Assessment

Project
Adriana Villanueva

Page |1

Contextual Factors
The assessments featured in the following data collection were administered in Mrs.
Fishels 3rd grade classroom at Santa Clara Elementary. The classroom is made up of 27
students, 12 girls and 15 boys (see Figure 1)

Gender

44%

56%
Boys
Girls

Figure 1
Source: Santa Clara Elementary
2014

Page |2

20 students (77%) are Caucasian, 4 students (15%) are Hispanic, 1 student (3%) is a
Pacific Islander and 1 student (4%) is Asian (see Figure 2).

Ethnicity

4% 4%
15%

Caucasian
77%

Hispanic
Pacific Islander
Asian

Figure 2
Source: Santa Clara Elementary 2014

By analyzing the data, it can be determined that the majority of the students are of
Caucasian descent. Although there are some ELL students present in the classroom, the students

Page |3

have developed a high English proficiency, and do not need additional modifications during tests
or assignments.
The students lunch rates are as follows: 20 students pay full price for lunch (74%), 6
students pay a reduced price for lunch (22%), and 1 student receives free lunch (4%). (See
Figure 3 )

Lunch

22%

4%
74%

Free
Reduced
Full Price

Page |4

By assessing the data, it can be determined that the majority of students pay full price for lunch.
The students CRT scores in Treasures (out of 38) and math (out of 20) alphabetically
are: Kiana 27/38, 16/20, Nick 24/38, 10/20, Jocelyn 32/38, 19/20, Corbin 32/38, 17/20, Adelle
35/38, 18/20, Courtney 33/38, 19/20, Jerry 35/38, 19/20, Max 26/38, 18/20, Ashlynn 29/38,
15/20, Diego 25/38, 11/20, Emmanuel 29/38, 15/20, William 33/38, 19/20, Bowen 28/38, 18/20,
Gwyneth 32/38, 18/20, Aspen 33/38, 16/20, Gabe 32/38, 20/20, Marshall, 22/38, 14/20, Sarah
28/38, 19/20, Courtney 34/38, 18/20, Jeven 26/38, 14/20, Richard 21/38, 11/20, Aaliyah 24/38,
18/20, Carter 26/38, 19/20, Spencer 34/38, 19/20, Sammie 34/38, 18/20, Anna 32/38, 17/20,
Bridger 33/38, 20/20 (see Figure 4).

Treasures

Math

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Treasures

Page |5

Overall, there is a correlation between the score that the students received on math and
the score that they received on Treasures. Most of the students who scored high on the Treasures
test also scored high on the math test as well.
There are 3 students who have been identified as gifted and talented, or GATE. Those
students are Jocelyn, Jerry, and Gabe. The scores that they received on their Treasures and math
criterion-referenced tests (CRT) reflect their high ability performance.
There are 4 students who are on an individualized education plan (IEP) or who have been
identified with behavioral issues. Those 4 students are Nick, Richard, Marshall and Jeven. Nick
exhibits behavior problems and emotional disturbances. Richard suffers from mild to severe
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and receives medication for his condition
twice a day. Marshall has severe behavior problems and his emotional development is behind
that of his peers. Jeven has difficulty with reading and sometimes writing. All 4 students
receive assistance from the special education department (SPED) frequently throughout the
school day and are pulled out of class after lunch.
The students that I have chosen to analyze and synthesize for this assessment are Nick,
Richard and Jeven.

Page |6

Assessment 1
The first assessment that was administered, synthesized and analyzed for this report is a
timed multiplication test. This test was administered to determine if students have progressed in
their multiplication fact knowledge. Multiplication is a central math concept that is practiced in
the 3rd grade. Throughout the school year, students have been practicing their multiplication
facts.
The students were given 5 minutes to complete as many of the multiplication problems
on the worksheet as possible. This is not the first time that the students have taken this type of
assessment, therefore additional assistance on how to complete the assessment was not provided.
Students are not allowed to use any resources during the test, such as a multiplication table or a
calculator.
There are 3 different versions of this multiplication test designed for the students
different academic levels. The variations of the multiplication tests are 0X1s, 1X2s, 2X3s, and
3X4s. Students were given the specific test according to their prior performance on other
multiplication tests. If students receive a score of 95/100 or higher on this test, then they are
advanced to the next appropriate difficulty level.
The test was administered on February 5th, 2014. The test was administered in Mrs.
Fishels classroom at Santa Clara Elementary in Santa Clara, Utah. The environment in the
classroom during the assessment did not vary greatly enough to pose as an obstacle for any
students. The students were seated in their usual desks and the classroom was quiet while the
assessment was taking place. During the assessment, there was not discussion by the teacher or
the students.

