S

Learning and Assessment in the

PYP:How do I know what my

child is actually learning?

PYP Parent Workshop 2

Workshop Schedule

What is Assessment?

Student Progress Reports

Student Led Conferences

Portfolios

Final Reflection

Quality Assessment: Hard to achieve but important to get

right

What is Assessment?

What can we accurately assess?

What are we assessing for?

What is it important to assess?

What are great assessments?

Who is involved in assessment?

PYP and Assessment(PYP: Making it Happen page 44)

Integral to all teaching and provides feedback on learning

Guides students through the five Essential Elements of the PYP

Expected to develop procedures that reflect the PYP objectives

Learning outcomes match the assessment method

Cater for a diverse range of individual students

Self-assessment and reflection are crucial

Should all work towards developing clear understandings

Chatsworth East & Assessment

(Chatsworth East Assessment Policy 2012)

Designed to improve student performance via feedback

Reflection is essential and integral

Anchored in authentic and engaging tasks

Provides direction for all school community members

Assessment should be sensitive to difference

PYP and Reporting(PYP: Making it Happen page 53)

Written reports can be summative but also formative

Areas of strength & areas for improvement

The Learner Profile needs to be addressed.

Transdisciplinary units & subject-specific teaching

All teachers have an opportunity to comment.

All the Essential Elements of the programme are included.

Chatsworth East & Reporting

Previous report written at a different time to accommodate a different curriculum before PYP authorization

Worked with a topic based teaching and assessment cycle

No longer reflects or represents how we teach and assess

Formation of Report Focus Group in September 2011

Report release in January 2012

Community feedback and reflection

Why is it so big? I could use it as a door

stop.

There’s a lot we need to tell you

The PYP Essential Elements need to all be addressed

Single Subjects included in a more substantial way

Units of Inquiry given more prominence and detail

Opportunity to share a wider variety of assessment information

Can we please have my child’s name on all the pages and the Principal

sign it? Yes - will change for the end of year Student

Report

What is a ‘Learner Profile’? Where did the General Comments

go?

A qualitative snap shot of the individual learner

Specific focus on the PYP Learner Profile attributes and attitudes

Includes Transdisciplinary Skill development

Personal highlights and achievements of the year so far

Increases continuity and consistency of key terms

There is too much happening on

each page. Please explain.

What do ‘Subjects and Strands’ mean? How many

are there?

Six Subjects (Mathematics, Language, Arts, PSPE, Social Studies & Science)

Each subject is broken down into several strands

Within each subject there are multiple areas of learning

Each subject and strand have their own Scope and Sequence documentation and learning outcomes

See website for all scope and sequence documentation

I still don’t understand…

EXAMPLE:

Language is a Subject and it has FOUR Strands

Reading Writing

Speaking and Listening Viewing and Presenting

Each strand has many specific learning outcomes to work towards

See PYP website for further details

Why are the Unit of Inquiry Reports so big? Are they that

important?

In a nutshell...

Stations on the MRT

Significant change from previous report

Uncovering the mysteries of an Inquiry Unit

How are Units of Inquiry and Subjects linked?

Each Unit of Inquiry focuses on several subjects / disciplines

Eg Year 5 – Art / Language / Social Studies

Students develop subject specific skills and knowledge

Learning outcomes and conceptual understandings are assessed

Big achievements and goals reached by the end of UOI

What is P.S.P.E.? Is it like PE, but better?

Personal, Social and Physical Education

Development of whole child

Identity, Active Living and Interactions

Who We Are UOI / Communication Skills UOI

Development of mental and physical health

What is a Learning Outcome? Are they that

important?

Specific, measureable, assessable and tangible

Targeted for specific Units of Inquiry

Widest possible range covered during an academic year

Bricks of the House & Meat on the Bone

What is a Phase? What do they mean?

The Phases attempt to describe the subject learning through which learners progress.

Each Phase has it’s own learning outcomes/ understandings

Each Phase roughly covers a two year developmental period

All Subjects have Four Phases (Except for Language which has Five Phases due to it’s depth and complexity)

NOTE: For school-wide planning and streamlined assessment, we have assigned age groups to the Phases

Nope, I’m still confused. They’re rubbish and vague.

Convince me.

Incredibly detailed with many outcomes and understandings

Pinpoint exactly where a learner is in development

Build incrementally and cleverly

Broad, challenging and flexible

Consistent language across the school in planning and assessment

My child is working ‘At Expected Level’ in all

subjects.What does this mean? What are the other options?

Student is achieving many or all of the outcomes from the particular Year level Phase expectations

Doing well in all of the Essential Elements

‘Towards Expected Level’ ‘Beyond Expected Level’

Majority of students in this category

Unique differences, strengths and skills

My child is working in two different Phases. How?

Language v Everything else

Confusion at Year 3 – moves into Phase 3 outcomes now

Tailor to specific needs, skills and development

More information on Scope and Sequence documents

I can’t find out what my child is good at or what they need to

work on?

Strengths and Goals

Essential Elements focus

Unique to each student and specific year level

Interesting differences and similarities across the report

Read for meaning and see the bigger picture

School based and Home based – Connection

My child is perfect. Why do they still have

goals set?

