Field test of teacher work samples

Appendix F: Teacher Work Samples

Appendix F, Page 1

OMB No. 0000-0000
Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Classroom Assessment FOR Student Learning Study

Teacher Work Samples
Directions for Collecting Assignments and Student Work
Due: ____________
Please collect 3 assignments, with 4 graded samples of student work for each assignment.
You will be asked to fill out a cover sheet for each assignment. Detailed instructions are
given below.
We want to describe the nature of the math tasks that students do, what is expected of
them, what feedback they are given, and how grades are assigned. Our descriptions
depend on what you tell us, so please be explicit and detailed so we can be as accurate as
possible. If you have any questions about any of the following instructions, please
contact the Study Director, Dr. Andrea Beesley, at 303-632-5541 or by email at
abeesley@mcrel.org. Thank you.

Adapted from Clare, L., Valdés, R., Pascal, J., & Steinberg, J.R. (2001). Teachers Assignments as Indicators of Instructional
Quality in Elementary Schools. Los Angeles: CRESST.

The U.S. Department of Education wants to protect the privacy of individuals who participate in surveys. Your answers will be
combined with other surveys, and no one will know how you answered the questions. This survey is authorized by law (1)
Sections 171(b) and 173 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-279 (2002); and (2) Section 9601 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 (Pub. L. 107110). Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will
summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual. We will not provide
information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it
displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx. The time
required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 minutes per respondent, including the time to review
instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collected. If you have any comments concerning
the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education,
Washington, DC 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form,
write directly to: Sandra Garcia, Institute of Education Sciences, 555 New Jersey Avenue, S.W., Room 506C, Washington, D.C.
20208-4651.

Appendix F, Page 2

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. COLLECT THE FOLLOWING 3 ASSIGNMENTS.
Between now and ____, collect 3 assignments with selected examples of graded or marked student
work. These examples of student work should be papers that are ready to be returned to the students,
with your marks and feedback included. Use assignments that ask students to do some individual
work, and that reflect your lesson objectives. Do not create new assignments specifically for this
study. Please collect one of each of the following types of assignments:
1. 1 example of homework or seatwork that asks students to show their work and explain their
reasoning
2. 1 quiz or end-of-week assessment
3. 1 example of a performance assessment (such as creating a graph) or in-class project

2. FOR EACH OF THE 3 ASSIGNMENTS, COPY 4 SAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK
showing student response to the assignment.
•

For each assignment, choose four samples from the same class. Choose two samples of work
from students who achieved the assignment objectives, and two from students who did not
achieve the assignment objectives.
It is fine to choose different students’ papers for different assignments. If there were no students
who achieved the objectives on an assignment, attach a note explaining why you are not including
any of those pieces of student work. In that case, please just give us samples of work from
students who did not achieve the objectives.

•

Date and mark the time each piece of student work was completed (e.g., 11/10/06, 1:15 pm). Copy
the four sets of student work for each assignment.

•

Please cross out or white out each student’s name. (We prefer to receive students’ work without
their names so as to protect their privacy.) Please do not cover up any part of the student’s work,
your feedback, or grade. It is important for us to see the feedback comments or grades.

•

Place an “Achieved Objectives” label on the papers of the students who achieved the objectives.
Place a “Did Not Achieve Objectives” label on the papers of the students who did not achieve the
objectives.

3. FILL OUT A COVER SHEET FOR EACH OF THE 3 ASSIGNMENTS.
Fill out the enclosed Cover Sheets for Teacher Assignments in the pockets in this folder.
•

Please attach the following to help us understand the assignment and accompanying student
work, such as the following:
o Copy of the directions given to students (please be as explicit as possible)
o Grading rubric or guidelines, and
o Outline of the unit.

•

Place the cover sheet with attached papers and the 4 pieces of student work in the appropriate
pockets in this binder.
Appendix F, Page 3

General Teacher Information Form
Classroom Assessment Study
Please provide the following information:
1. Your first name:
2. Your last name:
3. Your school:
4. Is there anything unusual about your math class that we should know when looking at the
assignments and student work?

Thanks so much!

Appendix F, Page 4

Cover Sheet for Homework or Seatwork Math Assignment
Date assigned:
1. Describe the assignment below in detail or attach a copy of the assignment directions to
this sheet. Be sure to tell us exactly what directions were given to students.

2. What was the source of this assignment?
□ I created it
□ I selected it from a textbook
□ I selected it from a workbook
□ I selected it from other materials provided by the curriculum publisher
□ I selected if from computer software
□ Other: ________________________________________________________________
3. Why did you create or select this particular assignment?

4. What is/are the purpose(s) of this assignment (check all that apply)?
□ To check student progress toward a learning goal
□ To provide student feedback on his or her understanding
□ To assess skill proficiency
□ To provide practice
□ To provide opportunity to apply knowledge or skill in a new way/situation or for a new purpose
□ As a unit pretest
□ As a unit posttest
5. What were your learning goals for the students for this assignment? In other words,
what skills, concepts, or facts did you want students to learn, practice or demonstrate as
a result of completing this assignment?

Appendix F, Page 5

6. Check the type of learning goal/target this assignment addresses (check all that apply):
□
□
□
□
□

Knowledge (facts)
Reasoning (the ability to apply knowledge)
Skill (something that must be demonstrated)
Product (something that is created)
Disposition (attitudes – not used for grading)

7. In preparing students for this assignment, how did you accommodate the range of
student needs/skill levels in your classroom?