Page |7

During the test one of the students, Richard, who suffers from ADHD had a very difficult
time focusing. He kept getting distracted by the things around the room. This posed as a
hindrance for Richard as he did not use his testing time effectively. It appeared that the more
that I continued reminding Richard to stay on task, the less he focused.
Although Jeven has difficulty with reading, it appeared that he was able to complete this
math test without any difficulty. It seemed that he is more fluent in math calculations as opposed
to literacy. He remained focused throughout the entire test.
Another student, Nick, became frustrated during the test and had a very difficult time
focusing. Nick said that he did not feel that he was prepared to take the test, and did not feel like
taking it at that moment. Nick suffers from emotional issues and poor self-esteem. These
disturbances are apparent through his disruptive classroom behavior. He often mentions that he
feels inadequate when trying to complete certain tasks and easily becomes frustrated. As a
physical coping mechanism, he pulls his hair or twirls it around his finger. The more he displays
these actions, usually, the more frustrated he is. However, after a while it seemed that he became
focused and started working.

Page |8

Analysis

MARSHALL
CORBIN
NICK
JEVEN
RICHARD
CARTER
SPENCER
COURTNEY
GWYN
DIEGO
MAX
SARAH

3X4

ASHLYNN
ANNA

2X3

EMMANUEL
AALIYAH
ASPEN

1X2

KIANA
BOWEN

0X1

ADELLE
BRIDGER
ALEX
JOCELYN
COURTNEY
JERRY
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Figure 5
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary

80

90

100

Page |9

The students scores on the tests can be seen in Figure 5, above. 5 students received
100% on the assessment. The class average on this assessment was 69.38%. 10 students were
able to score a 95 or higher on the test and therefore are allowed advance to the next level of
difficulty.

Of those 10 students, 3 are girls and 7 are boys. Figure 6, below, provides a further

breakdown of the test scores according to gender. The girls average score on the test was
70.09% and the boys average score was 73.78% .

MARSHALL
CORBIN
NICK
JEVEN
RICHARD
CARTER
SPENCER
COURTNEY
GWYN
DIEGO
MAX
SARAH
ASHLYNN

Girls

ANNA
EMMANUEL
AALIYAH

Boys

ASPEN
KIANA
BOWEN
ADELLE
BRIDGER
ALEX
JOCELYN
COURTNEY
JERRY
0

20

40

60

Figure 6
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

80

100

120

P a g e | 10

As mentioned previously, I have chosen to analyze and synthesize Nick, Richard

and Jevens scores for this first assessment report. These students were recommended by my
mentor teacher, Mrs. Fishel, to be analyzed and synthesized. All of these students are on an IEP
or receive some sort of assistance from special education staff. By analyzing the outcomes of
their tests, it can be determined if they are progressing in math. These are the students who
struggle the most in this class, therefore it is important to review if these students are advancing
academically.
Out of the 3 students, Jeven was the only student who received a score of 95 or
higher on the test. Jeven was able to score 100% on the test, Nick scored 32/100 and Richard
scored 11/100. Nick and Richard were among the few students to score the lowest on the test.
These students received a score that was below average. Richard scored the lowest out of the
class. Figure 7, below, displays Richard, Nick, and Jevens scores.

Richard, Nick, and Jeven Scores

100

32

11
RICHARD

NICK

Figure 7
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

JEVEN

P a g e | 11

Synthesis
According to the analysis, most of the class did not receive a passing score on this
assessment. In order to help these students perform higher on the next test, it is important to help
them come up with strategies to take during the test. As I was observing the class, a lot of
students would get stuck on a problem and that prevented them from advancing further. It is
important to teach students strategies that could help them be successful when taking timed-tests.
My analysis also indicated that Richard performed the poorest on the test out of his
entire class. It would be helpful to Richard if he collaborated with the teacher and came up with
a plan in order to help him focus better on the test. Perhaps, it would be helpful if he was taken
into a more secluded environment away from his peers or any visual distractions. He is seated
close to the class fish tank, and I often saw him glancing back at the fish during the assessment.
It would be beneficial to Richard if he was put in an environment that was less visually
stimulating and presented him with a limited amount of distractions.
Jeven was able to perform very well on this test. He was one of 10 students to
receive 100% on the test. It appears that Jeven is more confident in mathematic concepts than
those that are focused in literary roots. Although the teacher mentioned that he struggled heavily
with reading, it seems that that is the only academic area that he struggles with. He is able to
write fairly legibly and he was able to complete this assessment well ahead of time. It would be
helpful for this student if the teacher tried to build up his confidence in reading to match his
confidence in math.
Nick was not able to perform very well on this assessment because he quickly
became frustrated. It is important to help Nick come up with some techniques to help him
manage his anger. Currently, when Nick becomes angry he shuts down and refuses to do his

