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© 2009 Hidden Sparks

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With Kelli Pollock

April 22, 2009

Analyzing Student Work


Welcome & Conference Etiquette

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Our Guest:

• Kelli Pollock has been a National Facilitator of Schools Attuned since 1997 and has developed and implemented curriculum for the Schools Attuned course and various other workshops on neurodevelopment. She received her Masters in Special Education from Bank Street College of Education and taught for four years at The Churchill School in New York City. In Livingston, N.J., Kelli served as a Middle School inclusion teacher prior to moving into mainstream classrooms where she taught from third through sixth grades. She was an adjunct professor at Bank Street and has been a private tutor for students with learning disabilities. Kelli is currently a field facilitator for Schools Attuned in New York City, helping teachers and administrators to implement the content of Schools Attuned in their classrooms and schools.


Overview of the Session

• Welcome and Introductions• The Process of Analyzing Student Work• Analyzing Math Samples• Analyzing Writing Samples• Analyzing Spelling Samples• Looking for Patterns• Prioritizing and Strategizing• Upcoming Hidden Sparks Webinars


Session Goals

• To understand the process of analyzing student work using a neurodevelopmental perspective

• To view student work as a critical piece in the understanding of a student’s learning strengths and weaknesses


Why do you look at student work?

What is the Purpose?


What are the Components?

Three components of analyzing student work:

• Analyzing errors within skill areas (spelling, math computations, writing etc.) to determine specific points of breakdown

“Michael made errors on each spelling word with a 3-letter blend.”

• Searching for recurring themes that suggest possible weaknesses in underlying neurodevelopmental functions

“Esther seems to be struggling with her procedural memory in each of these math samples.”

• Comparing tasks in which a student achieves different levels of success through analyzing the neurodevelopmental demands of those tasks.

“Why does James write so much better in his personal journal than in his responses to literature?”


What is the Process?

We observe student work just like we observe students.

2Connect

to constructs

4Develop

strategies

1Observe/

Gather evidence

3Form

Hunches/Look for Patterns


What Should We Keep in Mind?

DO DON’T •analyze multiple samples to compare/contrast•think in terms of hunches•consider how hunches “fit” and “don’t fit” with what we know about the student•connect evidence with strategies

•draw conclusions from just one piece of work•let your knowledge of the student dictate what you see in the samples


Genesis

Genesis is a 9-year-old second grader at a public elementary school in the Bronx. She is currently repeating second grade. Teachers have reported that Genesis is a “puzzle” to them and would like input regarding her neurodevelopmental strengths and weaknesses.


Constructs in Computation

Consider looking at samples in which a student has solved math computation problems.

What constructs might we observe in these samples?


What Do We See?

• Which construct(s) appear strong? Weak? What’s your evidence?

• How can we help Genesis with the long-term consolidation of her math facts?


Constructs in Problem-Solving

• Consider looking at mathematical problem-solving samples.

• What constructs might we observe in these samples?


What Do We See?

• What are the demands of this type of problem?

• Does Genesis understand the concept of base-ten? What is your evidence?

• What constructs seem to be causing her incorrect responses?

• What is a strategy you might suggest to her?


What Do We See?

For each question:

• What neurodevelopmental constructs might be underlying these errors?

• Do you think that Genesis understands the concepts being assessed here?


Constructs in Writing

What are some of the primary neurodevelopmental demands of

writing a paragraph?

* attention? * spatial ordering?

* memory? * neuromotor?

* language? * higher order thinking?

* sequencing? * social cognition?

Based on our analysis of Genesis’ math samples, what do you

expect to see in her writing samples?


What do we see?

+ -

Attention

Memory

Language

Graphomotor


What Do We See?

+ -

Attention

Memory

Language

Graphomotor

Higher Order Cognition


What Do We See?

• What do you notice?

• What does this suggest neurodevelopmentally?

• What is the impact of this weakness on Genesis’ written output?


Constructs in Spelling

We are looking at a sample of a student’s spelling in isolation.

What constructs might we observe in this sample?


What Do We See?

• Discuss strengths and weaknesses in Genesis’ spelling skills. Be specific.

