Companion Materials

1. 12/16/2014 Patricia Loncto Looking Through the Lens of Rubrics 1
LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF RUBRICS
Oracle Problem of Practice:
Practitioners struggle with constructing and using valid and reliable rubrics for formative and
summative assessment to support, verify, and document learning.
Oracle Rubric Seminar Objectives: To improve student achievement by enhancing the
professionals’ ability to construct and use valid and reliable assessment tools in the form of rubrics
that:
• document and evaluate student learning outcomes based on New York State Learning
Standards/Performance Indicators /Common Core State Standards
• inform teacher about student progress, and adjust instruction accordingly
• ensure that students self-assess their learning strengths and needs, and set personal learning
goals
Creating Rubrics for alignment to 2013 Danielson Framework for Teaching Rubric
The use of a valid and reliable rubric can impact a teacher’s competency at the “Highly Effective”
level in the following Domains and Elements within the Danielson Framework Rubric. Evidence
explaining the congruency between a valid and reliable rubric with the Danielson criteria follows each
element below.
• 1a Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy: Teacher displays extensive knowledge of the important
concepts in the discipline and the ways they relate both to one another and to other disciplines.
Teacher demonstrates understanding of prerequisite relationships among topics and concepts and
understands the link to necessary cognitive structures that ensure student understanding. Teacher’s
plans and practice reflect familiarity with a wide range of effective pedagogical approaches in the
discipline and the ability to anticipate student misconceptions.
Ø Evidence: A valid rubric uses the discipline concepts as the basis for the criteria described.
When students use the rubric to assess learning, their misconceptions are revealed by the
level of understanding at which they score.
• 1c Setting Instructional Outcomes: All outcomes represent high-level learning in the discipline.
The outcomes are clear, written in the form of student learning, and permit viable methods of
assessment. Outcomes reflect several different types of learning and, where appropriate, represent
opportunities for both coordination and integration. Outcomes are differentiated in whatever way is
needed for individual students.
Ø Evidence: A valid rubric explicitly states the quality of learning for the targeted outcomes.
The revelation of the outcomes for the student and the teacher uncovers the need and
direction for differentiation.
• 1f Designing Student Assessments: Teacher’s plan for student assessment is fully aligned with the
instructional outcomes and has clear criteria and standards that show evidence of student
contribution to their development. Assessment methodologies have been adapted for individual
students, as needed. The approach to using formative assessment is well designed and includes
student as well as teacher use of the assessment information. Teacher intends to use assessment
results to plan future instruction for individual students.
Ø Evidence: A valid rubric aligns to instructional outcomes and has increased reliability
when students contribute to the development because the teacher is assured that students

2. 12/16/2014 Patricia Loncto Looking Through the Lens of Rubrics 2
understand the criteria for success. Valid rubrics used as formative assessment become
instructional tools for student and teacher decisions during the learning process to show
growth. When used as a summative tool, the rubric measures attainment of stated
outcomes.
• 2b Establishing a Culture of Learning: The classroom culture is a cognitively vibrant place,
characterized by a shared belief in the importance of learning. The teacher conveys high
expectations for learning by all students and insists on hard work. Students assume responsibility
for deeper learning by initiating improvements, making revisions, adding detail and/or assisting
peers in their precise use of language.
Ø Evidence: A valid rubric conveys high expectations at the 4 level. When students
contribute to the rubric construction and formatively assess their work, they assume
responsibility for their learning.
• 3d Using Assessment in Instruction: Assessment is fully integrated into instruction through
extensive use of formative assessment. Students appear to be aware of, and there is some evidence
that they have contributed to the assessment criteria. Questions and assessments are used regularly
to diagnose evidence of learning by individual students. A variety of forms of feedback, from both
teacher and peers, is accurate and specific and advances learning. Students self-assess and
monitor their own progress. Teacher successfully differentiates instruction to address individual
students’ misunderstandings.
Ø Evidence: See Evidence above. Additionally, when students participate in the creation of a
valid rubric and when the rubric is used formatively during instruction by the student, peers
and the teacher, the resulting feedback advances learning because the feedback links to
accurate and specific information about the quality of advancement toward the learning
outcomes.
Key Contextual Rubric Seminar Vocabulary
Anecdotal Notes
Assessment Tool(s)
Diagnostic Assessment
Essential Question
Formal Assessment
Formative Assessment
Grade
Guiding Questions
Informal Assessment
Instructional Tool
Danielson Framework for Teaching
Learning Outcome
New York State Standards/Performance Indicators
(NYS Standards/PI)
New York State Common Core Learning Standards
(CCLS)
Practitioner
Rubric
Reliable
Student
Summative Assessment
Understanding
Valid
Weighted

3. 12/16/2014 Patricia Loncto Looking Through the Lens of Rubrics 3
Name: What do you know? DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT
Answer the following questions 1-10 to the best of your ability with concise statements. No more than five
minutes is given for this task. Please attempt to answer all questions with fluency. Do not labor over response.
With instructor guidance, score a rubric you previously created or currently use for question 11.
1. How would you know the students achieved the learning outcome(s)?
Moment Purpose: State the purpose for each of the following assessment Moments:
2. Summative
3. Formative
4. Diagnostic
5. When is a rubric an appropriate assessment/scoring tool?
6. What makes a quality rubric?
7. How do rubrics influence the effectiveness of instruction?
8. How do rubrics benefit students?
9. Why is it important that numbers for rubric levels are consecutive?
10. What is a weighted rubric?
11. Use A Rubric about Rubrics to score a previously created rubric; record the score_______
Reflection Question: What do you need to know now before you can go on with this seminar?

