Profile of a Virginia Classroom, 2nd ed. by VASCD

PROFILE OF A VIRGINIA CLASSROOM Introduction: The Deeper Learning Classroom The Profile of a Virginia Graduate describes the knowledge and skills that support students’ readiness for life beyond school. For modern learners, this readiness requires deeper learning than standardized test-driven instruction provides. Deeper learning not only equips students with the understanding and skills needed to solve problems and explore questions they have not encountered before but also leads them to metacognition - awareness and understanding of how they think and learn. This deeper learning is transferable to new challenges and situations The Five C’s- critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and citizenship- are central to deeper learning experiences. But how do teachers ensure that their students are building these skills? We asked a number of experts, including Virginia educators, to describe “deeper learning classrooms”. Their thinking is reflected in five themes with five essential questions for teachers. We consider these to be the keys to deeper learning for students. Use the links in this table to jump to each section.

Adjusting the Sliders Educators make decisions and adjustments all day, every day. We like the analogy of a sound engineer at a concert, constantly shifting sliders on the audio mixer to get the balance that’s needed to communicate the message in the music. In working toward deeper learning for students, we must acknowledge several very real tensions that exist in today’s classrooms. We do not see these pairs of priorities in competition with each other or as mutually exclusive. Instead, accomplished educators purposefully manage, adjust, and balance them so that the practices described in the Profile of a Virginia Classroom can be achieved.

STRUCTURE

FREEDOM

Teacher determines how, what and when.

Learner determines what, how, and when given parameters.

TEACHER-LED

STUDENT-LED

Teacher as direct instructor, student as receiver.

Teacher acts as coach, student as constructor of learning.

ACCOUNTABILITY

AGENCY

Choices are driven by curiosity, interest, relevance.

Choices are driven by evaluation metrics.

SURFACE KNOWLEDGE

DEEP UNDERSTANDING Focused exploration of a limited range of topics.

General exposure to a wide range of topics.

TEST-DRIVEN

LEARNING- DRIVEN

Tasks demonstrate foundational learning.

Tasks require application of learning through the Five C’s.

AUTHORITATIVE

COLLABORATIVE

Teacher sets and equitably enforces rules.

Students use norms and restorative practices.

Essential Teacher Practices for the Profile of a Classroom

CREATING A CULTURE OF RESPECT

Essential Question: How does my classroom celebrate who my students are as people and as learners?

Empathy

Restorative Practices

Cultural Competence

Relationships Students who have healthy and trusting relationships with teachers and each other show better motivation to learn and

Growth Mindset

more appropriate behavior. A sense of belonging is the basis for addressing students’ social and emotional needs and strengthening their academic

Celebration of Diversity

achievement.

Relationships

Through our actions, behaviors, and language, teachers show students that we care for them and want to know them as individuals. Consider building ideas like these into daily and weekly instruction all year long: Foster a sense of belonging. Begin by greeting students at the door using their names. Make it a point to listen to what students want to tell us. It can be difficult to stop and just listen, but two minutes of listening can make a difference to a student. Encourage students to share their thoughts through journaling, surveys, or art work. Ask parents/guardians – through surveys, phone calls, school or home visits – what hobbies or interests make their student “come alive.” Let our students see who we are. Share information about interests and activities outside of school, family, and friends.

Relationships among students are essential in the classroom, and teachers have a great deal of influence over how students perceive and feel about each other. Teachers can be intentional in providing experiences that model and develop relationship skills. Plan time and structures for students to share their interests and experiences. Morning meetings, team-building activities, and simple sharing time are all helpful. As students become more comfortable and skilled at sharing with each other, these activities can become problem-solving activities when issues like bullying or arguments occur. Work collaboratively at the beginning of the school year to establish classroom norms or contracts for what a safe classroom should look, sound, and feel like. Revisit, reflect, and revise throughout the year. Teach and practice skills students can use to build relationships with each other, such as giving compliments, writing friendly notes, and practicing acts of kindness. Initially, sentence starters can be used to model these types of interactions. Support friendships among students and provide opportunities for them to connect with each other through games and collaborative work. Practice flexible grouping: ensure students work with a variety of peers in a variety of grouping configurations for a variety of instructional purposes. Help students who have common interests connect with each other and provide a forum for them to bond over these commonalities. Help students connect with a variety of classmates so they can discover new connections and build new bonds.

Empathy When students have empathy for others, engagement and achievement increase, and negative behaviors are reduced. Empathy involves noticing and seeking to understand the feelings of others and caring about them.

HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP EMPATHY MODEL EMPATHY in the ways we interact with others.

