Friday, February 26, 2010

Math Benchmark Assessment

You took the math benchmark assessments this year, but have you used the Compare Assessments report to see where there has been growth? This is a great report that shows you how your students have grown on the Essential Concepts and Skills. You can see the score of the entire assessment, the progress for individual classes as well as individual students and individual skills. This is the reason to take these assessments. If you need any help using this report, please contact your project leader.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Flash Player

There is a new version of Flash Player out, Version 10. You should not yet install this on your computers because it will cause problems with using Skills Tutor.

If you have already installed it, you will need to downgrade to Flash Player 9. Please consult your tech staff for help in doing this.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Don't wait

If you are wondering about a part of Skills Iowa that you haven't used, and are planning on using it next year, don't wait. Get started with it this year with a group of kids who you already know. This will help you get familiar with it for next year.

If you are using the benchmark assessments, but have not created and used your own assessments as well, try to create and use one over the concepts you are teaching right now. Your kids already know how to do their part, so why not reach out of your comfort zone just a little bit and start gathering more information about your students' achievement levels.

Some of our teachers use only one or other of the programs. While we are always happy to find usage of our programs, using one or the other of them in isolation will not lead to the same results as using both programs in conjunction. If you have not used Skills Tutor, and feel you need a little review, let your project leader know. Your project leader is going to be in your building soon for implementation meetings for the 2010-11 school year, and it would be easy to add a visit with you to the day.

Assess, Analyze, Act. This is our plan, and with the use of both of our programs, you can complete the process.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Using the Compare Assessments Report

By now, you've had the opportunity to take the first two of three Skills Iowa Math Benchmark Assessments and two each of each of the two types of Skills Iowa Reading Benchmark Assessments. It's a great time to use the Compare Assessments report to see if you are showing growth in the tested skills.

The first math assessment tested the students' incoming math performance; the second assessment shows us how students have progressed during this school year. If your students have not shown growth on skills that you have taught this year, it's not too late to hit those skills again. There are many Skill Resource activities and Skills Tutor activities that can help, but you the teacher are the most important resource available to your students. It's easy not to recognize where growth has happened because students test over skills when the skills are fresh in their minds. The benchmark assessments don't follow the timing of your instruction, and in that sense are a good real world test of the retention of these skills.

The reading comprehension assessments will not provide such a true skill for skill comparison in the Compare Assessments report, but they will still give you an idea of growth. If nothing else, they will put two assessments in front of you to make your own comparison. It's a great opportunity to see where reteaching needs to be done.

If you need help using the Compare Assessments Report, contact your project leader.