4. 12/16/2014 Patricia Loncto Looking Through the Lens of Rubrics 4
Oracle Rubric Seminar PLC
The Now What Plan
Social Studies PLC 8 members Science PLC 6
members
ELA PLC 8 members Math PLC 6
members
Spanish PLC 3 members Special Area (Health/PE/Art/Tech) PLC 5
members
PLC Title:
Meeting Time:
PLC Contact Person name and email:
Complete The Now What Plan describing from 1-3 Action Steps in priority order according to
your PLC’s growth need as determined after perusing the Rubrics Seminar binder materials.
Action Steps
What topics/skills
concerning rubrics are
your growth needs?
AND
How would your PLC
members like to
approach this learning?
Evidence
How do you know this
action step was
completed?
When will this
action step be
visible?
Who is
responsible
for this?
Other Notes

5. 12/16/2014 Patricia Loncto Looking Through the Lens of Rubrics 5
Charrette Protocol for Collaborative Rubric Creation
Adapted by Patricia Loncto
INTRODUCTION
Purpose
The Charrette is a term and process borrowed from the architectural community. Its purpose is to improve a
piece of work. Charrettes are used to “kick up” the level of performance. Individuals or teams call for a
Charrette when they are “stuck” — when the members of the team have reached a point in the process where
they cannot easily move forward on their own. They bring their current ideas, or the actual work in progress, to
the Charrette, and then ask the PLC to “work on the work” with them.
Using the Protocol
Charrettes are not normally held after the completion of a project. Instead, they are held in a low stakes/no
stakes environment, where the requesting team has much to gain from the process and virtually nothing to lose.
In short, Charrettes are used to scrutinize and improve work while it is still in progress, before it is ever placed
in a high stakes environment. They can be used whenever an individual or small group has a design problem or
issue.
One other consideration: the Charrette is used only when there is sufficient trust present in a group, and when
the prevailing atmosphere is one of cooperation rather than competition. Underlying the successful use of the
Charrette are 2 fundamental beliefs:
• Individuals or groups working together can usually produce better work than individuals or groups
working in isolation (“none of us is as smart as all of us”), and
• There is no piece of work that with more time, thought and effort couldn’t be improved (“with learning
there is no finish line”).
• The emphasis is on improving the work, which now belongs to the entire group. The atmosphere is one
of “we’re in this together,” and our single purpose is “to make a good thing even better.”
Roles
The facilitator/moderator – keeps PLC focused, observes the protocol, occasionally summarizes the discussion
or asks questions. At the conclusion of the time allotted briefly summarizes what was gained, open discussion
for next steps.
Recorder – records information as it is being created.
Technician – sets up the technology and locates electronic resources as needed during the Charrette (i.e.
synonyms, definitions, primary reference documents).
Each participant – contributes ideas, follows norms.
Time
20-60 minutes. Varies according to time allotted for the session or when the rubric or conversation reaches a
natural stopping point. No more than 1 hour per session is advised. Better to take a break and let thoughts
settle.
Materials
• Computer, Projection technology
• Rubric electronic file under consideration
• Word Wall previously constructed for topic under consideration
Norms
• Have a Goldilocks mindset that searches for the “just right” idea without feeling personally attacked
when another suggestion replaces your suggestion.

6. 12/16/2014 Patricia Loncto Looking Through the Lens of Rubrics 6
• No suggestion is wrong and it might inspire the “just right” – say it
• All opinions are valid, they just might not be accepted as “just right” for the task by the majority.
• Selections of “just right” depend on what everyone can live with rather then what everyone wants.
READ
• Individually read the protocol.
• Ask clarifying questions concerning the protocol.
• Topic for protocol: How can we make this better?
DO Protocol
• The requesting team/individual presents the rubric “work in progress” and states what it needs.
• Using a projection unit, collaboratively edit the rubric with words/phrases that describe each of the
levels of competency by using the word wall as a guide or asking the technician to locate synonyms.
• Once the dimensions are decided, begin with the 3 level for one dimension at a time, next create level 4,
next level 1 or 2 for that dimension. If ideas for levels or dimensions other than the one under
consideration come to mind, jot the ideas in the appropriate box but resist the temptation to begin
developing that box.
DEBRIEF (large group) Where do you want to go from here?
USES (large group) Brainstorm the uses for Charrette Protocol.