Formative Assessment in a Professional Learning Community

The ideas and examples in this book help teachers successfully collaborate to raise student achievement through the use of formative assessments. Here, Todd Stanley and Betsy Moore, educators with over 40 years of combined experience, offer proven formative assessment strategies to teachers in a professional learning community. Contents include: Why a PLC? How to Work Effectively in a Group How to Write Assessments Adjustments in the Classroom Keeping Up with Collaboration If you’re looking to extend the benefits of formative assessments throughout your school, this user-friendly guide will help to unite teachers in improving classroom learning!

Introduction: Why Use Short-Cycle Assessments in a Professional Learning Community? 1. Why Work in a Professional Learning Community (PLC)? What is a PLC? Advantages to Working in a PLC Disadvantages to Working in a PLC Different Types of PLCs 2. How to Work Effectively in a Group Creating a Good Group Environment Using Norms All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy Group Building Activities Cancer in the Clubhouse Good Meetings vs. Bad Meetings 3. Starting the SCORE Process What Does Everyone Know? Understanding the Standards Identifying the Level of the Standards According to Bloom's Coding the Test 4. Aligning the Curriculum Figuring Your Pacing Chart Types of Pacing Charts Identifying Power Standards Skills Needed for Success in the Area More... 5. Writing Assessments Design Assessments to Standards How to Work as a Group on Short-Cycle Assessments The Format of the Questions How to Write the Questions More... 6. Administering and Grading the Assessments Administering the Assessment Creating the Proper Environment Creating the Answer Key Anchoring 7. Data Analysis Looking at the Results Organizing the Data Why Analyze as a PLC Group? Leaving Your Ego at the Door More... 8. Adjustments in the Classroom Data-Based Instructional Adjustments How to Use the Data to Make Adjustments Grouping of Students Chances for Collaboration 9. Keeping Up With Collaboration Revising the Process Revisiting Assessments Celebrate Your Success Classroom Visits More... Epilogue BluePrints for the Process References