Standard 5 Asses, provide feedback and report on student learning.
Standard 5.1 Assess student learning
Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning
These excerpts are taken from lesson plans from my third placement regarding different methods of assessment.
The excerpt above demonstrates a diagnostic assessment for a year 7 disengaged student used to determine a sense of inadequacy using Driekurs use of questioning ‘could it be?’
3rd placement at Balcombe Grammar
The work sample below this annotation are examples of how I have linked the assessment task to planned learning activities and outcomes undertaken for a year 8 music class. The students used their prior knowledge of familiar music to gain inspiration for their music composition regarding their chosen values.
3rd placement at Balcombe Grammar
The lesson plan excerpt demonstrates understanding of formal assessment strategies such as formative and preliminary assessment tasks and informal assessment techniques such as observation undertaken in a year 8 music class
3rd placement at Balcombe Grammar.
The lesson plan excerpt to the right indicates not only Summative assessment task for a year 8 class at Balcombe Grammar but the final allocated time within the lesson plan when students were made explicitly aware of the assessment task.
3rd placement at Balcombe Grammar.
The examples to the left are examples of explicit written instructions concerning 2 Summative assessment tasks. The first excerpt provided for a year 6 drama class performing Japanese Theatre.
The second a year 8 drama class performing freeze frames to depict Indigenous Aboriginal and non-indigenous aboriginal conflicts and resolutions.
2nd placement at Oakleigh Grammar
5.1 Critical reflection
Throughout my placement experiences I have engaged with frequent assessment strategies both formative, summative as well as formal, informal, diagnostic and preliminary.
Informal assessment of learning strategies such as handwritten notes were crucial to maintain updated information regarding growth of student knowledge, additionally, observation techniques such as circling, and questionings allowed me to not only ensure the different groups remained on task with minimal distractions, but it also allowed me to gage student progress and future planning aspirations.
I only ever was required to perform one diagnostic test to effectively diagnose a concern with student learning and this revealed a sense of inadequacy. In this instance, this was the only assessment strategy where I felt underprepared to administer due to a lack of experience with this strategy. Whilst it was successful, I found it difficult to remember all Dreikurs questionings for this strategy and with the student so disengaged, this did not assist my memory. I believe I will be more comfortable with this with more experience and discussions with colleagues.
Due to my final placement undertaken at the commencement of a new subject rotation period, it was only during this placement duration in which preliminary assessments were necessary to determine how much the cohorts remembered or knew regarding the topic. In the case of the year 7’s, while I had prepared many different activities to cater for different interests and skills, the digital composition task held the engagement of much of the class. In terms of the year 8’s, the preliminary test to determine how remembrance of elements of music showed a vast difference in knowledge, it therefore became necessary to include hook activities using elements of music for the benefit of the members which displaying minimal knowledge.
The formative assessment tasks were constantly compared to the final summative assessment task in all placements, with much consideration placed on learning tasks and their link to the Summative assessment task. Additionally, it was necessary to explain to all classes the reasons behind the learning tasks, to compare them to the rubric and ensure full student comprehension which is why instructions were not only verbally provided but always in written form, whether this was a PowerPoint presentation or written on the school’s subject page displayed via a smartboard.
Standard 5.2 Provide feedback to students on their learning
Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
The excerpt below are examples of the provision of written feedback using schoolbox undertaken during my first placement.
This method was particularly useful, as responding digitally to the written feedback allowed for more time to form appropriate responses relatable to the student.
1st placement at St Peters
The example below demonstrates the use of the chat function in Soundscape to provide written feedback to individual groups. This method was highly effective when students were allocated time to view their feedback and use it to enhance their digital compositions. If students did not respond to this feedback, this was followed up either verbally or in an email to a student working on the section in question.
1st placement at St Peters
The examples below demonstrate how the use of written feedback communicated via email allowed the student to make progress in their digital composition in BandLab at Balcombe Grammar. Here the student focused less on rhythmic composition and began exploring engaging melodies.
3rd placement at Balcombe Grammar
The examples below demonstrate continuous feedback using google docs ensuring the student made sufficient progress in the written explanation of compositional choices. The use of highlights to provide feedback allowed for minimal confusion as to which section the feedback was intended.
This is from my first placement at St. Peters
5.2 Critical reflection
The provision of feedback using either verbal or digital means has been of great importance to me, as I believe appropriate and timely feedback has a strong likelihood of enhancing student progress. Whilst I do believe in using peer feedback to enhance student learning, as it has many benefits towards creating a safe environment and enhancing social development, I have included teacher-student feedback purely because I have found in cases where peer-feedback is inappropriate or a timely endeavor to be highly sufficient.
My feedback has always had a mixture of positive comments combined with areas for improvement and had the explicit purpose of enhancing skill or knowledge development relevant to the Summative assessment task, typically with appropriate vocabulary linked to curriculum descriptors. All feedback was provided using methods from Hattie and Timperley’s (2007) ‘The Power of Feedback’ with added considerations from the revisited book written by Hattie and Mandouit (2023) to the provision of feedback and used language appropriate to the student/groups of students intended to receive it positively.
Standard 5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
Demonstrate an understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
The paper below is evident of moderation practices undertaken during my third placement with the supervising teacher for a year 8 digital or performance-based assessment. Here, the supervising teacher and I discussed marks for each rubric criteria and moderated the marks based on the discussion. The moderated marks based on the supervising teachers suggestions were made in red ink to differentiate from my marks made in black.
3rd placement at Balcombe Grammar
The paper below is evident of moderation practices undertaken during my second placement with the supervising teacher for a year 7 powerpoint assignment assessment. Here, the supervising teacher and I discussed marks for Criterion A under the MYP program and moderated the marks based on the discussion.
