Assessment-Powered Teaching

"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 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.

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