8. How does the assignment fit in with your unit or what you are teaching in your math
class this month or this year? Is this an end-of-unit assessment? [ ] Yes [ ] No

9. How long did students take to complete the assignment?
10. What type of help, if any, did students receive to complete the assignment? [ ] none
(Check all that apply.) Help or feedback from: [ ] teacher [ ] teacher’s aide [ ] other students
[ ] parents

[ ] others (explain):

11. How was this assignment assessed? If there is a rubric, student reflection, etc., please attach it. If
you are not attaching a rubric, please explain your criteria for grading the work (if graded). Did you
share these criteria with the students? [ ] Yes

[ ] No

Appendix F, Page 6

12. What criteria did you use to decide which papers met objectives and which did not? (especially
if work was not graded originally or if different from #11 above)

13. Approximately what percent of students performed at the following levels on this assignment:
____% met objectives

____% partially met objectives

____% did not meet objectives

Appendix F, Page 7

Cover Sheet for Quiz or End-of-Week Assessment
Date assigned:
1. Describe the assignment below in detail or attach a copy of the assignment directions to
this sheet. Be sure to tell us exactly what directions were given to students.

2. What was the source of this assignment?
□ I created it
□ I selected it from a textbook
□ I selected it from a workbook
□ I selected it from other materials provided by the curriculum publisher
□ I selected it from computer software
□ Other: ________________________________________________________________
3. Why did you create or select this particular assignment?

4. What is/are the purpose(s) of this assignment (check all that apply)?
□ To check student progress toward a learning goal
□ To provide student feedback on his or her understanding
□ To assess skill proficiency
□ To provide practice
□ To provide opportunity to apply knowledge or skill in a new way/situation or for a new purpose
□ As a unit pretest
□ As a unit posttest
5. What were your learning goals for the students for this assignment? In other words,
what skills, concepts, or facts did you want students to learn, practice or demonstrate as
a result of completing this assignment?

Appendix F, Page 8

6. Check the type of learning goal/target this assignment addresses (check all that apply):
□
□
□
□
□

Knowledge (facts)
Reasoning (the ability to apply knowledge)
Skill (something that must be demonstrated)
Product (something that is created)
Disposition (attitudes – not used for grading)

7. In preparing students for this assignment, how did you accommodate the range of
student needs/skill levels in your classroom?

8. How does the assignment fit in with your unit or what you are teaching in your math
class this month or this year? Is this an end-of-unit assessment? [ ] Yes [ ] No

9. How long did students take to complete the assignment?
10. What type of help, if any, did students receive to complete the assignment? [ ] none
(Check all that apply.) Help or feedback from: [ ] teacher [ ] teacher’s aide [ ] other students
[ ] parents

[ ] others (explain):

11. How was this assignment assessed? If there is a rubric, student reflection, etc., please attach it. If
you are not attaching a rubric, please explain your criteria for grading the work (if graded). Did you
share these criteria with the students? [ ] Yes

[ ] No

Appendix F, Page 9

12. What criteria did you use to decide which papers met objectives and which did not? (especially
if work was not graded originally or if different from #11 above)

13. Approximately what percent of students performed at the following levels on this assignment:
____% met objectives

____% partially met objectives

____% did not meet objectives

Appendix F, Page 10

Cover Sheet for Performance Assessment or In-Class Project
Date assigned:
1. Describe the assignment below in detail or attach a copy of the assignment directions to
this sheet. Be sure to tell us exactly what directions were given to students.

2. What was the source of this assignment?
□ I created it
□ I selected it from a textbook
□ I selected it from a workbook
□ I selected it from other materials provided by the curriculum publisher
□ I selected if from computer software
□ Other: ________________________________________________________________
3. Why did you create or select this particular assignment?

4. What is/are the purpose(s) of this assignment (check all that apply)?
□ To check student progress toward a learning goal
□ To provide student feedback on his or her understanding
□ To assess skill proficiency
□ To provide practice
□ To provide opportunity to apply knowledge or skill in a new way/situation or for a new purpose
□ As a unit pretest
□ As a unit posttest
5. What were your learning goals for the students for this assignment? In other words,
what skills, concepts, or facts did you want students to learn, practice or demonstrate as
a result of completing this assignment?

Appendix F, Page 11

6. Check the type of learning goal/target this assignment addresses (check all that apply):
□
□
□
□
□

Knowledge (facts)
Reasoning (the ability to apply knowledge)
Skill (something that must be demonstrated)
Product (something that is created)
Disposition (attitudes – not used for grading)

7. In preparing students for this assignment, how did you accommodate the range of
student needs/skill levels in your classroom?

8. How does the assignment fit in with your unit or what you are teaching in your math
class this month or this year? Is this an end-of-unit assessment? [ ] Yes [ ] No

9. How long did students take to complete the assignment?
10. What type of help, if any, did students receive to complete the assignment? [ ] none
(Check all that apply.) Help or feedback from: [ ] teacher [ ] teacher’s aide [ ] other students
[ ] parents

[ ] others (explain):

11. How was this assignment assessed? If there is a rubric, student reflection, etc., please attach it. If
you are not attaching a rubric, please explain your criteria for grading the work (if graded). Did you
share these criteria with the students? [ ] Yes

[ ] No

Appendix F, Page 12

12. What criteria did you use to decide which papers met objectives and which did not? (especially
if work was not graded originally or if different from #11 above)

13. Approximately what percent of students performed at the following levels on this assignment:
____% met objectives

____% partially met objectives

____% did not meet objectives

Appendix F, Page 13