and not working. After asking the student specific questions, like “what is this problem asking you to find out?” or “what section should we start building to find the array?” the teacher gains critical information about how to make an individualized plan to help this student move forward. In this case, the teacher decides to create a specific model for the student to follow and makes a goal for the student to check-in before each new array is built.

The two examples above illustrate how the teacher first observes the students’ approaches to the problem, how the students begin by applying their foundational skills, and how the students use their peers, teachers and the available manipulatives as resources to help navigate through the Math Vitamin process. In addition to attending to academic skills, teachers are assessing how students approach the overall mathematical challenge: whether they persevere when they experience difficulty, for example. Teachers are also assessing what problem-solving strategies a child can implement and also how s/he communicates his/her work orally and through documentation. All these individual observations are part of our daily authentic assessments and serve as the main tools that inform our next steps with curricular development and designing individual student stretches/goals. These assessments also serve as a concrete foundation for parent conference communication.

This method of generating skill-based curricula, trying it out and assessing students’ work in real time is the core process that allows for two things to occur:

- The individualization needed to address and stretch the different ability levels in the classroom.

- Continued development of curricular tasks that are broad and exciting enough for a classroom of students to eagerly ponder yet can be easily tailored and are relevant to each child.

At right are a few key authentic assessment strategies that teachers watch for and employ in the classroom as students work through tasks individually and collaboratively.

Asking ourselves “what worked and what didn’t work” after each lesson is a UCDS faculty hallmark. These daily curricular assessments and debriefs add depth and clarity to our collegial conversations.

December 12, 2012

Good morning, Animal Experts! In Research Groups you've been digging deep into oddities of the animal kingdom. Today you are going to start planning your own zoo. First, decide which animals to include in your zoo. Use the list provided or check in with a teacher for other creatures' habitat sizes. The area that animal needs to be happy is provided. Your next step is to figure out the possible dimensions - the length and width- of each of the enclosures. Find the perimeter of each enclosure, as well.

Next, arrange your enclosures in a map layout for your whole zoo. What is the area and perimeter of your whole zoo?

width = 2 feetlength = 3 feetarea = 6 feet2perimeter=10 feet

Frog Tank

parakeet 9 feet2

wallaby 12 feet2

fruit bat 25 feet2

arctic fox 45 feet2

spider monkey 64 feet2

zebra 81 feet2

giraffe 90 feet2

seal 144 feet2

hippopotamus 225 feet2

polar bear 324 feet2

Monday, October 15, 2012

A Different Way to SEE assessment…

Assessment Strategies

17

Be sure to check out our online SPARK resource where you can access our Math Continuum. Different mathematical strands at varying levels are highlighted with informative videos that illustrate how skills are taught.

For a different way to see how assessments guide our curriculum and how teachers are meeting and stretching students, visit:

http://www.ucds.org/spark/math-continuum/4-beginning/numbers-5.html

In this video clip, students are measuring the length of an extender needed to press a button on a Micro-Blaster to return read-aloud character Jonathan back to his original size. Students are charged with the goals of measuring the length of their string with rods, recording their process and writing an equation. Teachers assess students’ knowledge of single digit, double digit and triple digit place value while offering coaching as the students try out new and unfamiliar skills. The first student is comfortable with single-digit place value but is guided through the process of breaking apart double-digit numerals into tens and ones. The second student is ready for a triple-digit numeral stretch. Challenged to measure a longer string, this student combines her rods into groups of tens to find her total. A teacher assesses this student’s understanding of triple digit numeral, 215, by building her total using two 100 flats, one ten-rod and five units.

Student approach - Teachers are thinking about how the student approaches a task. For example, when teachers are assessing students during the above mentioned Math Vitamin, they find students who need help reading the storyline and extrapolating important information and help them get started solving the problem. With students at this level, discussion about the facts, even underlining important information along the way, is used to help the students approach their Math Vitamin successfully. For students who easily gather information independently, the teacher uses open-ended questions and observations about what other students are doing to lead students into a deeper recognition of number patterns and thus extend their mathematical thinking. Students are also expected to demonstrate the depth of their thinking through documentation of their ideas and written reflective statements about how they find their solutions. These authentic assessment interactions and observations help teachers understand what students specifically need in order to be successful throughout the problem solving process.

Creating an implementation plan -Teachers are checking to see how students implement their foundational strategies in order to solve multi-step tasks. Teachers ask students open-ended questions to assess whether or not students have a firm understanding of or plan for how to solve their task. If students are having trouble answering questions, like “what is it you are trying to solve today?” or “what are you going to do to solve this problem?” then it is clear that these students may need a more structured and individualized plan to help them through the process. Depending on the needs of the student, teachers may offer a working model or a process chart with specific steps for the student to follow in order to move successfully through the Math Vitamin.

