Assessment and Learning Outcomes

            In the world of education, assessment is important. In the state of Ohio, teachers are now evaluated within the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES). According to the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), OTES is research based and builds on what educators know about the importance of ongoing assessment (Education, 2015). My principal observes my classroom twice a year and watches my lessons as well as identify if there is student growth between the two observations. My principal evaluates me on an approved vendor assessment. The reason for this is because I teach without state assessments. My district also has the art subjects, as well as the other subjects, displaying the learning objects for the students. We call them “I Can” statements. Technology for this process is used when the principals have to go online to write his feedback on the observation. The evaluator can give a rating of ineffective, developing, skilled, or accomplished (Education, 2015). He also goes over it with me as well as give me a copy of his notes. My scores have been high enough to receive both a skilled and accomplished and, because I have not put enough years at my school, I will still have to be observed. I hear and see many of my colleagues stress out over these observations. I always find them interesting because feedback is important in the education field. On the other hand, I know that if a teacher is constantly receiving a score of ineffective, it could mean the loss of their job. This evaluation system does not scare me because I know I am growing as a teacher every year. The methods are getting better because of the experience I am getting. I have so much joy when I teach; which is what is helping me think this way about this new system.

            I learned about backwards design more in my first years of teaching than in my undergrad. My principal taught me it is about starting with the learning outcome before the activity. The book really stressed this concept about backwards design. “The three stages of backwards design are:

1.)    “Identifying desired student learning results (learning outcomes)

2.)    Selecting the evidence that will be needed to determine whether students have learned (means of assessment)

3.)    Planning learning experiences (activities and instruction procedures)” (Bauer, 2014).

 The “I Can” statements we display at my school involves this method. I believe that it affects the students in a positive way because they can see what the lesson is for that day and can grab the appropriate materials for the class. Project Based Learning (PBL) is another concept that I like to use in my own classroom. Teaching at my charter school taught me about PBL and made me come up with my own lessons. Being a middle school music appreciation teacher, I like to do many project where the students are hands on and they are working with other people. My PBL projects include making instruments, composing, preforming, and improvising. It is a lot better than reading and writing and it keeps them interested in music.

References

Education, D. o. (2015). Ohio Department of Education. Retrieved from Educator Evaluation Overview: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Teaching/Educator-Evaluation-System/Educator-Evaluation-Overview

Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music.