September 2010 TOSA Tribune

September 10 TOSA Newsletter

DESE 3rd Grade Writing Scoring Guide/Assessment Folder

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2010-2011 M.A.P. Checklist

_____1. I reflected on the amount of growth in the students I taught last year comparing their 2010 results to 2009 (4th-6th grade).

_____2. I compared the percentage of proficient/advanced students in my classroom with the building/district/state.

_____3. I reflected on the best-practices I used last year that really worked to increase achievement.

_____4. I collaborated with my principal/team members/TOSAs about these best practices. I shared ideas and gleaned ideas shared by others.

_____5. I know what percentage of my current students scored proficient or advanced on the 2010 tests, so I can determine growth after the 2011 test (4th—6th grade). DESE expects 75.5 proficient or advanced in communication arts in 2011 and 72.5 in math. This is an increase in expectation from 2010.

_____6. I know which students in my classroom were barely proficient or almost proficient (on the bubble) for tutoring purposes.

_____7. I compared my students’ SRI scores with their Communication Arts M.A.P. scores to see if there is a correlation or discrepancy.

_____8. I gave the math and communication arts inventory tests and compared these scores to the Communication Arts and Math M.A.P. scores to see if there is a correlation or discrepancy.

_____9. After giving the math and communication arts inventories, I determined specific strengths and weaknesses of each child for tutoring.

____10. I administered and scored the beginning of the year writing inventory to gather baseline data to drive writing instruction.

Times Tables for 4 & 6 with Math Patterns for Multiplication

Formative Assessment - Fist-to-Five

After teaching a reading or math mini-lesson to the whole-group of students, do a 'fist-to-five' it. Students showing a four or five means they understand and are ready to practice on their own. A three means they kind-of understand it but would like a peer to reexplain it to them.  If they show a one or two, they remain with the teacher for small-group reteaching. Mrs. Connie Hunt said she did this almost every day and it made a remarkable difference in her students' achievement.

Priming the Brain for Learning

Ms. Myers Spotlighting Board

"Pre-exposure to information makes subsequent learning proceed more quickly. The brain seems to have a way of putting information and ideas into a buffer zone, or cognitive waiting room, for rapid access. There is a long history of studies suggesting that prior exposure to content leads to quicker reponses." ~Eric Jensen

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