Reading: ST 2.0 Informational, Grade 3: Objective 2.A.4.c:

Only when teachers know where their students are in relation to the objectives they are responsible for do they have the information they need to inform instruction. To do that, teachers must

• Identify characteristics of proficiency on an objective using a specific assignment/assessment
• Diagnose student strengths and needs on the performance
• Determine next instructional steps based on the diagnosis

The following discussion by a team of Maryland teachers models the process of defining proficiency, diagnosing student performance and deciding what they need to do next instructionally for their students.

Discussion Participants:

Susan Burke Teacher Westernport Elementary Allegany County Public Schools

Alexa Frazenbaker Teacher Westernport Elementary Allegany County Public Schools

Nancy House Reading Supervisor Allegany County Public Schools

Ericka McKenney Teacher Northeast Elementary Allegany County Public Schools

Kim Smith Principal George's Creek Elementary Allegany County Public Schools

Objective 2.A.4.c

State and support main ideas and messages
Clarification of Indicator and Objectives

Question

Why is “Brainy Birds” a good title for this article about ravens? Use information from the article to support your answer. (Acrobat)

Defining Proficiency on this Question

In the first part of this protocol, a team of teachers work through the process of reaching consensus on what the team believes constitutes a proficient response on a selected text and question. Only after we have agreed on what constitutes a proficient response are we able to diagnose student strengths and needs.

Diagnosing Student Strengths and Needs to Inform Instruction

Once proficiency has been defined, the team is ready to examine student performance against your proficiency criteria. Teachers must shift their mindset from a summative examination to a formative examination of student performance. In many cases teachers have spent a great deal of time sorting student responses (either by letter grades or by rubric scores) and virtually no time diagnosing what students know and still need to learn. It is the diagnostic information that will help teachers understand what they need to do next instructionally with their students.

In this part of the protocol, the team examines three student papers to determine if the response is proficient and to identify strengths, needs and instructional next steps.