TEACH WHAT EMPATHY is and why it is important.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES for sudents to cultivate empathy.

Use and teach strategies to control responses in frustrating or difficult situations.

Use reflective journals where students write about empathy in literature, in their school, and in theor own interactions.

Design projects in which students can get to know and help others whose circumstances differ from their own.

Show empathy through our own interactions with students and colleagues.

Utilize "acts of kindness"" and challenge another class or school to do the same.

Use vignettes and stories to help students understand points of view other than their own.

Growth Mindset MODEL, TEACH AND DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET: Teach students how their brains learn, grow, and process new information. Help them think about how they learn best. Teach that learning can- and at times, should- be difficult. Substitute, “I can’t do this yet.” for “I can’t do this.” Reinforce the idea that everyone learns in different ways and at different rates. Understanding is more important than finishing first. Emphasize that we grow and learn from mistakes, and that failure can be a positive step towards further learning. We can model this by owning up to our own mistakes and describing how we learned from them. Build opportunities for reflection and revision to further learning. Use grading practices that motivate students to improve and show progress over earlier work. Cultivate and honor perseverance and resilience in students.

BE AWARE OF THE PRAISE YOU PROVIDE: Acknowledge effort and hard work. Encourage students to believe that they can learn, even if it does not come easily to them. Be careful of praise like “You’re so smart,” or “I like that answer.” Often this implies that being smart is a set characteristic, not one that can be cultivated. Share specific, growth-oriented feedback that highlights what students did well and what their next steps should be.

Celebration of Diversity Students enter our classrooms with a wide variety of backgrounds, interests and cultures. These differences provide us with opportunities to celebrate, learning from and about each other. When teachers reflect on our own perceptions of our students, we may discover biases that affect our interactions with and expectations of students. We can challenge our own bias by simply being aware of it, and by listening to and learning from colleagues and students who are different from ourselves. We also have opportunities to build students' understanding of and relationships with others who come from backgrounds different from their own. Use age-appropriate sharing and groupwork protocols and activities in which students share their lives and cultures.

Cultural Competence TO DEVELOP OUR OWN CULTURAL COMPETENCE AS ADULTS, WE CAN:

TO BE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE IN OUR PRACTICE, WE CAN: Understand that people from different cultures learn in different ways. They may be most comfortable learning independently or be more comfortable working collaboratively. Gaining knowledge of these differences helps us adapt lessons to maximize student success. Conduct empathy interviews to better understand student perspectives. Provide multiple and varied opportunities for collaborative work. Adjust the way in which groups are structured so that students of different cultures and backgrounds work together. Encourage multiple (and multicultural) viewpoints and interpretations of content. Engage parents in dialogue about their children’s aspirations and needs. Increase class pride by displaying student work. Show genuine appreciation for their unique contributions to the classroom. Ensure that information can be communicated to students and families in their home language as needed. Ask your students to respond to the prompt, “I wish my teacher knew…” to build a better understanding of how teachers and students can think and work together more effectively. Choose books and materials that represent a range of cultural norms, including those represented in the class.

Restorative Practices Schools thrust students into groups where they have many interactions with many people each day. Restorative practices help students prevent and solve problems and conflicts in positive, thoughtful ways.

In Our Interactions

In Our Environment

How do we react when students misbehave or are disrespectful? Do we model responding with respect? Do we focus on correcting the behavior rather than belittling the student?

How can physical space be designed to help students feel welcome and comfortable? Are there places for private conversation?Is there space to "cool down" and refocus?

In Our Routines and Protocols Are students clear about what to do when conflicts arise? Have they practiced these skills and had opportunities for feedback? Are there scaffolds in place to support students as they move toward independence?

In Students' Lives How might students use elements of school-based restorative practices in their lives outside school? How can we support this?

How does Creating a Culture of Respect reinforce the 5 C's? Students have opportunities to learn and practice the 5 C's when they build relationships through respectful communication, work collaboratively to solve problems or disagreements, feel a sense of belonging that allows for sharing of ideas, and exhibit citizenship within the classroom.

PLANNING FOR DEEPER LEARNING Essential Question: Goals Aligned with Standards

Culminating Performances &Projects

Students as Modern Learners

The Five C's

Big Ideas

How do our summative assessment and instructional plans reflect what we value for students? All of us are more motivated to learn when there is a real context and purpose for our efforts. As teachers plan instruction and assessment, it is essential that they make decisions aimed at deep and relevant learning for students. The answer to the question, “Why do we have to learn this?” encompasses the standards but also aligns with the 5 C's. Planning for deeper learning builds understanding of big ideas, leverages more contemporary formats to demonstrate learning, and provides agency for students to personalize their inquiries, approaches, and or creations.

