We hosted Rick Wormeli. Here are my notes from the day...

We had a great day of learning for our staff yesterday. We hosted Rick Wormeli and his topic was on standards-based assessment and grading. Rick was able to provide clarity and continued to challenge our thinking. Here are the major ideas that resonated with me:

• We should separate Advanced from our scale. You cannot be advanced on a standard you can only meet the standard. This should be reported separately. 
• Don't falsify grades. We should separate behavior and homework from the grade. Responsibility, lateness, disrespect, and not turning in homework should not pollute the grade. These items should be reported separately. 
• Section out your summative tests by the standard and actually label the standard or multiple standards that are being assessed throughout the assessment. Student may retake portions.
• We need to become more evidentiary. Show me the evidence. Show me that you know the material. Be very clear and upfront with the evidence you are seeking. 
• We have to approach each new learning goal like it is the first time the student has seen the content. 
• Shrink the grading scale - review the 100 point scale. For example: A, B, C, D, (Remove the F) and ad No Evidence Presented or Not There Yet. 
• Think of standards-based grading as a GPS - we reach the destination together. 
• Never use group learning to grade one student. 
• Allow redos and retakes on our Powerstandards. 
• No Zeros. If it is important enough to assign then it is important enough to do. 
• Formative assessment should be used only for descriptive feedback. Formative assessment should not be graded. 
• No mention of quality and no judgement when providing descriptive feedback. 
• You can learn without grades, but you can't learn without feedback.
• Good feedback causes thinking.
• Ego involving feedback does nothing to improve their progress on a standard. Feedback like good job, excellent, and smiley faces does nothing or may impede their progress. 
• When feedback is descriptive and is not ego involving students do better. 
• "It's what students carry forward, not what they demonstrated during the unit of learning, that is most in indicative of true proficiency." - Rick Wormeli
• Nobody cares what you teach - they care about what students carry forward. 
• "Nobody knows ahead of time how long it takes anyone to learn anything." -Yung Tae Kim
• Repeat previously assessed items on future tests if they are Powerstandards. 
• Assessment means to sit beside.
• "A 'D' is a coward's 'F.' The student failed, but you didn't have enough guts to tell him." -Doug Reeves
• Reiteration is a huge part of competence. 
• Real time / Meaningful feedback is important to progress.
• Review policies that may impede standards-based learning.