So, I asked an expert in the field of assessment development...my sister, Gretchen!! She is currently the Principal Assessment Editor at CTB/McGraw Hill. Gretchen travels across the country working with teachers to craft and refine assessment items and to share insights into the instructional and assessment implications of the Common Core State Standards. I asked Gretchen the following questions, to which she responded with the caveat that they represent her own ideas based on her experiences. In other words, she is not being a spokesperson for either CTB or its customers. Here then are her responses:
1. How are the assessment items created? What is the process? How are teachers (active and practicing ones) involved in that process?
2. How can teachers prepare their students for these rigorous and demanding assessments? What instructional practices do they need to let go of and which ones do they need to implement?
3. What do you think about including student scores in the teacher evaluation process? What percentage or ratio sounds fair to you? What are some effective ways to do that?
If you want more information, Gretchen's email is: Gretchen_Schultz@ctb.com.
It is reassuring to know that there are teachers in Maine who are already implementing many of her recommendations. For example, all the teachers (not just English teachers) at Bonny Eagle High School provided direct instruction on close reading strategies this past year. The English department focused its efforts on strengthening argumentative writing skills, and the math department routinely asks students to explain their thinking and conclusions.
These recommendations are practical, manageable, and doable.
Thanks, Gretchen. You rock!
Thanks, Gretchen. You rock!
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