TOUCHSTONE 3: I peel back the curtain and make my performance expectations clear.
Explanation
Taking the guesswork out of grading highlights touchstone three. The importance of creating, providing and utilizing thorough rubrics on all major assignments is necessary to allow students to know how their academic performance will be evaluated. In creating a rubric it is essential to identify proficiency level first and foremost. Once proficient is established it is easier for the educator to delineate approaching and not met levels as well as advanced and mastery levels of an assignment. As important as the creation of said rubrics it is vital to student success that performance rubrics are readily available to students on the introduction of an assignment. When students are armed with performance expectations in the beginning they are able to examine and know with certainty what they need to accomplish to reach proficient and hopefully mastery levels. Using performance rubrics also allows students to enter what is known as the “Goldilocks Zone” in which it is not too easy or too difficult but just right. Utilizing performance criteria and rubrics also helps students acknowledge that effort is linked to results. They can dissect that they only did these things to receive a score of ten but if they gave a small amount of more effort they may have been bumped ahead in the rubric by completing the next steps. This can be indispensable in students visualizing why they received a certain grade on an assignment and keeping with the idea that assignments are practice and we can improve with each practice they can achieve the “grade” they desire with more effort. Keeping transparency of performance expectations is where the rubber meets the road in regards to high expectations for students. Performance expectations and rubrics should be in the forefront of many conversations by the teacher in the classroom, again highlighting, reviewing and modeling expectations from the onset of a class makes expectations crystal clear down the road and in the future.
Application
The example rubric is based on two assignments in the Goal Setting in Leadership unit of my blended learning Captains Course for eleventh and twelfth grade students selected or elected to team leadership in one of our many varsity sports at Bennett High School. The performance or skills students need to achieve scores are SMART Goal Writing, Indicators, Measures, Targets and Action Steps. The numbers indicate the following; 4-Advanced, 3-Proficient, 2-Approaching and 1-Not Met. This will allow students to see what needs to be included when setting athletic goals as individuals and teams. This rubric also identifies the effort level in writing a proper goal and explains why students receive the point value they received per performance or skill indicated.
PERFORMANCE 4 3 2 1
The goal is specific. The The goal that is set The goal that is set is No evidence of a
goal is measurable; is missing one of missing two or more of SMART goal is shown
examples of measurable the five basic the basic measures of a or it is an action step
criteria exist. The baseline measures of a Smart Goal. and it is not focused
SMART Goal goal is achievable. SMART Goal. on the student/athlete
____/4 Mentions those involved performance results.
with reaching goal. The
goal has a clear focus that
will result in an identifiable
outcome. The goal is
outlined by a specific time
of completion.
Indicators connect with Indicators relate to the Indicators connect rather No indicators present or
the SMART goal. Indicators SMART goal. Indicators are loosely to the SMART goal. they do not describe
Indicators are detailed, specific rather general in nature Indicators may be ideas actions connected to
____/4 and describe actions that and closely describe actions or points of emphasis the SMART Goal.
lead to specific needs in that lead to needs in but poorly describe actions
student/athlete performance. student/athlete performance. to the needs of
student/Athlete performance.
Carefully considered Measures are shown that Measures are listed No evidence of
measures are shown that have have an identifiable result but have a non-quantifiable measurable targets.
an identifiable result that that is related to indicators. measure. There is no
Measures is related to indicators. The measures can be linkable measure to
____/4 The measures can be loosely quantified and student/athlete targets
quantified and tracked tracked through progress. and cannot be linked
through progress. Measures Measures lack support to to measurable trait.
support student/athlete targets student/athlete targets and
and each target has a specific can be linked to a
measurable trait. measurable trait.
Targets can be applied Targets can be Targets are general No targets exist.
to direct measurable connected to a direct and cannot be applied Targets do not
Targets outcome. Targets can measurable outcome. to direct measurable relate to baseline
____/4 be quantified and measured. Targets can be loosely quantified outcomes. Targets cannot goal.
Targets are easily and measured. Targets be quantifiable and
identifiable and connect can connect with measured. Targets do not
with the baseline goal. the baseline goal. relate to the baseline goal.
Action steps are detailed Action steps are present Action steps are basic No Strategies
and are with the and are with the loosely and are not needed in are listed.
Action Steps necessary steps in related steps for improving the baseline
____/4 improving the baseline goal. improving the baseline goal. They do not
They identify who, what, goal. They identify how identify components to
when, where, why and how they will complete complete the action to
they will complete the the action to accomplish accomplish the
action to accomplish the the SMART GOAL. SMART GOAL.
SMART GOAL.
____/20 Total
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