Summative assessments that are designed as cumulative performances and projects are generally more challenging and engaging for students as they think critically and creatively, work in teams, and communicate their findings, ideas, or prototypes. This involves work that promotes relevance, invites perspectives, grows knowledge to address challenges and opportunities in their world. The resulting learning is better remembered and more often transferable to new situations.

WHEN PLANNING FOR DEEPER LEARNING: Start with one change you want to make in one unit. Plan with a peer. You'll get more ideas and be a model for collaboration! Remember that new practices are also new to your students. They will need time, instruction, and practice. Consult with specialists to discuss how students with a vaiety of needs can best access learning experiences. Communicate with parents on the purposes and value of performances and projects.

Considering Students as Modern Learners How are we helping prepare students for success within and outside of the school walls? Understanding the value and purpose of learning is becoming increasingly more important to students. They also want to tackle complex, messy problems that have relevance to the world around them. Therefore, as you plan, be aware of and informed about issues that are currently of concern to students. Ask yourself which parts of your curriculum connect to these concerns. There are a number of ways to create deeper, more authentic connections to the content for students: . Frame your unit around a real problem or one that closely simulates a problem that is real and interesting to the student. Ensure academic skills are used in context and with purpose. Consult with experts in the school and community to integrate and contextualize learning experiences. Provide opportunities for students to use real-world applications of technology. Think across disciplines. As in life outside school, the knowledge needed to solve authentic problems is rarely confined to one content area. Teach the skills that students will need to collaborate effectively. Students or groups working on the same problem will likely have a variety of solutions and perspectives. Find ways to build upon students’ curiosities, areas of fascination, and inquiries. Consider learning experiences in which students solve a problem in the role of a professional (statistician, wildlife manager, marketer, editor, etc.)

Persist and Commit to Deeper Learning Shifting your planning from a test-driven process to a deeper learning focus means you may be trying pedagogies and strategies you haven't used before.

Something will probably go wrong! But don't give up too easily; planning for deeper learning is complex and uncomfortable at first, but worth the effort. Commit to making adjustments and trying again, just as we want our students to do when they don't get it right the first time.

MEETING A VARIETY OF STUDENT NEEDS Each student will begin the unit or lesson you are planning with a unique set of skills, interests, and prior knowledge, and these will shift throughout their learning. Meeting student needs requires that we know our students. This can be achieved through interest inventories, interviews, and preassessment to understand where each student is beginning, and conducting ongoing checks throughout the unit of study.

Profile of a Graduate: The Five C's The skills needed to succeed in the workforce, engage in civic life, and function in a connected, global society are increasingly complex. Solving non routine problems, making decisions, and contributing as a productive team member are basic skills in today’s world. The Profile of a Virginia Graduate, including Virginia’s “Five C’s” provide a framework for learning these skills. An indicator of deeper learning is students’ ability to demonstrate these skills at increasingly complex levels while also building their understanding of content. An important part of the planning process is determining how Five C’s skills will be incorporated with and embedded in each unit and learning activity.

Opportunities & Strategies COMMUNICATE

Written and oral expression of ideas through a variety of media addressing both real and simulated audiences.

COLLABORATE

Face-to-face and virtual small group work that requires both positive interdependence and individual accountability.

THINK CRITICALLY

Prompts and tasks at higher cognitive levels (see Webb's DOK); opportunities to analyze texts, images, data sets, etc. and draw conclusions.

THINK CREATIVELY

Open ended, messy problems where students propose solutions and brainstorm in a risk-free environment.

ENGAGED CITIZENSHIP

Tasks designed to address existing issues or problems; opportunities to justify and advocate for a position, participation in service learning.

Big Ideas A key consideration in planning for deeper learning is how you will help students connect their daily work to their personal lives and to the world around them. You can forge these connections - so important to modern learners - by planning and teaching around big ideas. Big ideas are concepts, themes, or questions worthy of ongoing thought and study. Ideally, big ideas are authentic, central to the discipline and/or interdisciplinary, important to students, and relevant to the world both inside and outside the classroom.

