So why do we test kids so much? It is overwhelming to not only the student but the teacher. That was my thoughts when I first started teaching. However, as a seasoned teacher I realize just how important it is for us to give student assessment. It drives everything we do.
1. It provides you information about students as testers: you can determine if students have strategies when attacking certain types of test, you can observer their stamina during the test.
2. It gives you information on the needs of your students: you can use data to inform your small group and whole group instruction.
3. If your school does portfolios for students that are passed from grade level to grade level you can use it as a comparison tool.
4. Helps you to set goals for yourself as the teacher and the student.
The main thing I realize that analyzing all of this data takes time and if your a self contained teacher like I was left year it took at least a week to look at analyze results. I would start assessments early to be able to have 4 to 5 days to analyze which would include the weekend. This year we were hit with an additional Map test that further sucked up instruction time and gave me more data to analyze.
I really understand that data is necessary, but doing it all at once can be overwhelming for a veteran teacher, so I feel for the new teachers. How do you balance doing all of these assessments and keep up with the pacing of the lessons. It is almost impossible. That's another topic for another day.
DATA
Where do I start? How do I use it? what do I teach whole group vs Small group? How do I organize it all?
How do I organize it all? This is the first step. Here is what I have used during the years. A binder with dividers, a binder with dividers with pockets, and sometimes just a vanilla file folder that is organized in a basket. I usually start off with a binder for all students,. I just place data in the binder until all testing has ceased. I then go through and separated it. This year it is separated by AM class and PM class. Each rotation has a notebook. I placed students names on the tabs in Alphabetical order usually by first names, I know that is weird, but that is my way, most teachers probably do it by last
names. After I analyze the data, I place it in the binder to have a central location for all the data.
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Once I have establish how I will organize things things I always analyze one set of assessments at a time for both rotations. I take the data and I separate it by assessments: Fountas and Pinell Reading level assessments, Reading PreAssessments, Writing on Demands, Spelling assessments. Map assessments: Reading and Language ( new this year) and I also use previous years STAAR results.
This is where the process gets intense and may become overwhelming. This is my method of analyzing data, think about what works best for you. You might want to do one set of data a day. I choose to do all of mine back to back. I often start with the easiest tests. The previous years STAAR results and Spelling. I teach fourth grade so I only have to look at their Reading Results. I write the names of the students whether they passed or failed and list the Standard that represents their lowest score. I analyze the spelling assessments for stage of spelling and then group the assessments accordingly. I using a spiral to record groupings and data results easier than having to lug the binders around to meetings or during groups.
I then look at the Map assessments and look at their strengths and their weaknesses. I group them according to the Weakness noted on the Goal sheets that I print out to put in their portfolios. I then sort students by Reading levels. However withing Reading level goes a lot more analysis. Another post for another day. These were the easy assessments to analyze and group now depending on what programs you use the Reading and Writing will take you the longest.
We are using Lucy Caulkins UOS for both Reading and Writing. The Reading preassessment are based on writing about reading in regards to four skills. I sort the responses by questions because each question is based on a particular skill. I then use the Progression to assess the quality of the responses. If you are familiar with Lucy she used grade level expectations and criteria expected for each level of response. Once I separate by responses, I began to analyze each question. I usually do Reading one day and writing the next. My eyes start to cross with all of the reading required. I realize that within each question the responses vary from low, medium and high. For example: If 3 people are not quite a 3 they are different levels of a 2. This usually takes me about 1 to 2 hours. I do this on the weekends, yea I know why not after school, or doing the week. It is a personal choice. I know the weekend I can focus more and get more accomplished. Once I have sorted, and assessment I group kids by question and skill. I record in my handy spiral.
The next assessment is the Writing On Demand. We are looking at three areas, Development of ideas, Use of Language and Organization. I group kids accordingly. Again this can become tedious because kids will most likely be weak in more than one area. I write the areas down in my spiral along with students name.
Once I get all my data sorted, analyze and recorded. I will go back and look at all the data and determine groups and set up a calendar of when I will meet with each group. My goal is to meet with low level learners every day, bubble groups at least 3 days a week if not 4 and above level groups 2 days a week. The next step is deciding what skills will be taught whole class vs small groups. Small groups are further divided into Strategy and Guided. I then find the materials to use for both my small groups and my whole group instruction. This is another part of Data collection that can take a minute, You have to make sure to pick quality material that will meet the learning targets you deem needed for students according to groupings.
Remember to always have data handy you want to make the most of your time and you want the instruction to meet the needs of the students.
Possible materials to Gather for Reading and Writing
Mentor text to teach skills
Books for Guided Reading
dry erase boards, markers and erasers
highlighters
comprehension and decoding book marks
ABC and Blend charts
Chart tablets
Exemplar text
sticky notes
sentence strips
pocket charts
timer
Blank copies of various graphic organizers
Activities/lessons for the rest of the students to be working on while you pull small groups
For me, students who are not being pulled will engage in independent reading and responding to text, or generating writing entries in their writing journals. The only way kids get better at reading or writing is to be reading and writing. I try to avoid giving them fluff or worksheets to work on during this time. It is amazing what you can glean from students journals at the end of the week. I usually look at journals every Friday and just jot down some notes, it informs my next week teaching, small groups and conferences.All of the assessments are then placed inside of my Data binders according to AM and PM classes once I have established my groups.
Looking for more information on how to use your data in Reading, or how to analyze Reading Fountas and Pinell assessments to plan and implement small groups, Check out my next blog post.
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