Teacher Work Sample

Teacher Work Sample

Valdosta State University

Early Childhood and Special Education

Click the section you wish to view:

I. Contextual Factors

II. Learning Goals and Assessment Plan

Assessment Concepts for the TWS

III. Design for Instruction

IV. Analysis of Student Learning and Reflections

Contextual Factors

Teacher Work Sample Part I

The teacher uses information about the learning-teaching context and student individual difference to set learning goals and plan instruction and assessment.

Discuss relevant factors and how they may affect the teaching-learning process. Include any supports and challenges that affect instruction and student learning.

Contextual Factors

Contextual Factors include: I. Community, School System, School Factors How would you describe your community

to someone who had never visited? What is unique about your community that most communities do not have?

List and Describe the Unique Features of Your CommunityName and describe the unique features and then write 3 or 4 sentences about each feature. Do not use abbreviations.

Where would you find the information needed?

Your community Chamber of Commerce web page

Interview long term residences of the community

Your mentor Local library or historical society center

or web page

Contextual Factors include: Contributions of the Community to the School Visit the web page of your local school

system. Interview your school’s Community

Partners in Education chairperson to get a list of what the community contributes to the school.

Contextual Factors include: School System

Visit the local school’s web site to obtain the information related to the school system.

Contextual Factors include: School Factors Investigate the web page of your local

school to get the necessary information. Visit the special education coordinator of

your school to determine the special education services delivery model for your school.

Contextual Factors include: School Factors The collaboration/team model describes a school

that incorporates the special education teacher coming into the classroom in collaboration with the regular education teacher.

The resource room describes the students being taken out of the classroom to work with the special education teacher.

Contextual Factors include: II. Classroom Characteristics The reading and math scores can be

obtained from the assessments given by the mentor teacher.

Homogeneous – Refers to ability grouping of students.

Heterogeneous – Refers to mixing of abilities in one classroom.

Self-contained – The students are instructed by the same teacher except for electives.

Team Teaching/Departmentalized– Teachers teach several sections of the same content areas, for example, science and math.

Co-teaching/co-lab – The special education teacher comes into the classroom to support the learning of the special education students in the classroom.

Classroom Organization Definitions:

Contextual Factors include: III. Student Characteristics Information for A,B,C,D,E can be obtained

by looking at the permanent/cumulative records of the students or from your mentor teacher.

Contextual Factors include: IV. Individual Differences Information for A,B,C:

These are students who are identified and receiving services. Information can be obtained from your mentor and permanent/cumulative records.

Contextual Factors include: V. Students’ Prior Knowledge Specific To This Unit List previous learning of the Learning Outcome or

Essential Question of the lesson. – See Common Core Georgia Performance

Standards/Georgia Performance Standards or Georgia Pre-K Program Content Standards.

Contextual Factors include: V. Students’ Prior Knowledge Specific To This Unit

– Ask previous teachers, mentor teachers, parents, and students.

Please note: This would not include the standard for the lesson you are teaching.

Prior Knowledge includes other sources of content knowledge In what other settings might the students

have gained content knowledge (for example, field trips, books, trips with family, and/or camps etc.)?

Example: Students’ Prior Knowledge From Other Sources of the Content for Your Unit

The students in my classroom have lived in their home county for their whole lives. Most of them have not traveled outside of the county. I do have a few students who have been to Stone Mountain and/or the Okefenokee Swamp. Because they do not have background information, the information that I teach will have to include examples, visuals, and explanations using student engagement.

Address specifically how the contextual factors of the community, classroom, and students will impact your lesson planning, instruction, assessment, and classroom management.

Describe how the students’ prior knowledge of the content will impact your lesson planning, instruction, assessment, and classroom management.

Contextual Factors include: VI. Instructional Implications

Example of Instructional Implications for Individual DifferencesI have one student who has been identified as having a behavioral disorder, and he needs to move around; I will seat him in the back of the room so he will not be a distraction to others. I will allow him to stand when he needs to as long as he does not disturb the others. I will teach near his desk when possible and offer verbal encouragement to him. He will be assessed individually, but he is capable of completing all assignment with the class or with his parents in the evening.

Example of Instructional Implications from Community Factors-Lesson Planning

Because the school has volunteers who come weekly to the school, I will sign for my students to get individual tutoring in their multiplication facts.

Example of Instructional Implications from Classroom Characteristics-Instruction, Assessment, and Classroom Management

Because two of my students are reading below grade level, I will read all test items to the students and tape material for the students for content knowledge. I will assess them individually, and they will be given support and positive praise for accomplishments.

Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge - Planning

Describe how the students’ prior knowledge of the content of your unit will impact your planning.

