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Performance Expectations and Measurement

Brianne Palensky

OTL 502 – Learning Theories and Models of Instruction

Colorado State University – Global Campus

Dr. Gastrid Harrigan

December 3, 2017
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Performance Expectations and Measurement

Two important concepts when it comes to lesson planning are setting clear

performance expectations and using high standards to measure performance. As a teacher, you

should make your performance expectations clear not only at the beginning of the year, but also

throughout the year, so that your students are aware of your expectations at all times. Using high

expectations to measure student success will not deter students from achieving these

expectations, but will encourage them to learn even more and produce the best possible product

each time. As an educator, I should always be thinking of maintaining an open line of

communication with my students when it comes to performance expectations and measurements.

Setting Performance Expectations

At the beginning of the year, I should begin to set performance expectations for my third-

grade class. “What researchers found was that by making teachers’ expectations for learning

explicit, rubrics help students better assess themselves, become more receptive to feedback, and

feel more motivated to learn” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). Not only will I create a rubric, but I

will also give my students examples of work I expect from each one. My rubric is shown in

Example 1. By showing my students examples of A+ work, they will be able to strive to meet

these performance expectations, based on the work they have seen. I also think it’s important to

use my student’s input when creating my rubric. I will use my previous year’s suggestions and

incorporate those into my initial rubric.

My rubric and performance criteria should guide my teaching with my student’s learning

goals in mind as the end goal. Constant feedback will be given, as it’s important to let your

students know what they need to do in order to improve their performance and succeed

expectations. “Classrooms thrived when the ratio of feedback was give parts to one part
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constructive. In contract, children sunk into despair if the ratio fell down to 2:1 or 1:1” (Jackson,

2016). As a teacher and coach, I believe in the power of positive feedback. While teaching, I will

always find a way to pair constructive criticism with at least two types of positive feedback. Not

only does this motivate students, but it also gives them knowledge of where they stand based on

your standards.

“Using criteria to define increasingly advanced levels of performance should guide

instruction because, on a daily basis, teachers need to encourage students and show them how to

‘power up’ to higher levels of performance” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). It’s important to

challenge students at all times, which is a reason for adapting lessons to your student’s learning

style and prior knowledge of related subjects.

Formative Assessments

Formative assessments are a great resource to incorporate into each day of teaching. As a

teacher, you can use different versions of formative assessments to gauge student’s knowledge

before and after a lesson. You can also use these assessments to improve student learning.

Formative assessments not only help students, but they also help teachers. Here are the forms of

formative assessments I will use in my third grade mathematics lesson plan.

Observations. The two observations I would use are sticky notes for myself and

anecdotal notes for my students. I would walk through the classroom while my students are

doing independent work to see which of my students are struggling or need more instruction. I

would also keep sticky notes during instruction to jot down notes on who is answering questions

frequently as well as those who are aren’t able to answer questions about what they are learning.

A great way to see whether my individual students are learning is giving each a whiteboard. As a

group, we will practice our multiplication facts using arrays, groups, repeated addition and
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jumps. By having each student solve the equation on their whiteboard, I was able to see who was

struggling with each of these concepts and which students were able to grasp these concepts

during and after the lesson. This will then helpful to determine whether or not we needed to

continue to learn about any of these addition basics before moving on to multiplication.

Questioning. Using essential questions to engage your students in critical thinking is

extremely important because it shows you as a teacher the concepts your students are able to

grasp during and after a lesson. A good question for my third grade mathematics class while

learning multiplication is: How can you use your knowledge of addition to solve a multiplication

equation? How can you use arrays to solve a multiplication equation? How can you use repeated

addition to solve a multiplication equation? How can you use grouping models to solve a

multiplication equation? How can you use a number line to solve a multiplication equation? If

my students are struggling to answer any of these questions, we would need to review these

concepts before moving on to multiplication, as all those methods will be used to solve

problems.

Fingers-Up. “In Fingers-Up, teachers pose a question, and students use their fingers to

signal their answer” (Greenstein, 2010). Using thumbs up and thumbs down during instruction

can be a great way to gauge student’s knowledge. While using whiteboards and solving

equations, I will call on a student for each equation. Then, after my student answers with a

solution, I will have the entire class use thumbs up to agree with the answer or thumbs down to

disagree. This not only shows me as a teacher who is understanding the concepts, but also gives

the entire class a discussion period where we can explore the reasoning behind the correct

answer.
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Entrance Slips. When it comes time to introduce multiplication, I would use entrance

slips to find out what my students know about addition. My Entrance Slip would include

essential questions about addition facts, as well as a few equations my students will need to solve

in order to be ready for the next lesson of multiplication. After I review these slips and see my

students are knowledgeable about all addition concepts, it will be time to introduce

multiplication. After teaching a lesson, I will also use an Exit Slip which will also include a

essential question and an equation my students should be able to solve, based on the lesson that

day. See Example 2 & 3 for my Entrance and Exit Slip examples.

