This year, as is customary every school year, our building hosts its annual Parent Information Night in preparation for the New York State Assessments. On Dec. 5, despite inclement weather, parents, along with their children, braved the elements in hopes of receiving helpful information regarding how to better prepare for the assessments from the home front.
Once again, Kathy Tiegel and Shelly Coleman, both subject supervisors for math and English/language arts, respectively, developed and executed the program, via a PowerPoint presentation. All of those in attendance left with not only a clearer picture as to the layout of each assessment, but now have a better understanding of the types of questions on each.
With the English/language arts assessments behind us for this year, as they took place during the second week in January, and the math assessments coming up in March, the timing of this event was perfect.
The beginning of the program consisted of covering the logistics regarding the assessments. Shelly Coleman handled this portion of the evening along with Kathy Tiegel, and they addressed such areas as who takes the assessments and why they are given, in addition to the commonalities between the ELA and math assessments.
Children in grades three through eight are required to take the tests. As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, the assessments were developed to measure the effectiveness of a school's instructional program and to measure its yearly progress, in addition to identifying students at risk of not meeting standards sufficiently. Both tests have multiple choice, short and extended response questions. On each assessment, the students write to communicate their thoughts and processes.
From this point, Tiegel took the floor exclusively and gave the parents and their children sample math assessment questions each could work on during the program. Samples consisted of multiple choice, short response and extended response type questions.
After time was afforded, Tiegel went over each question and provided an explanation as to how every one should have been approached.
Next, Tiegel turned the program over to Coleman, who addressed the ELA assessments.
In addition to the PowerPoint presentation, she provided a pamphlet that included the information she wished to share. After reviewing what each assessment day would look like, children, along with their families, looked at sample questions. Coleman then read a listening piece to her audience, and members were asked to take notes based on the material that they heard. This is a task that is asked of each of our students for the listening section of the test. Depending on grade level, such a section is followed by multiple choice, short and extended response questions. Coleman also distributed another handout, which she titled “ELA Tips and Tricks for Proactive Parents.”
At the culmination of the program, our principal, Tim Cowin, showed our school#'s 2007 ELA and math assessment data, in addition to providing parents with a sample report, and explained what the report consists of.
At this point in time, only data from the current year will be addressed on each child's report; however, in the foreseeable future, multiple scores from previous years will be identified on the report as well. This will allow each child#'s performance from year to year to be shown so that comparisons can be made.
Our students are successful on the New York state assessments for a multitude of reasons: the preparations that occur, the practice that is inherent throughout our daily instruction and the children#'s activities, and the higher level thinking skills that we perpetually immerse them in all contribute to their success both on the assessments and within their daily lives.
Undoubtedly, when such efforts occur within the home, it only increases the chances for student success on the assessments.
Our Parent Information Night was, as it has been, an attempt to increase the likelihood of even greater success for our little learners to achieve!
A special thanks goes out to our Board of Education; Superintendent Shaun O'Connor, Elementary School Principal Tim Cowin, Kathy Tiegel, Shelly Coleman, our teachers, parents and children.
Lynn Cheche Baker is a third-grade teacher at Weedsport Elementary School and is also the owner of the Successful Steps Tutoring Service.
With the English/language arts assessments behind us for this year, as they took place during the second week in January, and the math assessments coming up in March, the timing of this event was perfect.
The beginning of the program consisted of covering the logistics regarding the assessments. Shelly Coleman handled this portion of the evening along with Kathy Tiegel, and they addressed such areas as who takes the assessments and why they are given, in addition to the commonalities between the ELA and math assessments.
Children in grades three through eight are required to take the tests. As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, the assessments were developed to measure the effectiveness of a school's instructional program and to measure its yearly progress, in addition to identifying students at risk of not meeting standards sufficiently. Both tests have multiple choice, short and extended response questions. On each assessment, the students write to communicate their thoughts and processes.
From this point, Tiegel took the floor exclusively and gave the parents and their children sample math assessment questions each could work on during the program. Samples consisted of multiple choice, short response and extended response type questions.
After time was afforded, Tiegel went over each question and provided an explanation as to how every one should have been approached.
Next, Tiegel turned the program over to Coleman, who addressed the ELA assessments.
In addition to the PowerPoint presentation, she provided a pamphlet that included the information she wished to share. After reviewing what each assessment day would look like, children, along with their families, looked at sample questions. Coleman then read a listening piece to her audience, and members were asked to take notes based on the material that they heard. This is a task that is asked of each of our students for the listening section of the test. Depending on grade level, such a section is followed by multiple choice, short and extended response questions. Coleman also distributed another handout, which she titled “ELA Tips and Tricks for Proactive Parents.”
At the culmination of the program, our principal, Tim Cowin, showed our school#'s 2007 ELA and math assessment data, in addition to providing parents with a sample report, and explained what the report consists of.
At this point in time, only data from the current year will be addressed on each child's report; however, in the foreseeable future, multiple scores from previous years will be identified on the report as well. This will allow each child#'s performance from year to year to be shown so that comparisons can be made.
Our students are successful on the New York state assessments for a multitude of reasons: the preparations that occur, the practice that is inherent throughout our daily instruction and the children#'s activities, and the higher level thinking skills that we perpetually immerse them in all contribute to their success both on the assessments and within their daily lives.
Undoubtedly, when such efforts occur within the home, it only increases the chances for student success on the assessments.
Our Parent Information Night was, as it has been, an attempt to increase the likelihood of even greater success for our little learners to achieve!
A special thanks goes out to our Board of Education; Superintendent Shaun O'Connor, Elementary School Principal Tim Cowin, Kathy Tiegel, Shelly Coleman, our teachers, parents and children.
Lynn Cheche Baker is a third-grade teacher at Weedsport Elementary School and is also the owner of the Successful Steps Tutoring Service.
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