reclaiming assessment in NEBRASKA Gallagher Chris W 2007 Reclaiming Assessment A Better Alternative to the Accountability Agenda Heinemann Portsmouth NH USA Ch 1 Introduction Reforming Reform The rationale for this book is that the current accountability through high stakestesting approach to school reform is all wrong p 6 Accountability bad as Gallagher suggests is a one way responsibility model based on trans actions rather than inter actions which is not a shared commitment to a valuable cooperative effort Rather our schools should be run based on the concept of engagement good to nurture mutually responsible partnerships that are marked by rich and dialogic interactions Nebraska s STARS School based Teacher led Assessment and Reporting System is the model model for school reform Ch 2 Accountability and After Accountability NCLB high stakes testing etc is flimsy and people are beginning to realize it What we need is meaningful sustainable school improvement which requires strong relationships These relationships are forge through conversation they are nurtured within a community of learning marked by shared commitment among educational partners The foster teacher leadership because teachers are leaders of learning They are reciprocal because real teaching and learning require mutual responsibility They are premised on engagement p 29 Table of two ideas of school reform Accountability Engagement Business model Democratic model School reform School improvement Teacher as impediments for reform Teacher as leaders of reform One way relationships Mutual relationships Student achievement Student learning Standardization Standards Test based Assessment informed Stern father morality Shared responsibility ethic Transaction Interaction Top down Bottom up or inside out Exerts control Builds capacity High stakes High impact Unearned distrust Earned trust Competition Collaboration Compliance Commitment Assessment of learning only Assessment for learning also Demands simplicity Embraces complexity a Figure 2 1 above pg 29 reclaiming assessment in NEBRASKA Ch 3 Teachers at the Lead Schools in the Center The Nebraska Story Under NCLB Nebraska asked each school district to build assessment instruments that will help them compete with themselves or improve over time Students are assessed in 4th 5th and 11th grades in 2 specific ways District Assessment Portfolio DAP s using six Quality Criteria and Statewide Writing Assessments SWA s as well as regular reporting of student scores on national standardized tests separate from reporting standards School culture has shifted to give teachers a sense of empowerment motivation to take more of a leadership role work collaboratively and be in a constant improvement constant learning mode Ch 4 Engaging Students Making Assessment Meaningful in the Classroom Teacher as the primary assessment instrument If assessments are to promote learning not just to report on it then the people involved in learning teachers and students must determine how to gather interpret and act on good information about their work together p 56 Work toward high impact assessment over high stakes Figure 4 1 p 58 Two views of assessment b Accountability Engagement Thread Opportunity Top down Bottom up Policy tool Instructional tool High stakes High impact Standardized tests Teacher designed assessments Assessment of learning only Assessment for learning also Assessment driven instruction Instruction driven assessment Event based Ongoing embedded Student subjugated Student involved Teachers need to become comfortable talking about assessment in and out of the classroom Account for standards within the curriculum already being taught why change Teachers should systematically collect data on students and use that data to guide instruction Students as partners with teachers Portfolios IEP for every student track own progress good Ch 5 Engaging Colleagues Creating New Models and Professional Development Every school needs these 8 aspects for AWSOME Pro Development 1 Needs to be driven by analysis 2 Asks teachers to identify learning needs 3 Site based 4 Organized around collaborative problem solving 5 Continuous and ongoing 6 Analyzes multiple sources of information 7 Helps teachers develop theoretical understanding of what is to be learned 8 Integrated with a comprehensive change process
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