P a g e | 12

work. The more attention that I gave him, the less that he appeared motivated to do his work. It
is possible that this student is acting out in order to receive attention from the teacher. It would
be helpful to Nick if the teacher focused on giving him attention for his positive actions rather
than always focusing on his negative. This would help him see that if he behaves correctly and
stays on task, he will receive praise.
Overall, I think that it would be beneficial to the entire class if the teacher
addressed the importance and seriousness of this or any assessment. Some of the students
appeared uninterested or did not perform as highly as they normally do. This seems to stem from
lack of motivation from the students. Perhaps if the teacher told the class how important this
assessment was in order for them to progress in their mathematic pursuits, then maybe the
students would be able to better focus and perform better on the test. In order to motivate these
students to perform their best on the test, I would have taken time to reflect on each students
growth prior to the test. I would have created a portfolio that displays each of the students math
test scores and taken time to reflect on any improvements or lack of improvements. Talking with
students one-on-one could help motivate them to strive for success in all of their academic
pursuits.

P a g e | 13

Assessment 2
The second assessment that was administered, synthesized, and analyzed for this report is
a spelling pre-test. This pre-test was administered to determine what spelling level the students
would be placed in (approaching, on, or beyond). The number of words that students were able
to correctly spell determined what level they would belong in. The students that I have chosen to
analyze and synthesize for this assessment are Marshall, Jeven and Nick. Aaliyah was not
present during this assessment.
Knowing how to correctly spell grade-appropriate words is a basic literacy skill that has a
great impact on students other literacy abilities. The ability to properly spell words helps
students fine-tune skills related to reading, phonologically dissecting words and writing.
Students were introduced to this spelling list at the beginning of the week (Monday), and were
instructed to review the spelling list as part of their homework.
The students were given approximately 15 minutes to complete the spelling pre-test. The
pre-test consisted of 15 spelling words. This is not the first time that the students have taken this
type of assessment, therefore additional assistance on how to complete the assessment was not
provided. Students are not allowed to use any resources during the test, such as a spelling list or
a neighbor. All of the students were given the same words to spell.
The test was administered on March 12th, 2014. The test was administered in Mrs.
Fishels classroom at Santa Clara Elementary in Santa Clara, Utah. The environment in the
classroom during the assessment did not vary greatly enough to pose as an obstacle for any
students. Mrs. Fishel, my dyad partner and I were present for this assessment. The students
were seated in their usual desks and the classroom was quiet while the assessment was taking
place. During the assessment, student discussion was not allowed and students were instructed

P a g e | 14

to set up their office spaces (folder dividers that prevented students from glancing on their
neighbors paper). The only person who was talking was the teacher, and she was reading off
the spelling words and administering the test.
During the test two students, Nick and Marshall, became very frustrated and refused to
take the test. Marshall would refuse writing any words down and was against participating in the
assessment. Marshall has mild to severe behavior problems, so this type of behavior is not
uncommon. Mrs. Fishel, my dyad partner and I all attempted to get Marshall on task and
participating. However, as much as we tried to get Marshall to focus, he was not very compliant.
Nick became frustrated because he felt that he did not have enough time to prepare for
the test, and he did not want to fail. As a coping mechanism for when he encounters frustrating
situations, Nick twirls strands of his hair around his finger. Nick continued twirling his hair
around his finger, and this prevented him from remaining focused during the assessment.
Jeven remained fairly focused during the assessment. On occasion, Jeven was observed
gazing around the room. However, he was able to complete the entire assessment without any
complications.
I also noticed that a lot of students would try to view the spelling words posted on a
poster. The poster was too far out of the teachers reach, and she decided to leave it there during
the assessment. The poster was only within visible range for a select number of students. I do
not believe that the poster had a noticeable effect on the outcomes of the assessment.

P a g e | 15

Analysis

Spelling Pre-Test Student Scores

JERRY

11

ADELLE

11

JOCELYN

15

MAX

DIEGO

12

SPENCER

15

COURTNEY D.