Student documentation -Once students have a plan, teachers observe how they apply their plan and how they document their process to bring clarity and accuracy to their thinking. Documentation is key to authentic assessment because it gives teachers an in-depth picture of students’ thinking processes and understanding of a topic. Teachers are able to assess how students use their foundational skills and apply them to solving a problem. Students’ documentation allows teachers to assess how students use different strategies to organize their ideas as they work through real tasks. Teachers observe how students are using charts, tables, columns, labels and reflective sentences to communicate and bring clarity to their thinking. This documentation work is also used in parent conferences to demonstrate application of skills and complexity of topic understanding.

Providing a stretch -Teachers are observing how students reflect about their ideas. Are students independently creating stretches or willing to accept those next steps offered by the teacher? Do they retreat from a challenge? Is their work increasingly illustrating efficient and sophisticated methods of problem solving?

People WhoInspire Us

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UCDS parent, John Neilson loved ideas; those he found in literature and those he gained through a deep appreciation of world culture, math, science, art, music, philosophy and physical excellence.

In 1999, at the age of thirty-eight, John lost a hard fought battle against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In honor of John’s life, The Neilson Endowment Fund was created. Through the Teacher Education Center at UCDS, we use this endowment to create and share programs that offer children access to big ideas.

John was an inspiration to us in life and we dedicate this, ‘People Who Inspire Us’ section to him.

Larry Rosenstock is CEO and founding principal of High Tech High, a network of eleven K-12 public charter schools in California, and is Dean of the High Tech High Graduate School of Education. Larry taught carpentry in urban high schools in Boston and Cambridge and was principal of the Rindge School of Technical Arts, and of the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. A member of the Massachusetts and U.S. Supreme Court Bars, he served as an attorney at the Harvard Center for Law and Education, and was a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He directed the federal New Urban High School Project, and was president of the Price Charitable Fund.

UCDS has closely followed the evolution of the High Tech High philosophy and its program of tinkering and creating. Teams of UCDS administrators and faculty have visited High Tech High for trainings, inspiration and collaboration. A few of us at UCDS had the opportunity to speak with Larry Rosenstock about High Tech High’s educational model and the role that assessment plays in project-driven schools. The following is an excerpt from that conversation.

Correct An Interview with Larry Rosenstock

by Julie Kalmus

19Continued >

SPARK:What makes the High Tech High model effective?

Larry Rosenstock:

We have teachers working in teams.We don’t see teachers working in autonomous isolation. If you looked out of my office, you would see a classroom shared by two teachers: one math/science and one history/humanities. Each of them has sightlines through glass into each other’s classrooms right in front of them. There is a wall that is a partition and is moveable. Each of them can control their schedule as a pair however they want to. We still cover all the requirements for the state of California, but the teachers will decide how it gets done.

You begin this by getting people working together, and we have a few ground rules for that. One rule is to be hard on the content and soft on the people. The other is that anyone who doesn’t want to do what the rest of us want to do doesn’t have to do it, but they can’t keep the rest of us from doing it if we want to. This works quite well. You’ve got to get people meeting with each other, and you’ve got to get people meeting with each other in a very different way. In most schools, the math teachers meet five afternoons a year and that’s it. We really focus on having the teachers meet who have the same kids that year.

When you think about the conversations that your faculty is having, what do you think the tenor of the conversations should be? How does assessment play a role in that conversation?

We use a lot of protocols for these conversations. A lot of them come from Project Zero and places like that. But we also talk to each other in a regular way, just like regular people. For example, today we are having a conversation reflecting on whether something has worked, why it worked and whether or not we want to tweak it some more. We’re assessing our work in real time.

What do you think about traditional assessments? How do you think assessment should be defined?

I think that the traditional assessment is about standardized testing and Advanced Placement (AP). I think that traditional assessment doesn’t work.

Let me break it down… I’ve got my Einstein quote on the wall, “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”

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Let’s start with AP. Chip Heath heard about how we have honors and non-honors courses. He also heard we have kids that are taking honors and who not taking honors taking math from the same teacher at the same time. Our thinking is this way no one feels like they are in the dumb class and that anyone can add honors to move up within the first three weeks of class. Chip wanted to know how sticky it was, meaning, what percent of kids who began in non-honors went to honors. It turns out it was 71 %.

Now, you have magazines that rank schools based on AP course taking. High Tech High doesn’t have AP courses, but we have a lot of kids who take the AP exams and some who are AP scholars. We just think that the pedagogy of memorizing biology words is kind of a disincentive to those kids who want to be biologists. So we have them do real science. AP, however, still flourishes as some notion of rigor. When you have got honors and non-honors both in the same class at the same time and 71% migrate to honors, college admissions offices then accept honors as an absolute equivalent to AP. So, that’s an indicator.

We do care about assessment, but what we are assessing is college entrance and college completion rates. We also look at the rates at which

students major in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. It turns out we have double the national average of kids majoring in those areas at University.

What about standardized tests?