To teach with big ideas: Consider concepts (one word abstract ideas such as power, identity, perspective, scale, balance, change) or essential questions (e.g., How does power shape perspective? How does balance impact survival?) that can flow through multiple units of study or connect multiple content areas. Rethink the title and focus of your unit if you have taught it before. Could the focus be an interdisciplinary or exploratory theme, question, or problem? Communicate with colleagues about big ideas and questions from their units. Can connections be made across content areas, throughout the year, or from year to year? Might the sequencing of units be adjusted to capitalize on curricular or realworld connections? Consider how you will introduce students to your big ideas. How will you engage them in making connections with your big ideas at the beginning of the unit? Throughout the unit? Regroup your standards, if necessary, so that your unit becomes an exploration of your concept or essential question. You may pull from multiple SOLs to accomplish this, which makes the learning experience more connected for students.

Learning Goals Aligned With Standards To design high-quality learning experiences, teachers should consider “unpacking” identified Standards of Learning to determine specific and measurable learning goals. This way, they can more purposefully design aligned instruction and assessments that are derived from and extend the Virginia SOLs. Consult documents and tools available from the Virginia Department of Education, such as Vertical Articulation Tools for Mathematics, Curriculum Frameworks, and Skills Progression Charts. The chart on the next page provides examples of big ideas from several content areas. These big ideas are translated into essential questions that students can explore as the develop depth of understanding. The chart shows how each big idea and essential question aligns with a Virginia Standard of Learning, and provides examples of learning goals. Keep in mind that big ideas generally apply across more than one content area and can be investigated at varying degrees of depth by students at different grade levels. As you scan the chart, think about additional content areas, essential questions, and learning goals that align with these same big ideas.

ALIGNED LEARNING GOALS (Students will be able to....)

BIG IDEA

VIRGINIA SOL

Concept: Structure and Function Essential Question: How does observing structure help us predict function?

Bio.3 The student will investigate and understand that cells have structure and function.

Concept: Patterns Essential Question: How do patterns increase efficiency?

Math 4.9 The student will solve practical problems related to elapsed time in hours and minutes within a 12-hour period.

Concept: Power Essential Question: How can language give us power?

Writing 8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms to include narrative, expository, persuasive, and reflective with an emphasis on expository and persuasive writing.

Support an argument using evidence and logic. Adjust evidence, style, and tone to address a specific audience.

Concept: Change Essential Question: How does change persist over time?

Hist/Soc Sci 1.3 The student will describe the stories of influential people in the history of Virginia and their contributions to the Commonwealth.

Describe the impact of the individuals' contribution to Virginia. Hypothesize how your life would be different without this contribution.

Concept: Value Essential Question: How can we use what is known to discover the value of what is unknown?

Patterns, Functions, and Alg 7.13 The student will solve multi-step linear equations in one variable..

Apply the preservation of equality to problem solving. Model real-world scenarios using one ad two-step linear equations.

Concept: Structure and Function Essential Question: How does a change in structure impact function?

SI.5 The student will present information orally and in writing in Spanish using a variety of familiar vocabulary, phrases and structural patterns.

Conjugate the verb "gustar" inthe present tense. Construct written sentences expressing likes and dislikes.

Compare and contracts the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Determine how the structure of a eukaryotic cell's organelles influences their function.

Convert between hours and minutes to perform operations. Assess the reasonableness of a problem's result.

Culminating Performances and Projects The importance of careful planning for deeper, relevant learning is evidenced by what students can ultimately demonstrate. Instructional plans only matter if they matter to students. If we are clear on the big ideas, learning goals, and the significance of the 5C's, we then turn our attention to summative assessment design. What can students create that provides evidence of their mastery of the standards while providing some degree of choice and space for their own ideas?

WHEN DESIGNING CULMINATING PERFORMANCES/PROJECTS: Use the learning goals to design success criteria in student language. Check to see that they align with the big ideas and Five C’s. This means there will likely be both content and process criteria, perhaps from multiple content areas. Plan ways to share and teach the success criteria (perhaps using a rubric) with students at the beginning of instruction, ensuring that students understand their learning goals. Devise a project for students based on an authentic need, problem, challenge, or opportunity. Be sure the problem is messy and can be approached in a variety of ways. Students must use prior knowledge and decision making skills to choose their methods. Reference rubrics and success criteria throughout the unit to focus instruction. Ask students to use rubrics to evaluate sample products with the goal of understanding the success criteria. Build in multiple opportunities to “check in” on student progress and provide feedback based on success criteria (see assessment and feedback brief). Provide opportunities for students to collaborate, engage in peer review, and share ideas. ith w e ose at nic purp u the mm Co s on ue of d ent d val es an par an anc rm cts. o f per proje

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IMPLEMENTING QUALITY INSTRUCTION Essential Question: How do we facilitate deeper learning experiences for each student?

Worthwhile & meaningful

Driven by challenging questions

Transferable Collaborative

Learning is cyclical. Multiple entry and exit points help assure appropriate levels of engagement and challenge for all students.

