Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

Part 5: Self-Reflection and Scholarly Pathway Check-Ins as Student-Led Assessment Incorporating dialogue journals and critical friend work helped with student-led assessment. Students not only received feedback from the teacher, they received feedback from their peers. These exchanges helped students understand expectations, act on feedback from their CFs, and set learning goals for themselves. Giving students time to reflect on their own work helped them to think about what they learned and assess their own effort and success. Reflections, Self-Evaluations, and Scholarly Pathways were examples of student-led assessment that I used from the beginning of the year. These tools fostered critical thinking. Students learned how to evaluate and assess their own learning and I could see through the students reflections whether or not they truly understood a concept, not only by what they had written, but also by the goals or next steps they set for themselves. When a student could critically analyze their own work and set goals for themselves for next time, I inferred that students were developing the strategies for continuous life-long learning. Students learned not just the content, but also acquired transferrable skills; the capabilities and attributes of a self-directed learner such as self- monitoring, self-managing, and self-modifying as Costa and Kallick stated (2000). The Scholars Pathway Students at Phoenix follow the traits of a scholar developed by Dr. Sandra Kaplan (2007). In my experience, teaching and developing these traits helped students focus on behaviors associated with disciplinarians in any field. Students were introduced to these traits early on in their years at Phoenix and each grade level addressed them differently. In the upper grades, students spent time looking at biographies of well-known, famous people such as Steve Jobs, Abraham Lincoln, and Mother Teresa. Students identified evidence/examples to support how their famous person exhibited the traits of a scholar. Students made connections and saw real life examples of these behaviors. These traits gave students the expectations and criteria they needed in order to develop into life long learners (Appendix B). Findings

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

In the beginning of the year, the 6th and 8th grade students started their pathways by first completing a self- evaluation for Intellectual Traits (Appendix N). In it, students were asked to think about the details in the descriptions of intellectual responsibilities, and then circle the number that best matched how they rated themselves in each category. After circling their rating, students were asked to write the goals and action plan that showed how they would work toward demonstrating the traits regularly. Below is a list of the traits and their descriptors: Intellectual Leadership Lead by being a role model for others Take the initiative Be prepared Help others with learning Intellectual Courage Take risks Respectfully challenge others Actively participate Think outside the box Intellectual Humility Practice scholarly behaviors without showing off Do not steal others opportunities to learn or think Intellectual Aggressiveness Use evidence to support your ideas Defend your thoughts Use multiple resources Of the 22 sixth graders who filled out the self-evaluation, under Intellectual Leadership only four out of 22 felt they demonstrated leadership always. Ten said that sometimes they felt they demonstrated intellectual leadership. I found this not too surprising, as the whole point of my study was to focus on taking initiative, being prepared, and helping others. These traits seemed to align with self-

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

modifying, self-managing, and self-monitoring behaviors that Costa and Kallick found in self-directed learners. After students completed the self-evaluation, I introduced them to the Scholars Pathway. I introduced the pathway through a lesson. I showed scholars an interstate highway map of California as shown below.

I asked students to define a route or pathway. Then I explained to students that everyone could take different routes to get to their destinations. How one reaches ones destinations, depends on the driver. I proceeded to show the students my HTH Scholarly Pathway. MY SCHOLARLY PATHWAY Destination AR question, I told students that I had a In progress destination, a goal for myself as a learner and I had to identify my origin, where I was starting in my educational journey. Then I Origin proceeded to ask each to become a better educator student to think about his or and teacher leader her goals/their destination and jot them down in their Discovery Journals. Then I asked them to list these goals on another sheet of paper and one student said, Can we list them creatively? I said, Of course, this is your destination and the start to your journey! I told the students that they were going to keep an ongoing check in with their pathway