As far as standardized tests are concerned, I’m just sorry that it has gotten to where it has gotten. It has gotten to some sort of extreme. At High Tech High, we have to take all the standardized tests. We have to because we are a public school. We do fine on them but we don’t spend that much time on them because they are really the school’s test. We are more interested in the kid’s test (the SAT) rather than the school’s test (a standardized district test). A lot of districts have had a lot of improvement in their standardized test scores. But now, look at the same organizations and look at the SAT scores. Look at what percent of the kids are taking the SAT, which is often a small percent. You are then going to have to wonder how could the school have really good standardized scores and have such small percentages of kids taking the SAT and not doing that well on them. That’s another issue in terms of assessment that doesn’t work.

What about learning standards?

Here, at High Tech High, we give out expectations, not standards. The problem with the word “standards” is that you add a few letters and you get the word “standardization.” At High Tech High (HTH), we have kids making and doing things. They publish books. They create art. They build and construct. Dewey said, “There is no such thing as genuine knowledge and fruitful understanding except for as the offspring of doing.”

People have to do something to the things that they wish to understand.They have to alter conditions. This is the lesson of the laboratory method and this is the lesson that all education has to learn. So how does this inform how a school creates it’s program?

I think we need to rethink what we need to learn and how we actually learn. Learning is much more social than it used to be. We are in a world of constant change. We are in a world in which school districts were created in the early 1800s. Since then, telecommunication has changed, transportation has changed, and heterogeneity has changed. We have had this older view of pedagogy and knowledge, the idea that pedagogy is a way to transfer the substance of knowledge from the teacher’s brain to the kid’s brain. It’s an “I teach, you learn” model with neat little rows of disciplinary knowledge.

Now, we are moving into a more social view of learning: I participate therefore I am.

21Photos courtesy of High Tech High.

We participate, therefore we are. So, we learn much more through our interactions with others in the world. Nothing really beats collaborative study groups in that regard, especially for homework and exam preparation. The social construction of understanding is a very, very real thing. There is true power in collaborative learning.

Why can’t we turn everyone at a school into both a learner and a teacher? Nothing really clarifies ideas better than explaining them to others. High Tech High is a place where the students are also doing the explaining, where we are reversing the flow a little bit.

What are we going to do to create next generation John Dewey schools? The essence of Dewey’s quote to me is that education should be about altering conditions. Kids should be riffing and sampling, all the kind of stuff that Hip Hop is about. Learning should be visual, musical, procedural and cinematic. This is the kind of stuff that kids love! It’s a way to transform knowledge.

Life in the digital age is about cultural participation with building and tinkering, remixing and sharing.We want kids thinking, “What I produce, others build upon.” That is what a remix really is. It’s a mash-up and a play of imagination. It’s about tinkering and discovery and figuring things out.

So what are the skills that students need to be successful in those

collaborative work environments? Is there a way to assess those more invisible skills?

If you look at the employment at the Bureau of Labor and look at why most people get let go – other than economic reasons for the organization in general – most people get let go because they don’t know how to work with other people.

So when people ask me what are the real skills, I always ask them to sit down and write about their most memorable learning experience. Without fail, it involved a group, there was a mentor, there was public exhibition, there was recognition of success, there was fear of failure, and the experience was multidisciplinary. It didn’t come from the State Department of Education, it didn’t come from superintendent and it didn’t come from the principal. It came from you; you just told us how you learn best—respectfully and thoughtfully. So, how does this comport with the way that we teach? Ask a human being who was a great teacher they had and why they were a great teacher and everyone will say it was a passionate person who loved the subject matter, made it come alive, brought students into it.

The epistemology is changing – we need to shift from human as knower to human as maker.And that’s what tinkering is.

Visitors to HTH say that they have never seen such a high percentage of kids so actively engaged.

Kids are free to fail and fail again and then get it right. They are free to imagine. They are free to have an epiphany. They are learning to reframe the world by looking forward. Here, we always say, “Correct forward.” We are trying to look towards the future and use a triangle of imagination, inspiration and intuition and a sense of awe to help kids engage the world around them and change it.

In terms of assessment, we need to shift from measuring factoids to measuring re-creation, re-mixing, and productive inquiry.

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University Child Development School designs

a culture of inquiry essential to meaningful

learning. We cultivate reflective, collaborative,

skillful thinkers who ignite positive change in their

communities. We engage diverse perspectives in an

ongoing effort to shape and share our innovative

education model.

The UCDS Mission

UCDS Board of Trustees

OfficersJanet Donelson, ChairKate Marks, Vice ChairGreg Headrick, TreasurerPeggy Rinne, Secretary

Members at LargeHoward BurtonMichelle GoldbergJoe GruberJarrad HarfordSteve HollomonJulie PrenticeCaroline ProbstEric SandersonFaye TomlinsonKobi Yamada

Ex-Officio MembersPaula Smith, Head of SchoolDavid Brannon-Cirone, Parent Association PresidentJennifer Vary, Faculty Representative

Documents

Spark #12, Winter 2013