Designed for diverse learners

Challenging Questions Carefully crafted questions elicit critical and creative thinking, spark curiosity, and increase engagement. Students need the challenge of questions that don’t have easy or immediately available answers if they are to learn deeply. These questions require students not only to master applicable content from the Standards, but to analyze, apply, and make sense of that content from their own perspectives. Over time, students can learn to generate their own meaty questions as they design investigations, analyze evidence, or pursue solutions to real-world problems.

POSSIBLE STARTERS FOR DEEPER LEARNING QUESTIONS: How might you_____? What is the evidence for _____? What is a different way to _____? Why is _____ important? How could you prove that _____? What might happen if _____? How is _____ like _______?

CLASSROOM SPARKS: Which of these might work for you and your students?

CREATE opportunities for students to move. INJECT humor, but not sarcasm. CONSIDER using music to signal transitions or illustrate ideas. CHANGE locations. Can you teach this lesson outdoors? In the hall? INVITE your students to write you letters about whatever they want. LET students see your creative side. Model what creativity looks like. SURPRISE your students once in a while. FIND ways for students to help each other. REMEMBER that learning can be joyful. HAVE FUN!

Worthwhile and Meaningful Learning Experiences Would our students volunteer to come to our classrooms? Create learning experiences that students look forward to and value. Make it student-directed. Ensure that students have choices and, when possible, are involved in designing their own path toward the learning goal. Reach beyond content delivery. Connect content to students’ lives and what they already know, always remembering that this may be different for each student. Make process the centerpiece. Spend time helping students “learn how to learn,” figuring things out just like people do in the real world. Ensure quality interactions. Make sure that students’ ideas and opinions are acknowledged by teachers and fellow students. Teach students to respectfully question and build upon each other’s ideas. Model curiosity. Sometimes a teacher’s own attitude and enthusiasm is enough to ignite student interest. Our lessons should first be interesting to us! Establish caring relationships. Increasing one-on-one time with students and building caring relationships give students a sense of belonging and, in turn, help to build their capacity to engage in learning experiences. Allow students to grapple with real problems and issues. Help students do work that contributes to their school, families, or community. Help students "fail forward". Create a classroom environment where mistakes and failed attempts are seen as checkpoints that lead to new ideas and improved skills. Provide them with specific feedback that helps them improve their next attempt. Consider rigor. Find the balance between too challenging and not challenging enough, remembering that each student will have different strengths and areas for growth.

How does Implementing Quality Instruction reinforce the 5 C's? Learning activities that provide choice for students and flexibility for teachers to differentiate enable a variety of learners to experience the right combination of engagement, challenge, and success. When activities are grounded in questions and issues of interest to students and are transferable to other contexts, students have opportunities to think, create, and relate at higher levels.

Designing for Diverse Learners Don't assume that students have the skills or prior knowledge needed for success. Pre-assess so that instruction and/or scaffolding can be provided where needed. Sometimes students have preconceptions or misconceptions that interfere with new learning. Listen and examine student work to uncover and correct these. Use protocols for routine tasks to save instructional time, help students build routines, and encourage independence. Model your thinking out loud and encourage students to verbalize their thinking as well. Ensure that students have choices. Provide access to learning materials at a variety of levels of difficulty. Ensure that materials and resources reflect and embrace a variety of cultures, backgrounds, genders, races, etc.

Transferable How would we answer a student who asked, "Why do I need to know this?"

In order for learning to be meaningful, both teachers and students need to be clear on the ways it transfers to environments and situations beyond the classroom. Try these ideas to help students see how their learning is useful: Identify the skills that are required for study of the discipline and the types of thinking it demands. Model and teach these skills throughout the year. Each time students need to apply these skills, notice, name, and reinforce them. Require students to extend their thinking by elaborating, explaining, and justifying. Help students identify how the skills they are using in class can be applied elsewhere, in other content areas, in the world of work, and in community life. Give students opportunities to communicate with people they admire who use these same skills in their work.

Collaborative Working with others builds communication and teamwork skills and strengthens social and emotional development. As students brainstorm, exchange, and evaluate ideas, they increase their capacity to solve challenging problems and complete difficult tasks. Teams achieve at higher levels and retain content longer than students working individually. Collaboration also strengthens creative thinking, as students are exposed to multiple ways of looking at the same problem or question. The meaningfulness in collaboration comes largely from the peer relationships that are forged (and often tested) through teamwork. As teachers provide supports that help students work productively through confusion and conflicts, the teamwork skills so essential to success beyond school are developed.