• Does Genesis use a visual approach to spelling? a phonetic approach to spelling?


Emerging Patterns

After analyzing all of these samples,

what neurodevelopmental patterns

are emerging?


Attention Memory Language Neuromotor

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

Sequential Ordering Spatial Ordering Higher Order Thinking Social Cognition

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

Organizing the Evidence


Attention Memory Language Neuromotor

STRENGTHSaliency ids key elements in word probs

WEAKNESSSELF MONITORING every sampleSALIENCY 86 vs. 68, subtracting instead of adding, details in “favorite part” writing, answering all parts of Cinderella question

STRENGTHLONG TERM reading info in writing

WEAKNESSLONG TERM math factsLONG TERM PROCEDURES subtraction w/2 digits, 2+ 6 = 4, ACTIVE WORKING regrouping, counting blocks, writing

STRENGTHRECEPTIVE understands word problem and stories read syntax - uses question in answer

WEAKNESSEXPRESSIVE elaboration on writing samples phonology in spelling

STRENGTHnumber formations

WEAKNESSdrawing base ten blocksinconsistent letter formationssloppiness of written work

Sequential Ordering Spatial Ordering Higher Order Thinking Social Cognition

STRENGTHsome math prob-solving

WEAKNESSspelling

STRENGTHlining up math work

WEAKNESSdrawing base-ten blockspoor visual spellingsize/spacing of words

STRENGTHCONCEPTS greater than/less than, place value, rounding

WEAKNESSRULES regrouping, addition/subtraction, input table, random capitals, spelling, mechanics in writingPROBLEM-SOLVING

STRENGTH

WEAKNESS

Genesis Summary With Evidence


Prioritizing

Consider the emerging patterns of strengths and weaknesses in these samples:

1)What is one thing you want Genesis to understand about her learning?

2)What is the first step you will take as her teacher?


About Hidden Sparks

Hidden Sparks is a non-profit fund whose purpose is to help children with learning differences reach their full potential in school and life. Hidden Sparks develops and supports professional development programs for Jewish day schools to help increase understanding and support for teaching to diverse learners.

Guided by a philosophy that by helping schools meet the needs of children with learning and behavioral differences, ultimately all students will benefit. Hidden Sparks’ programs combine professional development in learning and positive behavioral support, guided classroom observation and one on one coaching. The Hidden Sparks model and program is currently in 21 Jewish Day Schools/Yeshivot in New York and 7 in Boston, through a partnership with Gateways: Access to Jewish Education.


Upcoming Hidden Sparks Without Walls Sessions

For more information visit: www.hiddensparks.org

Wednesday, April 29, 2009Strategies for Peak Performance: Effective Tools for Organizing Your Students, with Jane Gertner

Wednesday, May 13, May 20, June 3, 2009

Exploring Learning Processes in a Judaic Studies Curriculum, with Shmuel Schwarzmer

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 Transitions, with Andrea Rousso


Contacting Hidden Sparks

www.hiddensparks.org

[email protected]

(212) 767-7707/ (646) 688-5252


Solution to the Geometry Problem Presented by Karen Kruger, March 25, 2009, in Analyzing Your Teaching Style on Page 9

There are several ways to answer the question. Here are two:

Answer 1: The triangles ABO and CDO are congruent triangles because the sides BO and DO were drawn as equals as were AO and CO. The lines AC and BD are straight so the vertical angles at O are equal. The triangles are congruent by SAS (Side-Angle-Side postulate). As a result the sides CD and AB are of equal length.

Answer 2: ABCD is a parallelogram because their diagonals bisect each other. The opposite sides are of equal length in a parallelogram.

It is a very practical problem, because the boy cannot measure across the rock or pond. He can measure in the field (usually by pacing), so he can pace out the various lengths to be sure they are equal. When he measures DC he will get the sought length of AB.

By the way, this is approximately the method used by Eratosthenes of Cyrene, a third century B.C.E. Greek living in Alexandria, Egypt, to measure the circumference of the earth. For more on this you might want to check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JHEqBLG650 (From a PBS series 25 years ago called Cosmos, narrated by Carl Sagan).

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