By Mary Anne Mather, Managing Editor
TERC’s Using Data For Meaningful Change Blog
TERC Using Data Senior Facilitator
Many districts are heading into spring state-level testing. It’s irrefutable that the opinions surrounding the pros and cons of
such assessments make for heated discussions in many circles. Not the least among the disputes is the time spent on what some call “teaching to the test.” The high stakes value placed on these tests can make even the best of us do things we don’t really embrace as best practice.
At TERC, we try to look at it from a different angle. What if our day-to-day work as professional-level instructors set the stage for students to perform better on the standardized tests because we intricately understood the ins and outs of what students do and do not know? Armed with that knowledge, we can plan classroom instruction that closes the gap between misconception and success. It’s most likely going to influence test scores, while addressing essential grade-level learning goals. That’s where looking at student work samples comes in! (more…)
Using Data for Meaningful Change 