REDEFINING TEACHER AND STUDENT ROLES Essential Question:

Students as Partners

How do we share ownership of the learning process with students? TEA CHE RS

Student-led Learning 10 Ways to Strengthen the Teacher-Student Partnership

Challenging Questions

1. Honor the ideas and opinions of students. Avoid language that marginalizes students’ ideas. (see Creating a Culture of Respect). 2. Provide varying entry points and scaffolds for students with varying cultural backgrounds, linguistic and special needs (see Implementing Quality Instruction). 3. Create opportunities for students to show and explain what they are learning to others- in and outside the school.

STUD ENT S

Productive Struggle

4. Be transparent about your own learning experiences that show persistence, resilience, and learning from mistakes. 5. Model and teach students how to give each other quality feedback on their work. Provide time and practice (see Embedding Formative Assessment and Feedback). 6. Support a student struggling with a task by asking who can help. Allow the student to choose a peer tutor or choose a different resource (digital, print, or human). 7. Express confidence that students can tackle challenging tasks. Celebrate their positive steps, even before the task is complete. 8.Teach and celebrate persistence. Help students embrace mistakes and “do-overs.” Have students finish the sentence starter: When I get stuck I should… 9. Ask students what they would like to learn… and how. 10. Provide structures for students to reflect on their own learning, such as exit passes, journals, 3-2-1, and student-designed strategies.

Opportunities for Student-led Learning Student-led learning does not happen naturally or automatically. It requires instruction, support, pratice, and feedback, and it is worth it!

Designing Challenging Tasks and Questions Increasing the level of challenge for students will in turn deepen their learning if they receive just the right amount of support. For us to get the balance between challenge and support just right, we must know our students well. Some students who are accustomed to tasks and questions where the goal is to match the teacher’s “one right answer” may need help getting started with something more open-ended. If needed, we can help them get off on the right foot using techniques like these:

Encourage Productive Struggle We want students to become comfortable wrestling with challenging tasks and questions, learning that effort and persistence are important to success. This means that the task or question has to be just challenging enough to be out of reach at first but not overly frustrating so that students give up in defeat. Getting this level of challenge “just right” requires experimentation, time, and a bit of productive struggle for teachers themselves! Be ready to support and reinforce students’ efforts if the task is just too difficult, while avoiding helping too soon. Emphasize learning over getting the answer. Instill a value of perseverance in the face of failure. Have students help you create rules and expectations for group work. Shift your planning focus from how you will deliver content to how you can facilitate students’ exploration and examination of the content. Monitor the proportion of classroom time spent on teacher talk vs. student talk. Design ways to increase students’ talk time. Instead of giving an answer, give more time and a probe or prompt to consider. Instead of giving a student an answer, suggest collaborating with a peer. Instead of giving information, ask how the information might be found. Resist the urge to “over-help” because it’s quicker; exercise patience.

How Does Redefining Student & Teacher Roles Reinforce the Five C's?

Asking and answering their own questions builds students' critical and creative thinking. Opportunities to talk with each other and with audiences beyond the classroom helps students hone their communication and citizenship skills. Student-directed discussion helps students gain confidence as communicators and collaborators while strengthening social emotional learning. Student self-regulation and metacognition strengthen critical thinking.

EMBEDDING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK

Essential Question: How do my classroom practices guide student progress and facilitate growth?

Evaluation Tools Clear Assessment and Feedback Learning function as an Criteria "Instructional GPS" System Ongoing Assessment Formative assessment determines & Feedback where students are in their relationship to the learning destination.

Multiple Pathways

Formative assessment informs what action is needed to ensure progress toward that learning destination.

Reflection Leads to Adjustment

Formative assessment provides regular updates for the teacher and students throughout the course of the journey. Feedback provides information to the student about current progress and possible next steps.

An Ongoing Cycle of Growth

Using formative assessment and feedback in this fashion facilitates an efficient cycle of growth for all students. Establish clear learning criteria. Gather data through formative assessment. Provide feedback based on formative assessment data. Facilitate reflection and goal setting. Adjust instruction as needed to continue progress..

Interacting with students on feedback promotes reflection leading to route corrections both for the student and the teacher.

How do CLEAR LEARNING CRITERIA guide my feedback and assessment? During planning of a lesson or unit, be specific about the content and skills that students are expected to master. (See Planning for Deeper Learning.) Identify content and skills that are “gate keepers” for students moving on to the next segment of learning. Build in regular “checkpoints” for gathering assessment data on student learning, particularly at these “gate-keeping” moments. Design formative assessments that evaluate the specific content and skills you’ve identified. Assessment of knowledge is important, but assessment of students’ ability to apply and transfer the knowledge is critical. Design assessments that require students to link, apply and expand learning. Proactively build in time at the beginning of each lesson to address the learning needs revealed by formative assessments.

