Professional Documents
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Goodafternoon!WearewritingtoletyouknowaboutsomeexcitingrefinementsthattheEnglish
Departmentismakingthisyeartothewaywegivefeedbacktoyourchildren.Noneoftheserefinements
representachangetotheCNGGradingScaleortheCNGAssessmentProtocolthesearetheguiding
documentsforallofourfeedbackandgradingforstudents.
Therefinementswearemakingwillallowusto...
moreaccuratelycommunicateyourchildsachievementandprogressintheskills,knowledge,and
understandingsexploredinEnglishclass.
provideourselveswithmoreaccurateandspecificinformationaboutwhereourstudentsare
achievingandwhereweneedtotakethem.
createagrowthmindsetenvironmentandcommunicatefairlytostudentsaboutthenatural
learningprocessastheypracticenewskills,areexposedtonewknowledge,andexplorenewand
complexunderstandingsoflanguage.
respondresponsiblytoneweducationalresearchbasedassessmentbestpractices.
HowwillthislookinSkyward?
FormativeAssessments(checksforskillability,retentionofknowledge,andcomprehensionof
understandingsasorduringlearningisoccurring)willshowasNocount..Thiswillallow
studentstopursuelearningwithoutconcernfornaturallearningstruggles.Indicatingthemasno
countallowsusnottoaveragethemintothefinalgradessincetheyareareflectionofthe
learningprocess,notthecurrentachievementlevelofthestudent.Researchshowsthatchildren
arenaturallearners,sothedependenceonnumberstomotivatethepursuitofcuriosityisnot
necessary.Wedontwantthemtobemoreconcernedwiththegradethanontheprocessand
growththeyvemade.Thinkbacktokindergartenwhenchildrenaresentofftoexploreincenters
withpuzzlesandblocksdoanyofthemturnbacktoasktheteacher,Doesthiscountformy
grade?orHowmanypointsisthisworth?Ourstudentswillbelearningtolearn!
TheAssignmentswillbebrokendownbystandards.Soyouwillseeoneactivity(formative
assessment)brokendownintoseveralparts.Thescoresdemonstratewhereyourchildis
achievingatthattimeinthatskill,knowledge,orunderstanding.
Whatdothosescoresmeanforeachstandardbeingmeasured?
(alignedwiththeCNGGradingScale)
If...
Then...
Iunderstandanduseknowledgeandskillsindependentlyinnewsituations.
Iearna4.
Iunderstandtheknowledgeandskillsandamstartingtousetheminnew
situations.
Iearna3.
Iambeginningtounderstandtheknowledgeandskillsandamlearninghowto
usetheminnewsituations.
Iearna2.
Iamlost.Idontgetit.OrIdontturninwork.
Iearna1.
MoreOpportunitiestoDemonstrateGrowth
Sinceweunderstandthatourbrainscangrowandlearnwithpracticeandexposuretonew
strategies,wewillbeimplementingthefollowingresubmissionprocesses.Ifyourchilddoesnot
demonstrateproficiency(a3or4)inaskill,knowledge,orunderstanding
thefirsttimetheycanrespond
tothefeedbackintheprocessbelow,whichisapplicableformostassignments,bothformativeand
summative(althoughitshouldnotbenecessaryforformativeassessmentssincetheyarejustpartofthe
learningprocess).
RevisionandResubmissionProcess
Asalearnertherearetimeswhenwearenotabletodemonstrateourfullunderstandingofaconcept.
Theopportunitytoreviseandresubmitwork,giveseveryoneachancetodemonstratenew
understanding.Whenresubmittingworkpleasebesuretofollowtheseguidelines
1. Improveyourassignment/projectonaseparatedocument/sheetofpaper
2. Highlightthechangesyouhavemadefromyouroriginalsubmission,showingyournew
understanding.
3. Attachbothyouroriginalpieceofworkandtherubricthatwasusedtoassessyour
assignment/project
4. Attachacoverparagraph(68sentences)explainingtheconceptyouhaddifficulty
understandinginyourfirstsubmissionandadescriptionofhowyoucametobetterunderstand
thisconceptbeforethisresubmission.
5. Submitanyresubmissionsatleastoneweekbeforetheendofthemarkingperiod.
Summativeassessmentswillreportonyourstudentsabilitytoindependentlyapplytheskills,
knowledge,andunderstandingsintroducedandpracticedduringtheunitinanewandauthentic
way.Thesescoreswillbeaveragedintoafinalgradefortheclasstoshowyourdaughterorsons
achievementinthosestandards.
Wearecommittedtofollowingwhatresearchtellsuswillsetyourchildrenupforsuccess.Weare
alsocommittedtolisteningtostudentsandfamilies,sopleasesendusanyquestions,concernsor
feedback.Wearecommittedtoensuringtheserefinementsareintendedtohelpourstudentsgrowand
valuelearningevenmorethantheyalreadydo.
Warmregards,
Mr.Dierdorff,MissGaribotto,
Ms.Gerard,Mrs.Miller,
andMrs.Murphy