Angela Anderson

4/8/16
Expectations Into Action Year 3
Observation Log
Background
I have struggled at times with the idea of ongoing assessment.
Often, in my content area, I feel that I mostly rely on writing as the form of
assessment. This has been limiting because the writing process can be very
time-consuming, both for students as they write and for the teacher to
grade. I also suspect that some things that I do instinctively in my classroom
would be considered assessment, but that I need to be more conscious in
recognizing them and in recording/utilizing the information that they provide.
As I begin to look at whether my students are prepared for their final LA
CRES of the year, assessment is even more at the forefront of my thinking.
In thinking about assessment, I looked for resources that discussed the
purpose of assessment and how the information gathered through
assessment can be used. In the course resources, Use for Planning
document I discovered that in order to be rated as a distinguished,
emphasis is placed on using assessment information to develop
individualized instruction for students. This individualized instruction seems
to be best provided by tiering instruction. I also read an article titled Tiering
to Avoid Tears: Developing Assignments that Address All Learners Needs, I
read a quote that supported the purpose of tiering based on assessment
data. The text made the following analogy, If all students are lined up and
told to run, inevitably some children get to the finish line before others. No
one asks that they all run together at the same pace. The text also read,
Pre-assessing is key to tiering instruction and assignments. I also read
an article titled, The Essence of Continuous Assessment. Here continuous
assessment is defined as Continuous Assessment is listening closely to
students, observing students as they are engaged in learning, as they are
engaged with materials, and trying to understand what they understand. I
felt that based on this information, in order to strengthen my teaching skills,
I wanted to observe teachers who are continuously assessment and using
assessment data for tiering instruction. I asked my principal and literacy
specialist to recommend teachers who are engaging in both

Observations
Ms. French My administrator suggested that I observe Ms. French to
observe how she consistently and continually incorporates assessment into
her instruction. She assesses students and adjusts instruction during the
class period, as well as adjusting groupings and instruction for future lessons.
Today, she began class by checking a homework assignment with
students in preparation for a quiz later in the class period. As students
checked their work using a key projected at the front of the room, she
continually circulated through the classroom to not only note whether
students had completed their work, but to also stop and individually instruct
students who had incorrectly responded. Ms. French informed students that
they would have the chance to review anything that they needed to clarify,
even if it meant that they would need additional time for the quiz the
following day. Students asked for help with specific problems and as Ms.
French demonstrated how to solve the problem to the class, she pointed out
specific mistakes that students had made in their work. She pointed out
parts of the problem and said, I saw this part completed correctly in your
work and I saw this part, but this is where you need to be sure to write out
your work. She had apparently observed those common mistakes as she
circulated through the room as students checked their homework. Ms.
French also told students that she had noticed that some students had
solved the problem correctly using a different method. She showed that
method as well. Throughout this entire review, Ms. French cold called on
students. She called on every student in the class at least 2 times.
Ms. French distributed quizzes and read through the quiz for the class.
She noted important suggestions for each section on a copy projected for the
class. Students were allowed to highlight as needed. As students worked,
she moved about the room checking in with students. When she noticed
that students were struggling, she stopped to review directions and ask
questions to help students adjust their work.
I talked with Ms. French after the class period ended and she shared
that she would be able to not only look at how students actually scored on
their quiz, but that she would also be able to utilize information noted about
what kinds of questions students asked, who she needed to assist and what

level of assistance they required. Based on all of this information, she would
identify students who needed re-teaching and would be able to specifically
target the source of their confusion.

Ms. Strasser Ms. Strasser teaches 7th grade language arts. On the day that
I observed, she was administering a formative assessment to her students.
The formative had been developed following the format of the CRES,
summative assessment that students would be taking later in the term.
Students were instructed to write a multiple paragraph response similar to a
previous CRES and a research paper, which they had completed. Ms.
Strasser read the directions to the students that informed them that they
would read two articles and then respond to a prompt. She read the prompt
aloud. Other than that, the students worked independently to complete the
assignment.
Really, this assessment was designed to serve as a pre-assessment for
the argument writing that the students would be learning about throughout
the term. This was eye-opening because I have almost always given some
more specific reminders prior to pre-assessment when it comes to writing.
For example, I will mention organizing ideas, number of paragraphs required,
topic and closing sentences, including text evidence, etc. Observing today
caused me to think about eliminating those reminders, if I truly want to see
what students can produce independently.
After class, Ms.Strasser shaared that she would be evaluating the
students writing to identify specific groups of students who needed
instruction on specific sets of skills. She would then be working with her
teaching partner to tier lessons that targeted those groups and skills.

Ms. Abraham Ms. Abraham is Ms. Strassers teaching partner. I observed

on a day when they had used their pre-assessment data to divide their
students into groups, each of which would focus on a specific skill that those
specific students needed to improve. The two teachers had also enlisted the
assistance of the Literacy Specialist. She worked with students from both
classes who needed to better understand the concept of theme. These

students were Tier 1. Ms. Strasser taught the Tier 3 group, who focused on
including details in their writing.
Ms. Abraham worked with the Tier 2 group. She taught them how to
create a table in Google Docs and how to use that table to organize their
ideas. When I was able to talk with her later, I learned that the students in
all groups would be required to use what they had learned to go back to their
formative piece and improve it. Ms. Abraham also shared another strategy
that this team of teachers often utilizes, which is to take students rough
drafts and grade only a portion, perhaps just the first body paragraph. When
students see the score for that section and the accompanying comments,
they then have the opportunity to use the feedback while making revisions
needed in order to earn a higher score on their final copy.
Reflection
As I reflected on the entire process that I had observed and discussed
with these three teachers, I recognized that I could make some changes to
how I was assessing students writing in my classroom. I have used preassessment for very specific skills and understanding of concepts, but in
relation to writing, had never given a true pre-assessment with no
instruction. I think the way that Ms. Strasser and Ms. Abraham used the preassessment data to tier instruction was wonderful. I have also team taught
and tiered instruction with my grade level partner, but this really helped to
clarify a successful model for developing those tiers of students and the
instruction that goes along with it. Ms. Frenchs use of assessment reminded
me that there are little things that I do to assess student learning, but that
with a more conscious and planned effort, I can use the information more
effectively by incorporating what I take note of into instruction immediately.
I do not always have to conduct a large scale assessment.