How might I utilize EVALUATION TOOLS in my ongoing assessment and feedback? Increase the specificity of self- and peer-assessment by providing success criteria to guide student reviews. Provide success criteria through an evaluation tool such as a checklist or a rubric. Use task exemplars and student input to develop descriptors of successful work. Use these descriptors to create a task-specific checklist or rubric. For skills exercised multiple times during a unit or units of study (e.g., problem solving, source analysis, descriptive writing, data display), develop a general, holistic rubric that can be used repeatedly. Model the use of evaluation tools as a class using former or current student work (with permission) or sample work pulled from the web or created by the teacher. Require students to reference items included in the evaluation tool when reflecting on their performance or providing feedback to peers.

Assessment

Effective Feedback Feedback is an ongoing process of providing students evaluative or corrective information aligned to clear learning criteria. Feedback is more effective when framed in specific, clear, and actionable language.

Effective feedback IS:

Effective feedback ISN'T:

...clear.

... a grade.

...timely.

...giving the answers.

...actionable

...too vague to provide guidance.

...task-specific.

... focused on the student rather than the task.

...thoughtprovoking.

...an endpoint.

...focused on both strengths and growth.

... praise.

Assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students. From The Glossary of Education Reform https://www.edglossary.org/assessment/ Formative assessments (often called assessment for learning because results are used to modify and improve teaching techniques during an instructional period) are in-process evaluations of student learning that are typically administered multiple times during a lesson, unit, etc. The general purpose of formative assessment is to give educators in-process feedback about what students are learning or not learning so that instructional approaches, teaching materials, and academic support can be modified accordingly. Formative assessments are not always scored or graded, and they may take a variety of forms, from more formal quizzes and assignments to informal exit tickets, questioning techniques and in-class discussions. Preassessments “are administered before students begin a lesson, unit, etc.…” If preassessment results are used to provide the teacher with general information to guide instruction, they can be considered a type of formative assessment.

Using Formative Assessment to Inform Feedback Formative assessment should be conducted regularly enough that it can efficiently inform feedback. Formative assessment should reveal 1) evidence of student thinking, 2) the specific learning goals students have and have not grasped, and 3) any misconceptions that arise during instruction. Formative assessment evidence can be collected in person via conference or conversation, on paper (written or illustrated), or via technology. Don’t forget to differentiate assessment formats to match language development needs. Feedback is part of the learning culture where all students are accustomed to a growth mindset and a sense of belonging. Feedback can be delivered in person via conference or conversation, on paper (written or illustrated) or via technology. Feedback can be delivered to individuals or groups of students who share the same learning needs . Feedback can be provided by the teacher or peers. Tasks specifically designed to correct errors and promote growth can serve as feedback. The use of evaluation tools (e.g. rubrics) can streamline the feedback process.

What evidence does my practice provide for ONGOING ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK? Before starting a new lesson or unit, pre-assess students’ prior knowledge with a quick quiz or on-line assessment. Evaluate the results in terms of 1) what concepts will prove challenging for the class as a whole? 2) which students hold misconceptions or lack the skills and prerequisite knowledge necessary to be “ready” for the new concepts? and 3) which students already understand the new concepts and will need alternative learning experiences to extend their knowledge? Utilize multiple methods of formative assessment throughout the unit to provide checkpoints for learning, especially at critical points in the learning cycle. Provide feedback (in response to formative-assessment results) as quickly as possible. Deliver feedback in manageable “chunks” - not too much at once. Design feedback so that it provides students with information about what they are doing well/correctly. Feedback should also address misconceptions and help students take their next steps. Design feedback so that it actively involves students in the learning process.

How does REFLECTION on assessments and feedback lead to instructional ADJUSTMENTS for both teachers and students?

After giving an assessment, evaluate it. Compare the levels of thinking designated in the learning objectives to the levels of thinking required to complete the assessment. Did the assessment provide the information you needed to determine student learning? Did it gauge whether students learned the content AND skills you planned for them to learn? Often it is helpful to complete this activity with a team or at least one other peer. Reflect on the results of an assessment with the mindset that it may, and often should, lead to revision and adjustments in teaching and learning experiences. Provide students with time to reflect on the results of assessments and be able to articulate what they mean in relationship to their learning. Encourage metacognition on the part of students by requiring selfassessment and/or peer assessment. Process the activity through discussion after students complete it. Ask students what they found helpful, what was not helpful, and how they would change it for the next time. Provide sentence/question frames (many are easily found on the web) to support these activities.