Example: Because they have not been taught this multiplication skill, I will build upon their knowledge of addition facts. I will plan to use manipulatives, games, and various strategies for both the visual and auditory learners.

Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge- Instruction

Because students are difficult to engage, I will spark their interest in the content with riddles, poems, and raps. I will instruct with manipulatives, small group work, and visuals.

Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge – Assessments

The formative assessments will determine if I need to repeat the lesson using a different strategy or use a short review. The formative assessments will be short and explicitly assess the Learning Outcome/Essential Question for the day. The unit test will be given over two days with fun activities planned for each day at the conclusion of the assessment.

Example of Instructional Implications for Students’ Prior Knowledge – Classroom Management

To maintain good management, I will continue to follow the classroom rules, using lots of positive praise, acknowledging correct answers, and stressing that I know it is exciting to learn new content knowledge.

Learning Goals and

Assessment Plan

Teacher Work Sample Part II

Learning Goals and Assessment Plan

The teacher sets:significant, challenging, varied, and appropriate learning goals.

Topic and Content Areas

List the topic. Identify the main content area.

Example: Topic: Metric system

Main Content Area: Mathematics

Common Core Georgia Performance Standards/Georgia Performance Standards

List the CCGPS/GPS that are aligned with each learning goal.

List the CCGPS/GPS for main content areas. (Note: Use what your mentor uses.)

■ Sometimes a standard is an appropriate learning goal. Sometimes it is too broad to be addressed in a unit as stated, and you have to select only part of it as a learning goal.

Common Core Georgia Performance Standards/Georgia Performance Standards

GPS Standards and Resources www.georgiastandards.org CCGPS

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Common-Core/Pages/default.aspx

Established Goals

List the Established Goals Develop 2-6 Learning Goals Goals will guide your assessment and your

lesson planning. In broad terms, tell what you expect

students to know & be able to do at the end of the unit.

These are not activities.

Established Goals: Science

Example:

Students will identify properties, characteristics, and uses of rocks and minerals.

Non-example:

Students will list at least five different minerals.

Established Goals: Social Studies

Example:

Describe the struggles and successes of the colonists attempting to establish and develop the Jamestown colony.

Non-example:

The students will locate Jamestown on a map.

Understandings & Essential Questions List Understandings

– “Specific inferences, based on big ideas, that have lasting value beyond the classroom.”

List Essential Questions– “A question that lies at the heart of a subject or a

curriculum… and promotes inquiry and uncoverage of a subject.”

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2009) Understanding by Design

Learning Outcomes

List the learning outcomes (LOs)

Take the goal and break it down into lesson-sized bites; state more specifically what students should know and be able to do at the end of the lesson. Use observable and measurable terms.

the LOs will be used as LOs on the daily lesson plans

Example: Science

Learning Goal 2 Students will identify properties and uses of rocks and minerals.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will define the terms rocks and minerals.

2. Students will name three properties or characteristics of minerals.

3. Students will give at least four examples of the uses of rocks and minerals.

Knowledge and Skills

List Knowledge– The relatively straightforward facts and

concepts that are to be gained from the learning and teaching activities

List Skills – Discrete techniques, and also complex

procedures and methods

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2009) Understanding by Design

Explain Your Pre/Post Assessment Plan

Refer to Stage 2 in the “Guidelines for Writing ECSE Lesson Plans” to provide the following information for each learning goal.– Learning Goal 1

• Students

• Criteria

• Assessment

• Accommodations/Modifications

• Adaptations/Differentiated Assessments

Example: Learning Goal 1

– Students: Students will identify properties of rocks and minerals.

– Criteria: 8/10 correct – students meet LG1; 6/10 correct – students partially meet LG1; less that 6 correct – students do not meet LG1

– Assessment: 10 multiple choice questions – Accommodations/Modifications: Items will be read

aloud to support struggling readers.– Adaptations/Differentiated Assessments: Visual cues will

be provided for the ELL student.

Pre/Post Assessment Plan Complete information for Learning Goal 2 (and

additional learning goals, if applicable):– Learning Goal 2

• Students

• Criteria

• Assessment

• Accommodations/Modifications

• Adaptations/Differentiated Assessments

Assessment Concepts

Teacher Work Sample

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Formative Assessment

Gather data throughout the unit to describe students’ performances.

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Assessments for the TWS

Summative assessment: – Develop and administer a pre- and

post-assessment that is • valid, • reliable, • aligned, • easily understood by children, • feasible, • diverse, and • developmentally appropriate.

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Assessments for the TWS

Summative assessment: – Develop, administer, and analyze scores of pre-

test well in advance of planning and teaching your unit, so changes can be made if necessary.

Formative assessment: – Gather data throughout the unit to describe

pupils’ performance and plan for remediation instruction.

