1. Using Data to Teach the Right Things Every
Day
How formative assessment guides instruction
in Newark Public Schools

2. Introduction
Caitlin Scanlon is a mathematics coach
at Rafael Hernandez. She has been
teaching for 14 years, ten of which have
been in Newark. She will be earning a
Master of Arts in Educational
Leadership this May 2016.
Add Caitlin photo here?
Rafael Hernandez School, Newark NJ
• 725 students in PK-8
• Award-winning arts program
• Technology in every class

3. What our Math classes “look like”
• All classes are 100 minutes
• First 50 minutes include Mental
Math Trains/Number Talks,
hands-on investigatory “math
lab”
• The latter 50 minutes are
comprised of small instruction
and workstations

4. What our ELA classes “look like”
• All classes are 100 minutes
• First 50 minutes include whole group
Expeditionary Learning/CKLA
instruction
• The latter 50 minutes are comprised
small group instruction and
workstations

5. Why we started using Edulastic
• RHS teachers were
searching for websites to
practice PARCC- like
questions during do nows,
stations, quizzes, etc. while
providing timely student
data
• Teachers needed more
timely turnaround of data as
it drives instruction and
informs how students

6. Why we started using Edulastic
• Before we implemented Edulastic,
students solved with pencil and paper
or on websites that lacked rigor and in
content and complexity of the task
itself
• Students were unable to answer for
specific types of tech-enhanced
questions regardless of content
• Students were frustrated during
PARCC when unsure how to respond
to prompt
• After implementing Edulastic, students
are prepared to solve ALL types of
tech-enhanced questions and teachers
use real-time data to inform instruction

7. Examples of Formative Assessment at RHS
• Entrance Tickets
• Exit Tickets
• Do Nows
• Journal Entries
• Peer Feedback
• Aggressive Monitoring
– Habits of Discussion
– Student misconceptions

8. Do Now…..

9. Do Now… Sample types of questions

10. Real-time data… while students test
Sample overall class do now data (used in real-time)

11. Looking at real-time data
All data reflects Common Core Math Standard 8.EE.A.1

12. Using data to make timely decisions
All data reflects Common Core Math Standard 8.EE.A.1
If this were your “do now” data,
would you move on to new
content?

13. How we reflect on data
● Teachers must be purposeful when choosing
questions when assessing students. Students
scored high on the identification problem;
whereas, they scored very low on the operational
● This informs teachers to revisit standard either for
the entire class, during small group instruction, or
teacher-led station (based on percentage
proficient)
● It also informs coaches/admin that the content has
been taught as students can identify parts
appropriately

14. How we use the colored boxes to inform
instruction?
Student 1 Student 2
Student 3

15. Using the Data
Student 1 Student 2
Student 3
Green box→ Correct response
Red box → Incorrect response
Yellow box→ Partially correct response
Blue box → Answered Open-Ended/Short Constructed Response
Grey box → Skipped question/no answer

16. Using the Data
Student 1 Student 2
Student 3
● Student 1 - functions well independently
● Student 2 - Avoids/confused by open-ended
questions
● Student 3 - struggles with content

17. Using the Data- My Favorite Screen
Time on Task for Student 2 (questions 11-17)
● Average time spent on each question
● Most Open-Ended were skipped
● ZERO seconds spent reading/reviewing problems
.

18. NOW WHAT?
• Teacher-led small group instruction
• Reading strategies implemented
• Aggressive monitoring of students in whole
group
• Sentence starters provide students a “head
start” for Open-Ended
• Students use acronyms to organize thoughts
and work
• Share data with students
• Teacher/student collaborate to create goals
based on data

19. Making Students a Part of the Process….
• Data is released immediately at end of test
• SMART goals are created by student
• Student 2 goals may be to attempt/complete ALL open-
ended questions

20. How can we further probe students while on
Edulastic?
• Because student work is not often
done on Edulastic, it is imperative
that they “aggressively monitor” all
procedures/pictoral representations
• Anecdotal notes address
misconceptions and student
understanding of “big ideas”

21. How we fill in the gap - “Aggressive Monitoring”

22. PLCs and GLMs
• Teachers look for growth, trends, gaps
• Are the questions rigorous? How are
students performing on specific tasks?
How do students perform on interrelated
standards across the grade levels and
within grade levels
• Small groups are altered
• Lessons and specific station plans are
created in teams

23. What’s Next For Us
• More chromes for a 1:1
ratio
• Creating more
assessments to add to the
library
• Professional Development