14

RICHARD

12

BOWEN

14

BRIDGER

15

SARAH JANE

10

ASPEN

12

SAMMIE

14

EMMANUEL

12

ANNA

14

CARTER

10

CORBIN

15

ALEX

15

COURTNEY P.

12

ASHLYNN

13

GWYN

14

KIANA

12

NICK

MARSHALL

JEVEN

0
0

Figure 8
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

10

12

14

16

P a g e | 16

Figure 8 on the previous page displays all of the students scores for the spelling pre-test.
5 students received 100% (15/15) on the spelling pre-test. The class average on the assessment
was being able to spell approximately 10 out of 15 words correctly. 10 students were able to
receive a 95 or higher on the spelling test and were placed in the beyond group. These
students were able to spell at least 14 out of 15 words correctly. 11 students were placed in the
on group, and they received scores ranging from 10 to 13. 4 students were placed in the
approaching group, and they received scores ranging from 0-5. The students in the
approaching group are the students who scored the lowest on the assessment.
Figure 9 below provides a break-down of test scores according to gender. Girls received
a higher average score on this assessment than boys. On average, boys were able to spell
Jerry
Adelle
Jocelyn
Max
Diego
Spencer
Courtney D.
Richard
Bowen
Bridger
Sarah Jane
Aspen
Sammie
Emmanuel
Anna
Carter
Corbin
Alex
Courtney P.
Ashlynn
Gwyn
Kiana
Nick
Marshall
Jeven

Girls
Boys

10

Figure 9
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

12

14

16

P a g e | 17

approximately 12. 36% of words correctly. Girls were able to spell 12.81% of words correctly.
Table 1 below provides an analysis of all of the questions and what information the
questions asked.
Question 1:Basket

Question 2: Rabbit

Asks how to correctly spell the word basket.

Asks how to correctly spell the word rabbit.

Question 3: Napkin

Question 4: Letter

Asks how to correctly spell the word napkin.

Asks how to correctly spell the word letter.

Question 5: Invite

Question 6: Bedtime

Asks how to correctly spell the word invite.

Asks how to correctly spell the word

bedtime.

Question 7: Mammal

Question 8: Number

Asks how to correctly spell the word

Asks how to correctly spell the word

mammal.

number.

Question 9: Fellow

Question 10: Chapter

Asks how to correctly spell the word fellow.

Asks how to correctly spell the word chapter.

Question 11: Follow

Question 12: Problem

Asks how to correctly spell the word follow.

Asks how to correctly spell the word

problem.

Question 13: Chicken

Question 14: Butter

Asks how to correctly spell the word

Asks how to correctly spell the word butter.

chicken.
Question 15: Sunday

P a g e | 18

Asks how to correctly spell the word

Sunday.
Table 1
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

Figure 10 below displays the total number of students that were able to answer each
problem correctly and incorrectly. The question that was missed the most was question 7. This

Correct and Incorrect Student Responses

25

Axis Title

20
15
10
5
0

Basket

Rabbit

Napkin

Letter

Invite

Correct

Bedtime Mammal Number Fellow

Chapter

Follow Problem Chicken

20

12

22

20

21

23

10

23

23

20

22

15

Incorrect

14

17

11

Butter

Sunday

13

20

23

13

Figure 10
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

question required students to spell the word mammal correctly. 17 out of 26 students were
unable to correctly spell the word mammal. 23 out of 26 students were able to correctly spell
the words bedtime, number, and fellow. These were the questions that had the highest
number of correct student responses.

P a g e | 19

As mentioned previously, I have chosen to analyze and synthesize Nick, Marshall and
Jevens scores for this second assessment report. These students were recommended by my
mentor teacher, Mrs. Fishel, to be analyzed and synthesized. All of these students are on an IEP
or receive some sort of assistance from special education staff. By analyzing the outcomes of
their tests, it can be determined if they are progressing in spelling. These are the students who
struggle the most in this class, therefore it is important to review if these students are advancing
academically.
All of the students performed poorly on this assessment. 2 out of the 3 students, Nick
and Jeven, received a score of 0 on their spelling pre-test. Marshall received the score of 1 out
of 15 on the assessment. Of the 3 students, Jeven put forth the strongest effort on this
assessment. Jeven attempted to answer all of the questions on the spelling pre-test; Nick and
Marshall did not. Nick attempted 13 out of 15 of the questions and Marshall attempted 8 out of
15 questions.
Table 2 on the following page (Page 20) compares and contrasts the 3 students
responses on the assessment. By analyzing the data from the table, it appears that Jeven and
Nick are on a similar spelling level. It appears that all three students are still developing
phonological awareness, and their spelling is very dependent on the sounds of the words. As
apparent in their test scores, phonology is not a very reliable strategy to use when trying to
construct spelling words.