Graphic Organizers. “Graphic organizers, which include diagrams, mind maps, concept

maps, tables, charts, matrixes and semantic organizers, provide a window into students’

thinking” (Greenstein, 2010). A KWL Chart is a great graphic organizer I will use before, during

and after a lesson. I will ask my students what they know about multiplication before we begin

the lesson. I will also ask what they want to know and make sure I cover each of these questions

in my lesson. After we complete the lesson, I will then ask my students what they have learned.

Pre-Assessment

A pre-assessment is also a great tool to use when you want to learn what your students

already know. I have created a pre-assessment that would not be graded, but would give me

knowledge of what my students know about addition. See Example 4 for my pre-assessment.

Based on the results, I will either create a lesson that re-introduces addition concepts or will

move on to multiplication concepts. Based off the pre-assessment, I will provide feedback and

will also help my students set their personal goals, based on their results.
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Measure Against High Expectations

At the beginning of the year, I will also set high expectations I anticipate my students will

achieve. Although these expectations will be challenging, with hard work and drive, my students

will be able to meet these expectations and earn a correlating grade. I will grade my students

based on their learning and progression throughout the year. “Helping students understand what

it means to expend effort and then keep track of their efforts can be an eye-opening experience

for them; it helps them see the connection between effort and success” (Goodwin & Hubbell,

2013). Again, I will be responsible for giving my students continued education on my

expectations and rubric for each assignment. Despite the amount of effort, my students will have

to reach the set expectations in order to receive an A. Another tool I will use is self-evaluation.

For students to evaluate their own efforts, they can see where they need to improve and where

they are already exceeding expectations.

Assessments will primarily be used as the basis for grades, although homework and

discussions will also contribute to the overall grade. “Research suggests that one of the key

purposes of homework ought to be give students opportunities to practice new skills or

knowledge and to learn from feedback from their teachers” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013).

Homework will be primarily used as a form of feedback.

“Student performance is directly correlated to the time between assignment submission

and return. Students’ learning increases when they can make adjustments to errors in a timely

fashion” (Korb, 2012). I will encourage my students to complete their assignments, even though

only a small percentage of their grade will be based on homework achievement. I will also allow

re-do’s on homework, as it’s important to return assignments and give students an opportunity to

complete the assignment again, learning from their mistakes. Also, those who are absent from
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class will be given the opportunity to make up missed work, as it’s important for those students

to also receive feedback.

Assessments will consist of equations and critical thinking questions based on the

lesson’s essential questions. “Rather than multiple choice items, if they are not thoughtfully

constructed, tend to assess lower-level thinking skills such as comprehension and recall, whereas

open-ended questions are more apt to assess higher-order thinking skills such as analysis,

synthesis and creation” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). Asking open-ended questions will allow my

students to use the knowledge of what they’ve learned to answer these questions.

Critical Analysis

Setting clear and consistent expectations and measurements will help me as a teacher to

improve student learning, but will also help my students strive to achieve and exceed

expectations. By using the standards I previously unpacked, I will use declarative and procedural

knowledge to drive the content of my pre-assessment. During instruction, formative assessments

will drive student learning and will also drive the objectives and goals of each lesson I create.

When it comes to measuring success, it’s important to create assessments and

assignments that utilize your student’s critical thinking capabilities. “In the eyes of some grading

purists, including nonacademic factors such as effort, attitude and homework completion in a

final grade amounts to ‘fudged’ evaluations of student performance” (Goodwin & Hubbell,

2013). By using nonacademic factors as means for motivation and encouragement, but using

assessments and homework as means for grading, I will be able to measure my student’s progress

throughout the year based on all factors. Each of these tools will encourage my students to

perform their best and will allow me to consistently provide feedback and positive

encouragement, based on expectations.

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Example 1 (Rubric):

4 - Excellent 3– Good 2– Satisfactory 1– Unsatisfactory

Meetsstandardat Meetsstandard Approaching Minimal

ahighlevel standard understanding
Student provides correct Student provides mostly Student demonstrates Student shows little
solutions and strategy correct solutions with some correct solutions understanding
minor errors and thinking
Student explains Student explains Student explains Student offers little
thinking thoroughly and thinking thinking in a hard-to- explanation of his/her
clearly follow manner thinking
Student is able to Student is able to mostly Student is able to Student is unable to
answer essential answer essential answer minimal answer essential
questions questions essential questions questions
Student connects and Student demonstrates Student demonstrates Student demonstrates
applies standard proficiency in standards partial understanding of minimal understanding
standard of standard
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Example 2 (Entrance Slip):

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Example 3 (Exit Slip):

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Example 4 (Pre-Assessment):
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References

Greenstein, L. (2010). Title: What Teachers Really Need to Know About Formative Assessment.

Goodwin, B., & Hubbell, E. (2013). The 12 touchstones of good teaching: A checklist for staying

focused every day. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum

Development.

Jackson, R. (2016). Culture Defeats Strategy: 7 Lessons on Leadership From A Texas High

School Football Coach. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Korb, R. (2012). Academic Motivation. Motivating Defiant & Disruptive Students to Learn:

Positive Classroom Management Strategies, 99-115. doi:10.4135/9781483387710.n6