Standards-Based Grading: Step 2 Proficiency Scales

In this course, Kim explains how teachers, leaders, and teams can use proficiency scales to accurately report student progress towards mastery of the standards. When you unpack the standards, create learning targets, and design scales that drive data-driven instruction, you begin to see academic success. From here we can clarify instruction and eventually create aligned and stream-lined assessments. This is  critical work to do in a K-12 education system.

Effective teachers create learning targets and monitor student learning. Developing high-quality proficiency scales set an appropriate level of cognitive demand, help teachers target classroom instruction, and drive the creation of high-quality assessments to measure student progress. 

• How to unpack broad standards into specific learning goals and progressions
• Differentiate between the simple and complex skills and processes of the standards.
• Understand the difference between declarative and procedural knowledge.
• Learn how scales work with standards and also support student growth.
• Create scales that clearly articulate learning progressions for all students.
• Explore three levels of cognition (depth of knowledge), and apply them to assessment items and tasks.
• Design learning goals at varying levels of difficulty, and differentiate content for student needs.

In this course, we teach:

• Create scales that clearly articulate learning progressions for all students.
• How to align grading practices vertically and horizontally for consistency.

Standards-Based Grading: Step 1 Prioritizing Standards

Teachers are faced with the enormous responsibility of teaching, assessing, and responding to students learning across a high number of dense standards within a limited number of school days. Dr. Robert Marzano, a leading researcher in education, states that in order to cover all of the content required in many states’ standards, schooling would need to be changed from K-12 to K-22. Marzano states that “The sheer number of standards is the biggest impediment to implementing standards.”It is for this very reason in this training, I teach you how to prioritize and categorize the standards into three levels. Tier 1, your priority standards, receive 50-75% of your instruction time. Tier 2 standards receive 25-50% of instruction time. And finally, your Tier 3 standards receive less than 10% of instruction time. You will also learn how to create Pacing Guides, which act as a curriculum map throughout the school year. In this training you will:

• Prioritize the standards into three levels and determine the priority learning targets.
• Gain clarity around what the students are expected to have learned upon leaving the grade level/ course.

• Create the horizontal and vertical alignment piece to identify skills and processes students need to be able to know and do at each grade level.
• Develop a rich understanding of how the standards build vertically and support students’ readiness for the next unit of study, grade level, or course.

The Brain and Reading

Literacy expert, Tammy Miller, explores the underlying causes of literacy failure and how understanding the connections between the brain, reading, and the English language will help.

Revolutionizing Climate and Culture for Schools

In this course, Kim and Steve take a deep dive into what school climate and culture are and are not and how we can all work to embody schools focused on positive environments where all stakeholders matter.

Growth Mindset Free Course ~ Module 1

This is module 1 of the full Growth Mindset on-demand course. You will learn about teaching students to embrace “productive" struggle and the value of grit and determination in today’s world.

Trauma Informed Practices Free Course ~ Module 1

This is module 1 of the full Trauma-Informed Practices on-demand course. You will learn the three different types of trauma and how trauma affects the brain.

Genius Hour Free Course ~ Module 1

This is module 1 of the full Genius Hour on-demand course. You will learn what genius hour is and why project-based learning provides an opportunity for all students to learn.

Trauma-Informed Practices Part 1

Students entering the classroom with emotional, behavioral, or mental health issues are often at a disadvantage and struggle to keep up with the demands of traditional learning. Brains affected by trauma require a different kind of instruction—and a special kind of care.

Standards-Based Grading Free Course ~ Module 1

This is module 1 of Standards-Based Grading and Assessing. You will learn the three problems with the current grading system and explore specific aspects of standards-based grading implementation.

Intro to Standards-Based Grading and Assessing

In this workshop, you’ll learn what makes a meaningful grade, methods for evolving your current classroom practice and curriculum to include regular assessments, and how standards-based grading and assessment lead to a more accurate measurement of student achievement.

Growth Mindset

This workshop will help teachers learn how to develop a growth mindset and implement a growth mindset curriculum, which has been proven to lead to greater motivation levels and higher achievement, in their classrooms. You’ll leave with ready-to-go lessons that will help develop gritty, determined, self-reliant students who know that if they work hard enough they can and will accomplish great things.

Genius Hour

During genius hour, students of all levels are empowered to explore their own passions. This workshop will show you how to transform your classroom into a place where students are engaged and want to learn, where creativity and motivation flourish.

Trauma-Informed Practices Part 2 - Elementary

In Trauma-Informed Practices 2 we dig deeper into how trauma impacts learning and impacts school culture. Participants will revolutionize their toolkit with strategies and ideas to reach each learner!

Trauma-Informed Practices Part 2 - Secondary

In Trauma-Informed Practices 2 (Secondary) we dig deeper into how trauma impacts learning and impacts school culture. Participants will revolutionize their toolkit with strategies and ideas to reach each learner!