P a g e | 20

Word

Nicks Response Marshalls Response Jevens Response

Basket

Bassit

n/a

Bascit

Rabbit

Rabit

n/a

Rabit

Napkin

Nap

n/a

Napcin

Letter

Lebr

Let

Ledr

Invite

Invit

n/a

Invit

Bedtime

Bedtim

n/a

Bedtim

Mammal Maml

n/a

Mamol

Number

Numbr

n/a

Numbr

Fellow

Fela

Felowe

Felo

Chapter

Chaptr

Chater

Chaptr

Follow

Flo

Folow

Falo

Problem

Problum

Pro

Problem

Chicken

n/a

chicen

Chicin

Butter

Budr

Budr

Butr

Sunday

n/a

Sunday

Sunde

Table 2
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

P a g e | 21

Synthesis
According to the analysis, most of the class (18 out of 26 students) received a passing
score (12 out of 15 words correct or higher) on this assessment. This means that the majority of
the students who took the assessment were prepared with the necessary skills to take the test.
Although this was a pre-test, this assessment provides information on students current
knowledge prior to regular exposure to the spelling words. This information could be used to
help the teacher decide what direction to take to help appropriately prepare her students for the
actual spelling test at the end of the week.
As part of their homework, students are assigned to study the weekly spelling list in order
to prepare them for the test. The results of this assessment also serve as an indicator of how
many students study the weekly spelling list regularly.
In order to prepare students to be ready for the test, I would expose my students to the
words on the spelling list regularly. This could include placing the spelling words somewhere
visible in my classroom for students to see or having students perform activities involving those
words. This would definitely help get my students ready for the spelling test. Since the teacher
groups students according to their performance on the assessment, she could use that information
to help organize and plan different activities to meet each students individual needs. One thing I
would do is have students perform different activities according to their ability level. This could
help push students to be successful by providing them with the necessary challenges and support
that they need.
My analysis also indicated that the three students that I selected, Marshall, Nick and
Jeven, performed the poorest on this assessment out of their entire class. All three of these
students are on IEPs and are receiving assistance from the special education department.

P a g e | 22

Perhaps it would be beneficial to these students if they completed their assessment in an

environment that would be more suitable to their needs. During the assessment, it appeared that
these students were stressed out by the assessments time constraint. If these students were given
more time to complete the assessment, then perhaps they would be less stressed and their
performance on the assessment would improve.
Marshall did not perform well on his test because he became frustrated. Marshalls
emotional state is developmentally delayed compared to that of his peers. It would be helpful to
Marshall if I presented him with ways to manage and monitor his emotions. It is important for
Marshall to learn how to self-regulate his behavior in school, and especially during assessments.
As with the first assessment that I evaluated for this assessment project, Nick became
frustrated while he was taking the spelling pre-test. It is important for Nick to learn strategies to
regulate his frustration. Instead of twirling his hair around his finger as he did during this
assessment, perhaps it would be beneficial to Nick if the teacher developed a reward system that
could help motivate Nick to remain focused. For example if Nick was able to stay on task during
the entire assessment, then he could be rewarded with some sort of incentive, such as some
classroom currency. This could help motivate Nick to perform to his highest potential.
Jeven really struggles with literacy concepts and he is currently receiving an IEP for
reading. Jevens lack of ability to phonologically dissect words makes it harder for him to read
and spell. However, it is not always reliable to spell words according to their phonology. It is
important that Jeven is exposed to more text in order to help him become more fluent in literacy.
The more that students are exposed to grade-appropriate text, the more likely students are to
appropriately develop fundamental literacy skills.

