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Assessment-Powered Teaching

By: Nancy W. Sindelar

Become an assessment-powered teacher by using assessment results effectively to define learning targets, build standards-based assessments, and develop data-driven teaching strategies for enhanced student achievement.

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Product Details

Grade Level: K-11
ISBN: 9781412992084
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2010
Page Count: 160
Publication date: November 19, 2010

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Description

"There is now compelling research that assessment can be used to improve both student learning and professional practice. Nancy Sindelar provides practical examples of how teachers, teams, schools, and districts are using assessment to drive continuous improvement."
—Richard Dufour, Educational Author and Consultant

"This book provides specific strategies to unlock the mystery of data, outlining step-by-step processes on how to use it to impact teaching and create tools to keep students actively involved in their improved learning."
—Gail Gorry, Principal
Frontier Elementary School, Payson, AZ

Podcasts:
Education Talk Radio: 3/7/2011

We Are Teachers: 4/2011

Everything you need to become an assessment-powered teacher is right here!

Knowledge is power, and this book puts assessment data and instruction together in a step-by-step format. Instead of dreading the time testing takes from teaching, you can harness its power to define learning targets, build standards-based assessments, gather and use test data in the classroom, and develop data-driven teaching strategies. Assessment expert Nancy W. Sindelar provides practical tools that help teachers:

Use formative and summative assessment results to enhance instruction
Motivate students by providing clear learning targets
Utilize technology to analyze students' progress
Raise test scores

Included are testimonials from teachers, numerous data analysis examples, rubrics, and a chapter on culturally diverse schools. Designed to be adaptable, this book is a powerful resource for teachers, teacher teams, and all educators dedicated to enhancing student learning.

Key features

(1) Shows classroom teachers how to use assessment analysis to inform teaching, provide motivational feedback to students, and monitor student's progress toward learning targets and standards.

(2) Provides numerous data analysis examples and shows the power of using technology for data collection and analysis.

(3) Appropriate for use with teacher teams as well as individual teachers.

Author(s)

Nancy W. Sindelar

Nancy W. Sindelar is consultant to schools across the country in the areas of standards-based curriculum and assessment alignment (including alignment to the Common Core State Standards), collection, use and interpretation of student test data, teacher mentorship and the development of high-performing teacher teams. By focusing on data-driven instruction, She has helped schools move from state academic “watchlists’ to “most improved status, based on state test scores.

Sindelar is an Executive Consultant on assessment for the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). The author of Using Test Data for Student Achievement: Answers to No Child Left Behind, she also teaches graduate courses at California State University and Roosevelt University, specializing in leadership of effective organizations, school supervision, school law, school curriculum and educational assessment.

She brings more than thirty years’ experience in public education, as a teacher, department chair, assistant principal and assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment as well as a university professor. She received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, a master’s degree from DePaul University, a certificate of advanced studies from Concordia University, and a doctor of philosophy degree from Loyola University of Chicago. She was a visiting scholar with the English faculty at Cambridge University, England, served a four-year term as president of Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy Alumni Board and currently is a board member of the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction

1. Using the Power of Assessment

Step One: Become Familiar With Student Assessment Data and Learn to Use It to Enhance Your Teaching.

Step Two: Develop an Efficient System for Collecting Meaningful Student Test Data.

Step Three: Learn How to Use Student Test Data as an Individual Teacher, a Team Member, and as Part of a Schoolwide Initiative.

Chapter One Rubric: Using the Power of Assessment

Reflections

2. Creating a Data-Driven Instructional System

Step One: Define Your Learning Targets

Step Two: Begin Building Your Standards-Based Assessments

Step Three: Align Your Curriculum With Learning Targets and Assessments

A Word About Curriculum Mapping

Chapter Two Rubric: Creating a Data-Driven Instructional System

Reflections

3. Making Data-Driven Decisions in the Classroom

Using Formative Assessment Data to Immediately Inform Teaching

Using Formative Assessment Data to Inform Teaching Over Time

Benchmark Assessments

Test Reports

Rubric-Graded Assessments

Chapter Three Rubric: Making Data-Driven Decisions in the Classroom

Reflections

4. Empowering Students With the Results of Their Learning

Step One: Eliminate "Mystery Teaching" by Providing Students With Clear and Consistent Standards-Based Learning Targets and Assessments

Step Two: Give Students Specific Feedback Regarding Their Progress Toward Learning Targets in a Timely and Caring Manner and in a Format That Is Understandable to Them

Step Three: Give Students Opportunities to Self-Assess and Improve Their Work

Step Four: Provide Interventions to Help Students Reach Learning Targets in a Timely Manner

Chapter Four Rubric: Empowering Students With the Results of Their Learning

Reflections

5. Powering Achievement in Culturally Diverse Classrooms

Step One: Become a "Cultural Broker"

Step Two: Analyze the Needs of Subgroups Through the Use of Disaggregated Test Data

Step Three: Address the Needs of Subgroups by More Accurately Measuring What Students Know Rather Than Their Ability to Communicate Their Knowledge in Standard English

Chapter Five Rubric: Powering Achievement in Culturally Diverse Classrooms

Reflections

6. Harnessing the Power of Collective Wisdom

Data-Driven Changes in Curriculum and Instruction

Data-Driven Staff Development Initiatives

Data-Driven Student Interventions

Making the Most of Team Time

Chapter Six Rubric: Harnessing the Power of Collective Wisdom

Reflections

Glossary of Terms

References

Index

Reviews

"In these pages you will find specific strategies to unlock the mystery of data—outlining step-by-step processes on how to use it to impact teaching and create tools to keep students actively involved in their improved learning."

Gail Gorry, Principal
Frontier Elementary School, Payson, AZ

"This book offers a step-by-step approach to becoming a Power Teacher."

Diane Callahan, Retired Teacher
West Chester, OH

"This book is a must-have for any group of educators that wants to get into the 'nuts and bolts' of what students are learning (or not learning); it sets teachers up for success."

Donna Adkins, Teacher
Louisa E. Perritt Primary School, Arkadelphia, AR

"There is now compelling research that assessment can be used to improve both student learning and professional practice. Nancy Sindelar provides practical examples of how teachers, teams, schools, and districts are using assessment to drive continuous improvement."

Richard DuFour, Educational Author and Consultant
TBD

“The author effectively shows how data-driven decision making works and presents practical examples of how this would work in a school. The examples of data collection “systems” provided are easily understandable.”

Stephen Armstrong, Social Studies Department Supervisor
West Hartford Public Schools, West Hartford, CT

Other Titles in: Data-Driven Decision Making | Data Analysis | Teaching Methods & Learning Styles

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