2nd placement at Oakleigh Grammar
As the example below is an example of moderation practices for a group music digital composition assignment undertaken during my third placement. The supervising teachers suggestions were marked in red ink in contrast to my own marked in black and as shown, moderation was made based on the supervising teachers recommendations.
3rd placement at Oakleigh Grammar
5.3 Critical reflection
Whilst assessment moderation did occur within my first two placements, much assessment moderation took place primarily within my third placement at Balcombe Grammar in which my supervising teacher and I for years 7 and 8 music marked the students separately, discussed and compared results and were altered depending on the persuasiveness of the argument.
Whilst my supervising teacher and I were of similar opinions and marks only varied by one mark between us, I still learnt many valuable lessons whilst undertaking assessment moderation and the discussions with my supervising teacher. Chief among them was the complexity regarding student marking, particularly what determines an at standard mark, when one student is provided with one mark, and another is the same but are inherently different. As a result of this, marking student work toom significantly longer than previously anticipated.
I found the moderation process extremely helpful, as it not only provided me with the opportunity to justify my thoughts and receive feedback but it allowed me to observe and learn from my supervising teacher whose knowledge and experience vastly outweighs my own.
Standard 5.4 Interpret student data
Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice
The examples below were taken from lesson plan excerpts for year 6 Drama class where the concept of shuffling the feet in a slow movement and vocal pitch manipulation to emulate the Japanese Theatre style Noh Theatre must be re-taught to ensure sufficient skill development, as this pertains to the final Summative assessment task.
The excerpt below is the reflection undertaken directly after the lesson where acknowledgement of in the moment adaptions occurred. After the evaluation of my practices, I decided to have each group working separately on their Noh Theatre movements to practice the skills required for assessment and the decision to re-teach the concept of vocal pitch manipulation and slow movements in a more competitive setting, hoping to boost engagement.
The student sample provided undertaken at Balcombe Grammar demonstrates confusion between the elements of music dynamics and expression and tempo and a limited knowledge of pitch and timbre. Whilst this is only one student sample, this information was consistent for the majority of small groups.
The reflection below evaluates the lesson, mentions informal assessment strategies of verbal communication to students to ascertain true understanding rather than relying solely on written answers, and includes plans for the continuous learning of the elements of music pitch and timbre as this was an acknowledged area for improvement.
The image provided below was my own provision when time was of the essence and knowledge of music vocabulary must be obtained for successful completion of the summative assessment task.
The student work sample below demonstrates the effectiveness of the sheet provided, as through a music analysis activity, the class was able to successfully apply terminology to describe the different scenes of music.
5.4 Critical reflection
Through reflection, observations and the gathering of student data it became apparent which skills or content was required to be re-taught to ensure adequate skill development for an accurate Summative assessment task. In many cases, due to the need to re-teach skills no matter the means, it was necessary to modify future lesson plans to accommodate this need, and in turn adapt the summative assessment task accordingly such as the provision to either verbally or through written means state future actions or modifications to demonstrate critical thinking abilities. Additionally, in the case of the year 6 Drama class, the re-teaching of the Japanese Noh Theatre elements meant the class had less of an opportunity to use costumes and props, therefore display creativity, an essential requirement for the MYP program.
In the case of the interpretation of student data I believe I have been successful, as I have used many strategies such as not only collecting written evidence but engaged in discussions with various groups, allowing me to gain a true understanding of whether students understand the task at hand and their confidence in fulfilling the specific requirements. I have no difficulties with adapting the Summative assessment task criteria if the skills have yet to be developed, nor providing appropriate differentiation to accommodate students’ needs.
Standard 5.5 Report on student learning
Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement
The examples below demonstrates my note taking for the formative assessment task for a year 9 Drama class to provide to parents if any concerns arise regarding the student’s mark.
1st placement at St Peters
These examples of report writing were undertaken at Oakleigh Grammar marking based on the International Bachelorette MYP program as used by the school to provide accurate reports of student progress for Grade 6 Drama. The reports clearly demonstrate knowledge of the 1-8 marking system and has been used appropriately to assess the different types of capabilities demonstrated by groups of students.
The examples are of low performing, to medium performing students as no students were marked 6 or above.
These examples of report writing were taken at Balcombe Grammar during my final placement and express my opinions regarding the year 7 music digital composition summative assessment task. The examples provided are those of below standard, at standard and above standard students, as the option was provided to undertake this task as a group or individually. In this instance, appropriate language was used to communicate information regarding their child's strengths and areas for improvement not just generally provided but applicable to each student, and much care was taken with spelling, grammar and structuring of the information with clear headings to ensure minimal misunderstandings.
The example below is my own rubric written for this Summative assessment task and my own marking to be modified as necessary by the supervising teacher, the feedback provided demonstrates thoughtful consideration of spelling, grammar and use of appropriate language to communicate strengths and areas for improvement interpretable by parents/carers.
1st placement at St Peters
5.5 Critical reflection
As communication to parents regarding their child’s learning is vital as expressed previously, the final reports in which current understandings and practical skill application as applicable was thoughtfully adhered to. Within all my reports I have strived to consider the parents position and write in appropriate language to minimize confusion with the provision of as much focus on strengths and positive steps towards improvement, and state areas for improvement with as much positive language as possible. Evidence of students' work was gathered as much as possible to support these marks, and tracking student work through both formal and informal means meant a holistic account of the students learning could be provided upon request.
While I believe I have made much improvement on my report writing skills, there is still improvement to be made, this I hope will come with more experience and discussions with colleagues as to how I might better my capabilities.