P a g e | 23

Assessment 3
The third assessment that I have chosen to analyze and synthesize for this report is a math
review. This assessment was administered to determine if students have acquired the skills that
were presented as the main concepts throughout this chapter. The chapter focuses on how to
collect, graph, chart and interpret data. This assessment includes questions of various degrees of
complexity designed to assess students skills with representing and interpreting data. Knowing
how to read data and represent it in various forms are fundamental skills that are present in math,
and science. By becoming familiar with these skills, students will be able to advance in their
mathematic and scientific pursuits. Nick was absent on the day of this assessment.
In order to prepare the students to take this assessment, the teacher provided the students
with a brief review about the main concepts that were covered in the chapter. During the days
leading up to the test, the teacher informed the students that they had an upcoming assessment.
Doing this helped students focus, motivated them to remain on task and be attentive during
lessons, and also helped them reflect on everything that they learned.
After giving everyone a copy of the test, the teacher also went over all of the different
parts of the test. For example, the first page of the assessment is a crossword puzzle. For this
portion of the assessment, the teacher provided the students with helpful strategies that they
could apply to solve the crossword puzzle, such as reading through the question, answering the
question with a word found in the word-bank at the top of the paper and then writing that word in
the corresponding space on the puzzle. This helped clarify any questions that students had
regarding how to complete the assessment.
I was not present during the assessment, but the classroom teacher informed me of the
environment in the classroom while the assessment took place. During the assessment, the

P a g e | 24

environment of the classroom was consistent to that of any other regular day. There were no
distractions present in the classroom that could hinder student performance on the assessment.
The classroom remained quiet during the assessment. All of the students were required to work
independently on the assessment. If a student required clarification or assistance with a problem,
they were instructed to raise their hand and seek help from one of the adults present in the
classroom. A special education specialist and the classroom teacher were present during this
assessment.
During the assessment, Richard, Marshall and Jeven received support from the special
education specialist. The specialist had the three students sit at a table outside of the room. This
made it easier for the specialist to provide the students with any assistance without disturbing
other students.

P a g e | 25

Analysis
Figure 11 displays the students scores on the math review assessment. There
was a total of 13 point possible on this assessment. 8 students received 100% on this assessment.

Chapter 12 Math Review Student Scores

Score
Jeven

Gabe

12

Jerry

13

Adelle

13

Jocelyn

13

Max

12

Diego

12

Spencer

13

Courtney D.

13

Richard

Bowen

13

Bridger

10

Sarah Jane

10

Aspen

11

Sammie

12

Emmanuel

11

Anna

12

Carter

10

Corbin

13

Alex

13

Courtney P.

11

Ashlynn

12

Gwyn

12

Kiana

10

Aaliyah
Marshall

9
5
Figure 11
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

P a g e | 26

17 out of 26 students were able to get a passing score (11 or higher). The average student score
on this assessment was approximately 11 out of 13. This means that the majority of the students
received a passing score for this assessment.
The girls average score on the test was 11.5. The boys average score on the test was
10.57. Figure 12 breaks-down the students scores according to gender. The girls received a

Students' Chapter 12 Review Scores According to

Gender
Gabe

12

Jerry

13

Adelle

13

Jocelyn

13

Max

12

Diego

12

Spencer

13
13

Courtney D.
Richard

Bowen

13

Bridger

10
10

Sarah Jane

11

Aspen
Sammie

12

Emmanuel

11
12

Anna
Carter

Girls
Boys

10

Corbin

13

Alex

13
11

Courtney P.

12

Ashlynn

12

Gwyn
10

Kiana
9

Aaliyah
Marshall

Jeven

7
0

Figure 12
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

10

12

14

P a g e | 27

higher average score on this assessment than the boys.

ELL students scored an average to above-average score on this assessment. There were
only 2 English Language Learners present during this assessment: Diego and Emmanuel. Diego
scored 12 out of 13 on the assessment and Emmanuel scored 11 out of 13 on the assessment. The
average score that ELL students received on this assessment was 11.5. Figure 13 compares ELL
students average score with the class average. By analyzing the data, it can be determined that
the ELL students received a score that was above the class average.

Class Average

ELL Student's Average Score

10.65
11.5
10.2

10.4

10.6

10.8

11

11.2

11.4

Figure 13
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

Table 3 that starts on the following page (Page 28) provides an analysis of all of the
questions and what information the questions asked.