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Qualities Desired in All Written Tests The item should measure the targeted skill. Make sure you have enough test items to

determine if the students have mastered the learning goal.

Ensure that the level of reading is below students’ ability.

Scores on the test should reflect content knowledge and not reading ability – unless, of course, it is a reading test.

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Alignment

The learning outcomes, the instructional strategies, and assessment of pupils’ progress must be aligned.

This ensures that pupils are– taught the skills they are expected to master and– assessed in a way that is consistent with how

they were taught.

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Constructing Your Pre/Posttest

List your learning goals. Use your LOs to remind you about what specifics you need to include on your test.

Consider a variety of formats or types of questions, such as those on the following slides.

Constructing Your Pre/Posttest

Word the item so that only a single or very similar set of responses provides a correct answer.

Start with an answer and then word the question or sentence stem.

Place blanks at or near the end of the item.

Examples: The capital of Georgia is _______.

Who is the President of the Unites States?_________

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Multiple-Choice Items The question or stem is clear. Answers should be parallel in construction. Answers should be in alphabetical order.

Ex: Which of the following is the capital of Georgia?

a. Atlanta b. Chicagoc. San Francisco d. Valdosta

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Multiple Choice Items Adjectives or adverbs are emphasized

when they reverse or alter the meaning of an answer.

The word NOT should be excluded from multiple-choice items.

Exclude options “all of the above” and “none of the above.”

Avoid words such as “all,” “always,” “never,” and “no.”

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Alternate Answer

Good for testing rules and concepts One of the two answers must be

unequivocally correct.

– Ex. Circle the correct choice to complete the sentence:

A toad is ______. an amphibian a mammal

Where would you find the United States?

Northern hemisphere Southern hemisphere

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Essay Questions Advantage – tends to measure more

directly behaviors specified by the objectives.

Also examines student ability to communicate ideas in writing.

Develop a rubric for scoring.

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Alternative Formats

Different formats may be needed for certain students and/or content. Students may indicate their answers to oral questions by– circling the correct picture that answers the question,

– drawing a line to match pictures that go together,

– coloring in the correct answers,– reading a list of words,

– answering an oral question individually,

– or demonstrating learning with manipulatives.

Pre/Post Assessment Plan Note

– Attach pre/post assessment, prompts, answer key, and/or student directions in LiveText.

– On a master copy, type the corresponding learning goal next to each item or section of the text on the attached copy of the pre/post assessment instrument. Include directions.

– Also attach any extras you use: scoring rubrics/guides, observation checklists, rating scales, item weights, etc.

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Pre/Post Assessment for TWS

If pretest indicates that most pupils met the learning goals, then you would need to:

– Revise the learning goals and LOs,

– Develop a new pretest,

– Administer the new pretest,

– Analyze the scores on the new pretest, and

Design for Instruction

Teacher Work Sample Part III

Describe how you will design your instruction related to –unit goals,

–students' characteristics and needs, and

–the specific learning context.

Analysis of pre-assessment results After administering the pre-assessment, analyze

student performance relative to the learning goals.

Depict the results of the pre-assessment using a table and graph that allows you to find patterns of student performance relative to each learning goal. Attach table and graph in the appropriate section in LiveText.

Describe the information you find that will guide your instruction or modification of the learning goals. Attach the Word document in the appropriate section in LiveText.

Create a table for Pretest resultsStudent #

Learning Goal #1 Learning Goal #2 Learning Goal #3

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

1 5/10 1/5 1/7

2 7/10 2/5 0/7

3 6/10 4/5 6/7

4 8/10 1/5 2/7

5 5/10 3/5 6/7

NumberAchieving

Goal

1

1

2

Assessment CriteriaLG 1--Students recognize 8 out of 10 vocabulary terms. LG 2--Students label 4 out of 5 features on a map.LG 3--Students will name 6 out of 7 continents.

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Give assessment criteria for each learning goal (at the bottom of your table):Assessment Criteria

LG 1--Students recognize 8 out of 10 vocabulary terms.

LG 2--Students label 4 out of 5 features on a map.

LG 3--Students will name 6 out of 7 continents.

Create a table for Pretest resultsStudent #

Learning Goal #1 Learning Goal #2 Learning Goal #3

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

1 5/10 1/5 1/7

2 7/10 2/5 0/7

3 6/10 4/5 6/7

4 8/10 1/5 2/7

5 5/10 3/5 6/7

NumberAchieving

Goal

1

1

2

Assessment CriteriaLG 1--Students recognize 8 out of 10 vocabulary terms. LG 2--Students label 4 out of 5 features on a map.LG 3--Students will name 6 out of 7 continents.

