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Featuring a comprehensive six-step process for moving from standards to rubrics, this updated bestseller helps teachers build tasks, checklists, and rubrics; differentiate for special needs; and more.
Kay Burke provides a detailed six-step walk-through for creating successful student learning tasks and assessment rubrics linked to state standards and NCLB. A CD-ROM with templates is included.
This compact volume combines research, practice, and innovative thinking to illustrate how strategic application of data enhances leadership practices and significantly improves curriculum, instruction, and schoolwide performance.
Create assessments that meet state standards and target students’ learning needs! In this revised edition of her bestseller, Kay Burke provides a wide range of easy-to-implement alternative assessments that address today’s accountability requirements. Designed for use across all content areas, these formative assessments are rooted in the language of state standards and emphasize differentiating instruction to meet students’ diverse learning needs. Updated research and examples help K–12 teachers: Build Response to Intervention checklists for struggling students Develop unit plans using differentiated learning and assessment strategies Create portfolios that emphasize metacognition Design performance tasks that motivate and engage students Construct rubrics that describe indicators of quality work Create tests that focus on higher-order thinking skills
"As a new teacher, I am always looking for ideas that will make me feel more confident. Using a portfolio will help me show evidence that the students are making progress toward meeting state standards." —Stephanie Jones, Teacher Forrest City High School, AR "A good overview of the entire portfolio process, from its philosophical foundations to the celebration of student achievement." —Michael F. Dwyer, English Department Chair Otter Valley Union High School, Brandon, VT Encourage student creativity and academic growth through portfolios and authentic assessment! Research and practice show that portfolios are powerful tools for assessing students authentically, communicating with parents about the learning process, and helping learners across all grade levels and content areas record their successes and take ownership of their learning. The third edition of The Portfolio Connection offers practical advice and reader-friendly strategies for implementing student portfolios in the classroom. Through step-by-step procedures, the authors help teachers incorporate standards into the portfolio process by providing expanded checklists and rubrics to monitor student progress. The updated edition also includes: Additional information on e-portfolios and integrating technology Steps for conducting student-led conferences Portfolio examples for children with special needs Guidance on increasing parent involvement Information on the impact of NCLB on student assessment Discover how you can use portfolios to heighten students′ self-reflection while expanding their critical and creative thinking skills.
What is a rubric? A rubric is a coherent set of criteria for student work that describes levels of performance quality. Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately, rubrics are commonly misunderstood and misused. The good news is that when rubrics are created and used correctly, they are strong tools that support and enhance classroom instruction and student learning. In this comprehensive guide, author Susan M. Brookhart identifies two essential components of effective rubrics: (1) criteria that relate to the learning (not the "tasks") that students are being asked to demonstrate and (2) clear descriptions of performance across a continuum of quality. She outlines the difference between various kinds of rubrics (for example, general versus task-specific, and analytic versus holistic), explains when using each type of rubric is appropriate, and highlights examples from all grade levels and assorted content areas. In addition, Brookhart addresses * Common misconceptions about rubrics; * Important differences between rubrics and other assessment tools such as checklists and rating scales, and when such alternatives can be useful; and * How to use rubrics for formative assessment and grading, including standards-based grading and report card grades. Intended for educators who are already familiar with rubrics as well as those who are not, this book is a complete resource for writing effective rubrics and for choosing wisely from among the many rubrics that are available on the Internet and from other sources. And it makes the case that rubrics, when used appropriately, can improve outcomes by helping teachers teach and helping students learn.
