Standard+8

=Standard 8 - Teachers know how to test for student progress.=

Evidence: Independent Reading Behaviors Rubric



 * Rationale:** In kindergarten we are implementing the Daily Five framework for our reading block. Each day students do five things: Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, Work on Writing and Work with Words. In kindergarten we spend a great deal of time on learning and practicing how to be independent readers (Read to Self) in order to build independent work habits and reading stamina. I developed this rubric using the online application RubiStar, to help myself evaluate the independent reading behaviors of my students on a more objective basis. Evaluating reading behaviors with an objective rubric and analyzing those results over time helps me identify areas where students need improvement and provide instruction to help those students become independent readers.

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When I plan for instruction in the classroom, I consider evidence from many different kinds of assessments, which ensures that I teach my students what they still need to learn in order to meet our district learning targets. I developed this rubric to help me observe and evaluate several specific behaviors that contribute to the development of independent readers.===== ====8.S.1 The teacher appropriately uses a variety of formal and informal assessment techniques (e.g. observation, portfolios of student work, teacher-made tests, performance tasks, projects, students self-assessments, peer assessment, and standardized tests) to enhance her or his knowledge of learners, evaluate students’ progress and performances, and modify teaching and learning strategies.====

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Getting kindergarten students to think of themselves as readers and helping them develop the ability to read for more than a few minutes at a time are crucial to their success in later grades. While there is no way to test this ability with a formal assessment, this informal rubric helps me assess their independent reading development in several ways. I can observe and assess several key behaviors that are important for independent reading times, I can use the same rubric with the same student at several times over the course of the year to identify patterns and trends of individual students as well as across a group of students, and by adding a student comments section, I can begin exposing my students to the value of self-evaluation. The information gained by using this rubric helps me better identify my students needs, identify progress or lack of progress, and provide more focused instruction to those in need.=====

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This rubric helps me do one thing, improve students’ independent reading behaviors so that they can leave kindergarten feeling like readers, with the stamina to read independently, for an extended period of time. By using this same assessment over the weeks and months of the school year, comparing changes over time, and involving the students in the process with some self-evaluation, I am able to identify the strengths students have and promote their growth by providing more support in areas where they might not be progressing as expected.=====