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Graph your pre-assessment results

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

LG1 LG2 LG3

PretestPosttest

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Designing your lessons Write a lesson plan for each lesson (10) in the

Teacher Work Sample. Follow one or more of the ECSE lesson plan

formats [“ECSE Lesson Plan Format for a Didactic/Direct Instruction Lesson,” “ECSE Lesson Plan Format for a Problem-based Learning Lesson,” or “ECSE Lesson Plan Format for an Inquiry Lesson”].

The “Guidelines for Writing ECSE Lesson Plans” must be used.

Designing your lessons (continued)

Include planning appropriate accommodations for students with IEPs

Attach lesson plans in the appropriate section in LiveText

Analysis of Student Learning & Reflections

Teacher Work Sample Part IV

Analysis of Student Learning & Reflections The teacher uses assessment data to

profile student learning and analyzes factors related to student learning in order to improve instruction.

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On-Going Formative Assessment

Formative assessment:

The assessments that are part of your daily lesson plans.

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On-Going Formative Assessment

Explain the results of one formative assessment that prompted you to modify your teaching

Discuss the modifications you made in your teaching after reflecting on the results of the formative assessment described above

Based of the formative assessment described above, explain what you would do differently in the following areas the next time you teach this content: a) planning; b) teaching, c) assessment.

*Post responses directly below each prompt in Live Text.

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Pre/post assessment: Whole class Add posttest results to your table that show

raw score data on every student for every learning goal.

List the assessment criteria for each learning goal at the bottom of the table.

Attach the table in the appropriate section in Live Text.

Student #Learning Goal #1 Learning Goal #2 Learning Goal #3

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

1 5/10 9/10 1/5 3/5 1/7 6/7

2 7/10 10/10 2/5 5/5 0/7 6/7

3 6/10 10/10 4/5 5/5 6/7 6/7

4 8/10 10/10 1/5 4/5 2/7 4/7

5 5/10 8/10 3/5 4/5 6/7 7/7Number

AchievingGoal

1

5 1

4

2

4

Assessment CriteriaLG 1--Students recognize 8 out of 10 vocabulary terms. LG 2--Students label 4 out of 5 features on a map.LG 3--Students will name 6 out of 7 continents.

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Pre/post assessment: Whole class Add posttest results to your bar graph.

Show the number of students achieving each goal on the posttest.

Attach the bar graph in LiveText.

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02468

101214161820

LG1 LG2 LG3

PretestPosttest

Number of Students Achieving Mastery

Student #

PretestRaw Score

Pretest % PosttestRaw Score

Posttest %

1. 9/30 30% 24/30 80%

2. 11/30 36.6% 20/30 66.6%

3. 2/30 6.6% 15/30 50%

4. 5/30 16.6% 19/30 63.3%

5. 14/30 46.6% 24/30 80%

Create a new table that reports the overall pretest/posttest results, including raw scores and percentages. Attach the table in Live Text.

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Analyze performance of the whole class on one selected LG Select one learning goal and discuss the impact

of the following on the pretest/posttest results for the learning goal:– a) teacher factors (e.g., planning, teaching,

assessment)– b) student factors (e.g., effort, involvement, reading

level)– c) contextual factors (e.g., home environment,

school environment) *Post responses directly below prompt in

LiveText.

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Your learning Examine the results you obtained on the

learning goal. Explain what you will do differently the next time you teach this content. Address these areas:

a) planning

b) teaching

c) assessment

*Post responses directly below prompt in LiveText.

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Pre/post assessment: Subgroups

Select a group characteristic such as– Gender– Achievement level– Socio-economic status– Language proficiency

A minimum of 5 students must be in the group.

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A new bar graph: Subgroups

Select one LG, not discussed in the whole class section above, and create a bar graph that shows the number of students in the subgroup achieving the goal on the pretest and posttest.

Compare this performance to the rest of the class’s performance.

*Attach the graph in LiveText.

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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

LG1Pretest

LG1Posttest

Number students inEIP achieving mastery

Number of studentsnot in EIP achievingmastery

Number of Students Achieving Mastery

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Discuss the impact of the following on the pretest/posttest results for the learning goal:– a) teacher factors (e.g., planning, teaching,

assessment)– b) student factors (e.g., effort, attendance,

involvement, reading level)– c) contextual factors (e.g., home/distraction

environment, school environment) Post responses directly below prompt in

LiveText.

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Your learning Based on the results you obtained on the

LG, explain what you will do differently in the following areas the next time you teach this content:

a) planning

b) teaching

c) assessment *Post responses directly below prompt in

LiveText.

Impact on Student Learning

Follow the directions in LiveText for downloading and completing the “TWS Impact on Student Learning Report ECSE.”

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Celebrate!

You have completed your TWS.

Check that you have completed all LiveText components and requirements for the TWS.