Case
Benchmark Assessments

Mrs. Pope's school requires that the teachers give math Benchmark assessments every 9 weeks that are based on the curriculum map. Mrs. Pope is a week behind schedule so there are 5 questions on the test that she has not covered yet. Also, her students know that this assessment does not count for a grade so many of them do not take the test seriously and do not give 100%. With this being said, Mrs. Pope's benchmark scores are below average. How can Mrs. Pope use the data from the test to improve instruction if she know's the data is not accurate?

Posted on: 10/18/14 | Views: 854
Solution #1
Mrs. Pope should ask the principal of she can put the benchmarks in a portfolio to show parents. Our teachers use portfolios to gather data, show student progress, and allow students to showcase work they are proud of. Allowing benchmarks to have a purpose opens the classroom up for dialog to make them more reliable and interesting.
6 0
Solution #2
Initially, Mrs. Pope needs to take a look at her pacing guide. She may need to make adjustments in order to cover all of her content before the end of the nine weeks. Secondly, she needs to inform her students that even though a grade is not recorded for the benchmark, the assessment is used to determine mastery of the standards assessed each nine weeks. The students need to know that this assessment does help Mrs. Pope determine if they have mastered the content that has been taught. The students need to know if they don't master the content, then they will not pass the course. I would also make sure that parents are aware of their child's benchmark scores and if possible have them to sign that they have been notified of the students scores. I would also inform parents that this benchmark helps to determine if their child has mastered the content that was taught each nine weeks.
0 0
Solution #3
The teacher needs to do her best to stay on schedule and she could provide incentives for students who score high on the benchmarks.
1 2