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Professional Development

Assessment at the Classroom Level

Over the past ten years, SERVE’s work with teachers to improve the effectiveness of classroom assessment practices has convinced us that more than just a one-shot workshop is needed to promote substantial improvement in this area. The greatest improvement in assessment practices occurs after a sustained, supported focus on the topic by teachers for an extended period of time. The list below summarizes ways in which SERVE offers such support. For the most part, the title of the workshop reflects a possible professional growth goal for teachers. Keep in mind that teachers need time to develop, experiment with, collaboratively reflect, and receive feedback on assessment approaches they learn. Contact: Susan Butler at 800-755-3277


Workshops and Training:
  • Assessment Awareness
  • Building Educator Capacity I and II
  • Identifying Essential Skills/Concepts
  • Achieving Student Success Through Quality Tasks
  • Supporting Learning with Clear Targets Matched to Appropriate Assessments
  • Establishing and Communicating Assessment Criteria I and II
  • Linking Assessment and Student Motivation
  • Diverse Assessments for Diverse Learners
  • Involving Students in Assessment
  • Collecting and Analyzing Assessment Data
  • Examining Grading and Reporting Practices
  • Unit Planning and Development
  • Creating an Assessment Vision

Assessment at the School Level

Sometimes it is important to work on assessment issues as a whole school to get the maximum impact. SERVE provides assessment support in several critical areas

Workshops and Training:

  • Senior Project Programs at the High School Level
  • Competent Assessment of Reading Professional Development
  • Readiness Assessment

 

Accountability for Instructional Quality

SERVE has worked with a consortium of districts in implementing professional development approaches that help teachers reflect on the quality of their assignments, assessments, and units. We have rubrics that define “quality” so that teachers can examine the work they give students to do and identify ways to improve the cognitive challenge, alignment, and feedback processes used. In addition, SERVE has developed two levels of training for teacher leaders interested in starting up “critical friends groups” as a way of getting the feedback needed to “tune” their assignments, assessments, and units. Contact: Susan Butler at 800-755-3277

Workshops and Training:

  • Achieving Student Success Through Quality Tasks
  • Facilitating Teacher Groups in Improving the Quality of Assignments(Level I)
  • Facilitating Teacher Groups in Improving the Quality of Assignments(Level II)
  • Unit Planning and Development