Questions 1-7 are organized as a

crossword puzzle. This portion of the assessment assesses students knowledge of the

11.6

P a g e | 28

vocabulary discussed throughout chapter 12. Questions 8-10 require students to apply skills
relating to representing a set of data in multiple forms. This includes being able to organize a set
of data into a tally chart, picture graph and bar graph. Questions 11-13 require students to apply
skills relating to interpreting and analyzing data. This includes having to interpret data in
multiple forms. These are important key concept that students are expected to be able to do by
the end of this chapter. These concepts were all addressed and introduced throughout chapter 12.
Question 2: tells how many each symbol
represents.
Asks students to identify the word from the
word bank that means how many each
symbol represents. The student is then
required to use this information to complete a
crossword puzzle.
Question 3: to explain what a graph shows.
Question 4: a set of numbers that represents
Asks students to identify the word from the
the data.
word bank that means to identify what a graph Asks students to identify the word from the
shows. The student is then required to use this word bank that means a set of numbers that
information to complete a crossword puzzle.
represents the data. The student is then
required to use this information to complete a
crossword puzzle.
Question 5: collected information.
Question 6: a graph that uses bars of different
Asks students to identify the word from the
lengths or heights.
word bank that means collected information. Asks students to identify the word from the
The student is then required to use this
word bank that means a graph that uses bars
information to complete a crossword puzzle.
of different lengths or heights. The student is
then required to use this information to
complete a crossword puzzle.
Question 7: to study data on a graph.
Question 8: Record the data in the tally chart.
Asks students to identify the word from the
Students are asked to refer to the set of data
word bank that means to study data on a
given to them and organize that data onto a
graph. The student is then required to use this tally chart.
information to complete a crossword puzzle.
Question 9: Display the set of data from above Question 10: Display the set of data from the
the pictograph below.
pictograph in the bar graph below.
Students are asked to use the data that they
Students are asked to refer to the pictograph
organized onto a tally chart (from question 8)
that they created for question 9 and represent
Question 1: a scaled picture graph.
Asks students to identify the word from the
word bank that means a scaled picture graph.
The student is then required to use this
information to complete a crossword puzzle.

P a g e | 29

to create a pictograph. This assesses students

ability to represent data in multiple ways.
Question 11: How many students are not
playing either a brass or a string instrument?
Students are asked to reflect on the data that
they just organized and represented. This
assesses students ability to analyze and
interpret data.

that data onto a bar graph. This assesses

students ability to represent data in multiple
ways.
Question 12: Hunter is sick today. Miss
Miller will practice with half of the students
today. How many students will practice with
Miss Miller today?
Asks students to review the data and count
how many students were included in the graph.
This assesses students ability to analyze
numerical representations present in data
collecting.

Question 13: Which two instruments do an

equal number of students play?
Students are asked to refer back to the original
set of data and identify which category has an
equal number of data points. In other words,
students are asked to determine which two
instruments are played by an equal number of
students.
Table 3
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

P a g e | 30

The questions that were missed the most were questions 11-13. These questions required
students to analyze, interpret and reflect on data. These questions required higher-order thinking
skills that some students were not able to comprehend. Figure 14 below displays the number of
students who answered each question correctly and incorrectly.

The question that students were

best able to answer correctly is question 6. No students answered this question incorrectly. This
Incorrect

Correct

11

Question 13

15
13
13

Question 12
7

Question 11

19
2

Question 10

24
3

Question 9

23
3

Question 8

23
8

Question 7

18
0

Question 6

26
7

Question 5

19
6

Question 4

20
2

Question 3

24
2

Question 2

24
3

Question 1

23
0

10

15

Figure 14
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

20

25

30

P a g e | 31

question asked students to match the definition of a bar graph with the vocabulary word. The
definition included the word bar, and it apparently made it easier for students to arrive to the
right answer.
The three students that I have chosen to analyze for this assessment are Richard, Marshall
and Jeven. Richard, Marshall, and Jeven are all on IEPs and are receiving additional assistance
from the special education department. My mentor teacher recommended that I assess these
three students for this project. All three of these students are struggling learners. It is important
to reflect on struggling learners performance in order to develop and put into action a plan to
help these students reach a standard of excellence.
All three of these students received a below-average score on this assessment. Richard
scored 4 out of 13, Marshall scored 5 out of 13 and Jeven scored 7 out of 13. All three students
were receiving assistance from a special education specialist during this assessment. However,
these students usually have difficulty remaining focused when they are in the presence of their
peers. According to Mrs. Fishel, all three of these students are friends. When they were working
with the special education assistant they were all within close range of each other. This factor
hindered these students from staying on task and focusing during the assessment.
The three students average score was 5.3. The class average score was 10.56. The
students all performed below the class average. This means, that all three of the students were
not able to pass this assessment. Figure 15 on the following page (32) compares these students
average score with the class average. After analyzing the data on Figure 15, it can be
determined that there is a fairly large discrepancy between these three students average score
and the class average.