SAMPLE SENTENCE STRUCTURE FOR SELF ASSESSMENT: “What parts of my work am I proud of? Why?” “What parts do I still find confusing? What, exactly confuses me?” “How might I find answers to my questions?” "Where do I think I could have invested more effort?”

SAMPLE SENTENCE STRUCTURE FOR PEER ASSESSMENT: ““The strongest [most efficient, most thorough, most impactful] parts of your work include… because….” “The parts of your work that could use more development [detail, explanation, attention] include… because….”

How can I provide MULTIPLE PATHWAYS for assessing my students' learning and providing feedback to them?

Consider what type of assessment is best for the learning you are seeking in your students. While multiple choice and objective tests may be best for basic or concrete knowledge, consider alternative methods such as portfolio, project-based assessment, discussion or explanatory writing for times you want to evaluate student thinking and readiness to transfer learning to new and novel contexts. To increase motivation, give choices in assessment prompts. Ensure that all prompt options require students to exercise/demonstrate grasp of the same content and skills. To provide cultural relevance, consider varying the cultural and situational contexts of your prompts. Provide alternate modes of expression to allow students to show what they’ve learned. Gather assessment data through written, spoken, and/or illustrated methods. Students learning English or with particular exceptionalities may be better able to explain their thinking orally (in person or via recordings) or through diagrams than they can through writing. Consider allowing corrections or revisions to “count” when determining overall performance levels. Place more emphasis on the fact that students arrived at the learning destination than on when they arrived at that destination. Consider allowing your students to participate in setting their goals for learning and in tracking their progress on achieving the goals. Involving students in goal setting is a positive way to help them invest in their own learning.

EXAMPLE ASSESSMENT FORMATS AND PROMPTS FOR GROUP PROCESSING TASKS , use and monitor small-group processing tasks to gather general information on how the class is progressing, where students are getting “stuck,” and what misconceptions arise. Address questions and misconceptions as they arise.

FOR INDIVIDUAL FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS, collect individual work to determine if whole class interventions were effective and which students still need support with specific learning goals. Responses may be written, visual or spoken.

How can practices in feedback and assessment support the acquisition of the 5C's in my classroom?

Assessments should evaluate the global skills and processes fundamental to the discipline, such as communication, collaboration, citizenship, critical thinking, and creative thinking. Providing feedback - and time for students to reflect on and respond to that feedback - enhances critical thinking. Involving students in peer reflection provides opportunities to develop communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Including questions that require higher levels of thinking or utilizing performance assessment of some type (project based, portfolio, inquirybased, etc.) will improve critical thinking skills. Linking assessments to authentic problems or issues within the classroom, school or community can require students to use all of the 5C’s including citizenship.

ENGAGING IN DEEPER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Essential Question: How can professional learning for educators reflect and lead to deeper learning for their students and themselves?

Deeper learning is for educators too. In deeper learning classrooms, our students benefit from learning experiences that are contextual, transferable, and personalized. They are active participants, not just receivers of content. They find relevance in questions, issues and problems that are relevant to their lives. All these principles apply to professional learning for educators as well. Though workshops, conferences, and classes can be valuable pieces of a larger professional learning experience, these events alone are unlikely to impact educators' practice. The 5 components of the Profile of a Classroom apply just as directly to professional learning as they do to student learning: Educators who work in environments where a CULTURE OF RESPECT is present know that their work is valued. They enjoy trusting relationships characterized by empathy, appreciation of their cultural backgrounds, and a desire to grow professionally together. Professionally, PLANNING FOR DEEPER LEARNING suggests that educators choose challenging growth opportunities for themselves. They set goals that are meaningful and will significantly and positively impact their students. QUALITY INSTRUCTION for students is driven by challenging questions, is collaborative, and has multiple entry and exit points, Similarly, quality professional learning experiences support choice, engagement, and personalization for educators. All learning is enhanced by FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK. Professional learning experiences should include opportunities for formative, descriptive feedback from colleagues and students that facilitates growth. REDEFINING ROLES applied to professional development suggests that educators are generally adept at identifying their own learning needs. Though they should have help in accessing resources, they often are quite capable of determining how they can learn best, rather than being limited to school or district- defined opportunities.

Teachers as Learning Professionals As we work to design and support deeper, more relevant learning experiences for students, we are finding our own opportunities to learn differently. In order to do their best work, teachers are expanding their professional learning to include activities like these:

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