Personal challenge and motivation

Into the next Phase and beyond

Refinement, focus and commitment

Strength through flexibility and personalization

Informative and descriptive

What has my child achieved so far?

I can’t find it.

Middle column – Achievements.

Learning outcomes and big understandings

Specific Assessment Tasks

Personal Action

Celebrations and personal progress

Some of the Achievements are a bit

bland and boring. Why are they there?

They are important to the teachers and students

Worked towards for decent length of time

Culmination of a lot of Essential Elements

Class-wide Achievement & Personal Achievement

Globally transferable understandings

How come Single Subject Teachers get a whole page

each now?

Important and crucial part of the curriculum

Add to Units of Inquiry

Own skills, outcomes and understandings to report on

Help form a bigger picture and accurate perspective

Students unique skills and achievements

I can’t work out if my child deserves a treat after reading her report. Help! Look, I just want to know if my child is

doing ok. How can I tell?

Take the time

Read for meaning

Learner Profile Starting Point

Celebrate personal achievement and success

Reflect and discuss with your child

There’s too much jargon. Can not.

Point taken!

Exciting opportunity

Lifting the bar across the school

Middle ground

What do other P.Y.P. Schools think?

Interested and positive

Sharing with other schools in coming weeks

Global PYP mission to find the Holy Reporting Grail

Professional dialogue

Common issues of typical PYP journey

Will other schools understand it?

Professional Community

Essential Elements - Learner Profile, Attitudes and Skills

Structure is solid and understandable

Square Pegs and Round Holes

Ladder of Priorities: Serving as many masters as possible

Is this the only chance I get to find out about my child’s

learning?

Student Led Conferences

Student Portfolio

Open Door Policy

Classroom websites and PYP website

Further Parent Workshops

Continued communication and reflection

S

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES

(PYPMH page 52)

• Best forum to share achievements and demonstrate skills

• Provide the best opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and set new goals

• A unique experience for each individual student

• A time of quality communication between student, parent and teacher

• Accountability, Action and Accolades - not Anxiety!

• A positive experience for all students

S

BEFORE THE CONFERENCE

THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER

•Organise portfolio, reflections and goals

•Decide on the format

•Select a range of work samples and activities

•Plan and rehearse

•Inform parents, allocate and distribute times

•Create prompt questions

•Check class displays and books

S

BEFORE THE CONFERENCETHE PARENT- YOU

•Attend Parent Workshop 2

•Read class newsletters and handouts

•Seek clarification and ask questions

•Return reply slip for preferred conference times

S

DURING THE CONFERENCETHE STUDENT

•Arrive on time, introducing teacher to parents.

•Confidently and thoroughly present their learning.

•Share their portfolio, reflecting on successes and personal goals

•Ask parents if they have any questions or responses.

•Thank their parents for attending

S

DURING THE CONFERENCETHE TEACHER

•Welcome

•Move around the room, mainly observing

•Encourage dialogue and conversation

•Allocated time frame

•Feedback sheet and portfolio

S

DURING THE CONFERENCETHE PARENT - YOU

• Arrive on time

• Actively listen, being encouraging and supportive

• Give constructive and positive feedback

• Ask open questions to promote thinking and reflection (some ideas provided by teacher)

• Help set realistic goals for the remainder of the year

S

AFTER THE CONFERENCETHE STUDENT

Take portfolio homeComplete reflection in class Return portfolio

THE TEACHER

Feedback and portfolios Reflect with students & staff

THE PARENT

Celebrate Parent Feedback Portfolio return

Learner Profile and SLC - Students

Thinker – Students work hard to plan and select pieces that show their skills and learning

Risk Taker – Students share a variety of learning experiences, pushing themselves to be their best

Knowledgeable – Students have a sound understanding of their strengths and goals

Principled - Students reflect honestly, presenting an accurate portrayal of their learning

Communicator – Students confidently present their learning to their parents.

Learner Profile and SLC - Parents

Caring – Parents are positive and encouraging, celebrating their child’s achievements

Open Minded – Parents approach student led conferences with enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and listen.

Inquirer – Parents ask a variety of questions to promote deeper thinking and reflection

Learner Profile and SLC - Teachers

Balanced – Teachers help students present a variety of activities across all curriculum areas

Reflective – teachers, students and parents reflect on student success, and set goals for further development

What is a Student Portfolio?(PYPMH page 58)

A portfolio is a record of students’ learning designed to demonstrate success, growth, higher-order thinking, creativity, assessment strategies and reflection.

A celebration of an active mind at work. It enables students to reflect with teachers, parents and peers in order to identify their strengths and growth as well as areas for improvement, and then to set individual goals and establish teaching and learning plans.

Evidence should be from a range of experiences and curriculum areas, showing all Essential Elements. Portfolio entries should document both the process of learning and the product, including images and evidence of students in the process of constructing meaning.

Final Assessment Summary

Difficult but Important

Positive Change & Professional Learning

Pieces of the Assessment Puzzle

All in this Together

The Conversation Continues

Thank you for your time, interest and support