1C.1 Key Assessments

Key Assessment Target Behaviors for Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills for Teacher Candidates

Key Assessment	Target Behaviors
Core Professional Dispositions Assessment	The teacher candidate demonstrates behaviors that are consistent with the belief that all K-12 students can learn.
E-folio Assessment Pedagogical Knowledge	Pedagogy Defines pedagogy drawing from theory, research, and literature reviews. Discusses significance of pedagogy and its impact on K-12 student learning. Provides an example of pedagogy and discusses how this plan would impact Pk-12 student learning.
Field Experience/Student Teaching Midterm/Final Summative Assessment (for all programs, ECE example provided).	Plans indicate extensive efforts are made to meet the cultural and linguistic diversity of the students in the classroom through a variety of ways: instructional content, strategies, and materials. TC plans routinely reflect sophisticated adaptations for abilities (all levels) and needs (interests and motivation) with a sound rationale. Adaptations are for students with identified disabilities as well as others who have learning problems and/or who are gifted. Plans indicate that instructional strategies are consistently congruent with objectives. All strategies are developmentally appropriate and address a variety of student needs. The sequence of the lesson is logical with no gaps in progressions. Learning/practice activities allow students to start and end at different levels based on individual readiness. Progressions are sequential and progressive with opportunities for students to extend tasks to increase or decrease the challenge. Students are grouped or paired based on a specific instructional rationale. Objectives are appropriate for the subject area/developmental level of learners, are explicitly connected to the standards and provide appropriate challenges for students (tasks are neither too difficult nor too easy). Objectives incorporate multiple domains of learning or content areas. Objectives are measureable. Assessment planning reflects sophisticated use of assessments. On-going assessments as well as summative and formative assessments are used in many contexts. Record keeping provides detailed information on students and can be transformed into a format that is accessible to others (e.g. parents/administrators). Learning/practice opportunities are based on pre-assessment and students’ developmental levels. Assessment (formal and informal) is continuous. Adaptations and modification of lesson can be directly linked to assessment. Uses a reflective cycle (description of teaching, justification of teaching, performance, critique of teaching, setting of goals) to modify instruction or implement change based on reflection. Changes based on reflection are placed into action in lessons. Modifications made to lessons are based on the reflection and student assessment. Reflection is translated into action.
Lesson Plan Assessment	EQ directly relates to the GPS and provides a clear focus for the lesson, fosters inquiry, understanding, and transfer of learning. Requires more than a yes/no response. Includes several relevant standards from across the curriculum. Summary in sufficient detail to guide substitute to successful presentation of lesson. References provided: source, text, pages. Vocabulary words and relevant definitions provided Inclusive list of pertinent materials needed for lesson. Use of technology is varied and appropriate. Teachers and students make use of technology. Provides details for management of resources, including people, place, equipment, materials, and time. Provides clever, interesting, unique hook to gain students’ interest and attention. Link activates prior knowledge, and builds on prior learning or students’ experiences Steps and procedures are sequential, logical, and sufficient to allow introduction, student participation, group practice, higher level questioning, review, independent practice, and assessment opportunities. Multiple strategies are provided to meet diverse learning styles and abilities. Appropriate closure is provided. Clear succinct closure is provided by teacher or students. Information is correct and summarizes the lesson content or skill. Appropriate, interesting, non -traditional assessment is provided. Opportunity for students to demonstrate learning or mastery, student centered. Rubric provides ample, specific details for demonstrating student learning Ample opportunities provided for meeting diverse abilities, sensitivity to diverse nature of classroom apparent.
Student Teacher Work Sample	Contextual Factors Comprehensive description of the relevant characteristics of the community and school. Comprehensive description of environmental and physical demands that may affect learning. Comprehensive description of specific relevant student characteristics is provided. Specific implications of these characteristics for instruction and assessment are provided. Unit goal(s) is/are challenging, appropriate and aligned with state and/or national standards reflect all of the big ideas of the unit. Lesson Planning: All state standards and/or specific learning objectives aligned with assessments Lessons show excellent rationale/relevance to the unit goal(s) Procedures clearly written All needed materials listed Accommodations related closely to individual student needs Assessments listed and attached Complete description of the use of technology present in at least one lesson Lesson Reflections: Reflections accurately use student assessment data to summarize and analyze student performance. Reflections suggest specific changes to increase student learning through accommodations/modifications/ extensions. Specific analysis of overall student learning of the entire unit which thoroughly references data to support conclusions. Specific description of which unit goal/ lesson objective students did best on and which was most difficult. In depth explanation for causes. Reflect on causes if few gains were made. Detailed description of the most difficult goal or objective for students with thoughtful analysis of why these results occurred. Specific explanation of changes needed to ensure mastery by all students. Specific description of interventions (accommodations/modifications/extensions) used from D.1 and complete explanation of their effect on student learning. Detailed discussion of particular strong or weak students and thoughtful reflection on how this will help inform future instruction. Complete lists of use of all types of instructional technology by both teacher and students. Thoughtful reflection on benefits and/or drawbacks of technology chosen. Demonstrates mastery of English language usage and writing skills with no mechanical errors
PK-12 Alternative Assessment	Reflection is thorough, addressing: How research informed candidate decisions. Why this particular assessment method (holistic or analytic) was used. Why candidate selected the two student samples included (what made one sample excellent and one less than what you expected).
Teacher Candidate Self-Assessment Survey	I am able to relate to, plan for, and teach with consideration given to the diversity of the students in the classroom, culturally and academically. I relate to the school, family, and community contexts in connecting to students’ prior experience to provide meaningful learning experiences and help all students learn. I demonstrate the ability and willingness to reflect upon my practice and make necessary adjustments to facilitate learning for all students.
New Teacher Hire Survey	New teachers from Thomas University are able to relate to, plan for, and teach with consideration given to the diversity of the students in the classroom, culturally and academically. TU teacher candidates relate to the school, family, and community contexts in connecting to students’ prior experience to provide meaningful learning experiences and help all students learn. New teachers from Thomas University demonstrate the ability and willingness to reflect upon their practice and make necessary adjustments to facilitate learning for all students.
Mentor Teacher Survey of Teacher Candidate Performance	Is able to relate to, plan for, and teach with consideration given to the diversity of the students in the classroom, culturally and academically. TU teacher candidates relate to the school, family, and community contexts in connecting to students’ prior experience to provide meaningful learning experiences and help all students learn. Demonstrates the ability and willingness to reflect upon their practice and make necessary adjustments to facilitate learning for all students.
Recent Graduate Self-Assessment Survey	Prepared me to relate to, plan for, and teach with consideration given to the diversity of the students in the classroom, culturally and academically, and prepared me to relate to the school, family, and community contexts in connecting to students’ prior experience to provide meaningful learning experiences and help all students learn. Helped me develop the desire and skills to reflect upon my practice and make necessary adjustments to facilitate learning for all students.