P a g e | 32

Class's Average Score

Richard, Marshall and
Jeven's Average Score

10

12

Figure 15
Source: Mrs. Fishel, Santa Clara
Elementary 2014

P a g e | 33

Synthesis
After analyzing the data that I collected from the Chapter 12 Review, I determined that
most students were able to pass the assessment. This means that the majority of the students
were able to grasp the main concept that was the central focus of chapter 12. These students
were able to represent, analyze and interpret data. However, the three struggling students that I
analyzed performed below average. These students still require more guidance and opportunities
to refine their skills in order to reach the standard of excellence.
Most of the students had a hard time analyzing and interpreting data. Since it is likely
that there will be no more time to go back and reteach this concept, I would try to incorporate
these skills in a science lesson. This would help students apply math skills in other academic
areas and help them further develop their abilities. I would focus on teaching students how to
analyze and interpret data that they gathered through research or individual experiments. This
would provide the students with an opportunity to practice the concepts hands-on. This would
also show students how math concepts can be used in other aspects of life.
According to Mrs. Fishel, Richard, Jeven, and Marshall were distracted by each other
when the special education assistant was helping them during the assessment. In order to help
these students focus and remain on task, I would go over proper assessment-taking techniques
with the entire class. These three students, as well as all of the students in the class, need to
know how to appropriately take an assessment.
I believe that the assessment was administered in a way that was most suitable and
effective for all of the students. Having a special education specialist available in the classroom
during this assessment helped make the environment even more suitable. The questions on the
assessment were valid and they all assessed concepts that were covered throughout Chapter 12.

P a g e | 34

The way that this assessment was administered as well as the environment that it was
administered in supported student performance.

P a g e | 35

Reflection
After administering and evaluating three assessments in my practicum class, I am more
aware of the amount of meaningful data that I can gather from assessments. By evaluating
assessments, I get a unique look into the students ability level. I can use the information that I
gathered from these assessments to determine if my students are prepared to move on to the next
level or if I need to reteach concepts. Assessments are accurate ways of determining if students
are able to perform to the standard of excellence required to move on to the next academic level.
By analyzing these assessments, I can compare and contrast students performance in
relation to their contextual factors. By doing so, I get a glance into what could be affecting my
students performance. For example, if I analyze a test and discover that all of my ELL students
performed poorly on an assessment in question then it is possible that the assessment was not
worded in a way suitable for my ELL students. In these instances, it is necessary for teachers to
review their assessments and make necessary changes to make the assessments more valid and
reliable.
It is important for teachers to reflect on assessments that they administer in order for
them to know if the assessments are truly valid and reliable. When doing so, it is crucial to
consider if the assessments are truly assessing what you want them to assess. If math test is
filled with complex wording, then that could hinder students performance.
This entire project really opened my eyes to the value of assessments. I used to have a
very strong misconception about assessments. I used to believe that assessments were just a
necessary part of academics, and I thought that they were just used to determine what grade a
student should receive in a class. I now know that assessments go much deeper than that. The
effectiveness of an assessment does not rely only on student performance, but also on the
teachers ability to analyze and interpret the data collected by the assessments. I did not know
that assessments could be used to plan future instruction and design a plan to help students reach
the standard of excellence.
Assessments not only serve as a tool to assess students ability levels, but they also help
assess teaching effectiveness. If students perform poorly on an assessment then it is important
for teachers to reflect on their instruction. If all students are performing poorly on an
assessment, then it is possible that the teacher did not provide the students with the necessary
skills or information to perform well on the assessment. Assessments are meant to assess if
students have achieved the necessary learning objectives, and if students are not able to perform
well on the test then it is possible that the teacher did not teach the learning objective effectively.
After completing this project, I am more aware of how involved teachers are in the
performance of their students. Teachers are not only teachers, but they are also scientists and
data collectors. Teachers are able to assess students to see if they have met the required learning
objectives, and they can also use those same objectives to determine if their teaching has been
effective. I now know that assessments are an incredibly crucial part in the education process.
How could someone put so much effort in creating an assessment if they are not going to reflect
on the information gathered from the assessment? It seems almost pointless if teachers were to
give out tests and not analyze and synthesize the results afterwards.
Assessments provide teachers with such an extraordinary view into the learning process.
Teachers are able to collect assessments over a period of time and then compare the results to
analyze student growth and progress. These types of assessments could also be used to show
students parents how their child has progressed over time. Assessments provide concrete

P a g e | 36

evidence of an abstract concept and I now understand the importance of being able to correctly
interpret assessments.