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

throughout the school year. As I looked over the student goals, they seemed pretty vague and definitely in need of in-depth thinking. Scholarly Pathway Check-Ins I wanted my students to reflect on their learning journey through the year, so I decided to have Scholarly Pathway Check- ins each month. I had the scholars think about how their paths looked at that moment in October in terms of their learning and the goals they had set for themselves at the beginning of the school year. One of my 6th grade students got super excited about reflecting on her journey and drawing what her path looked like at that moment in October. She even suggested to the class that each check-in should be about two inches in length because if we wanted about a foot long pathway by the end of the school year, wed have to be careful on how long the pathway was for each month. This same student suggested we do scholarly check-ins on our weekly Scholarly Reflections (where students reflect each week on what they did, learned, connection, big ideas, etc.). Here is a couple of scholarly pathway check-ins for 10/9/12: This scholar recognized he wasnt turning in work consistently with quality, which was demonstrated, in his stair-like representation. As his pathway progressed, he began to add goals for himself.

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

This scholar chose to create three different pathways for three different subject areas. The swirls represented how he was pondering about integers in Math, but then started to get it.

Ill be Doing Good, then Bad. Good, Bad, Good Bad As I looked over each scholarly pathway check in in October and November, students had a general idea on how they were progressing academically toward their end of the year goals. However, what they were writing in their reflection was very vague and general, as evidenced in this check in example from 11/15/12 by Julie: Im really struggling in math, so everything feels like it is spinning and making me feel sick. In other subjects, Ill be doing good, then bad. Good, bad, good, bad. Its frustrating!..And a little embarrassing.

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

Even though this comment seemed vague in terms of actual evidence to support how she was doing, it gave me some powerful information about how to help Julie feel supported and how I had to create lessons and opportunities for learning and success for her. The actuality was that she knew she was struggling and could identify how she was doing, but she didnt clearly identify specific work examples or set proactive goals for herself or she didnt identify what she needed to do to overcome these shortcomings for herself. I wanted her to specifically identify an area in math she was struggling with on her pathway, so that she could focus her attention on what she needed to work on academically. I was on a mission to do more work in the dialogue journals between the 8th grade and 6th grade CFs. I needed models for my 6th graders in terms of how to specifically address student-led assessment. Students needed more practice in using feedback and seeing constructive feedback. Having the scholars check in was a valuable tool for me, as the teacher, but also for the students. This was valuable for me because I was able to obtain some feedback from students about how they were feeling about their learning at that moment. I could adjust my lessons or discussions based on their feedback. For Julie, since I didnt teach math, I suggested that she might want to attend the afterschool tutoring session that some of our 6th-8th grade students chose for their community action project at PLC. Next thing I knew was Julie signed up to get some extra support for math. This was exciting news and I was pleased that she teamed up with an 8th grade student who was strong in math. Giving students time to reflect on themselves helped them see where they were as a learner and where they needed to go or where they would like to go. It started to become clearer for me that a self-directed learner was someone who: Used the feedback of others (multiple perspectives) Sought challenges or met challenges head on (persevere) Valued continuous learning (curious)

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

Using Scholarly Pathway Check-In was a valuable tool that gave students time to reflect on their learning, and the symbolic representation of the path helped them visualize their journey. Students were beginning to articulate how they were feeling, how they were doing academically, and what they needed to do to steer their path toward the destination/goals they set forth in the beginning of the year. One student stated on his pathway, I hit a little dip where I could not focus. And got a bad score on a math test. He recognized something he needed to work on and understood the result of his actions. In the other pathway the student stated, I am really happy with my progress right now. With my Ancient Egypt I.S, I got a 140/140! I put so much effort into that project. I cant wait to study more about Judaism. Although the student focused on the grade, she was eager to move onto another topic of interest to her and she was happy that her effort matched her grade. Both of these examples supported that the students valued continuous learning and were thinking about how they would meet challenges head on! Self-Reflections and Self-Evaluations Another important element of student-led assessment was adding self-reflections and self-evaluations after projects students created. This key piece that showed the students that their voice really mattered in how they learned. After every project students were asked to evaluate their work based on the criteria listed for that project. This kind of self-evaluation was extremely important to me, as well as the student. First of all, the students had to understand the expectations of the assignment and had to clearly convey what they learned about the content, as well as think critically about it. Students had to determine whether or not they had evidence to support the score they gave themselves. Not only could students assess their knowledge and effort, they would set goals for themselves, identifying areas for improvement. All of these were examples of self-direction or self-regulated learning behaviors. The other benefit of having students self-assess and reflect was the teacher had evidence of whether they understood the concept or not through their reflections. 71

Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

After students completed projects, they would complete either a self-evaluation or self-reflection about the product. On the exit slip for self-reflection, I asked students four direct questions to help them reflect on their work: Where in your work reflects your deepest understanding? Explain. What strategies did you use to complete your work with quality? Did you hit any roadblocks and what did you do to overcome the issue(s)? How do you feel about your end product? Below were examples of student reflections on a Tuck Everlasting differentiated book jacket project: Where in your work reflects your deepest understanding? Explain Andrew: Probably my response because I worked a long time on it and talks a lot about the book. Heather: My response to literature shows my best understanding by my strong pieces of evidence, and my connections and my strong message: Living forever can be a curse. Julie: My unanswered questions because I took more time to think about it, plus I added page numbers. Paul: I reflect on the inside of my tuck book jacket I spent a lot of time. What strategies did you use to complete your work with quality? Did you hit any roadblocks and what did you do to overcome the issue(s)? Andrew: I hit a roadblock when I realized I had left my response at school so I had to finish that throughout the week it was due. Heather: I made my jacket high quality by adding a color skeem, and lots of writing. Julie: I completed my work with some quality. A roadblock I hit was the cover, and I solve it just by adding shading. Paul: I hit many roadblocks such as my dog, tv, yawning, and video games. I over came that by thinking how good Ill feel when the homework is done. How do you feel about your end product? 72

Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

Andrew: I think I did ok on my final product, but I got it in late. Heather: I feel ok about this project. I wish I could type all of my pieces instead. I could have supported my big idea with evidence from the text. Julie: I feel okay about the end product. Not my best, and I could add more. I just needed to take my time on it and not rush. Paul: I feel great. I feel like my work is improving a lot and I know Ill get a good grade.

These little reflections gave the students the opportunity to share what was really important to them in their work, as well think about their work and what they could do next time. Most of the 6th grade scholars were beginning to identify specific examples of what they liked about their work, as well as how they handled issues in their project. I wondered if the specific feedback given by their cross-age critical friends aided them in the development of self-directed learning capabilities. I used these exit-type slips for most projects and I always learned something important about the students that helped drive my instruction. Name: Date: After almost all Evaluation for Ancient Egypt Project larger projects, I had Teacher Comments Self Evaluation/Comments students complete a Product Includes: a deep understanding of self-evaluation your chosen topic. all elements stated on (Appendix 0) for product description sheet (50 points) projects as shown to the right: (20 points) Illustrations/graphics/visual representations (10 points) Bibliography 3 resources used (10 points) Research Notes (50 points) Overall Presentation Did you shoot for the stars and do professional work? Total points: (140 points)
Your presentation of information shows your deeper understanding of the topic studied. Big Idea is proven and explained

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

The self-evaluations provided an opportunity for students to reflect on their work based on criteria. Students looked over their work and analyzed it for content and process. Students learned how to give specific examples to support what they did and what they learned. They also were encouraged to include areas for improvement. By doing these self-evaluations, students got to be a part of the process of grading and evaluating. One 8th grader stated on an exit slip, I think evaluating /reflecting on your work is important because by reviewing your work you are able to conclude how well you did on the assignment. This statement showed me that the student was developing skills of a self-directed learner. A 6th grader stated, I think that reflecting on work has a value because then you see what you did and how you did. You can also see what you need to improve on. These statements were valuable to me because it meant that they were recognizing the importance of student-led assessment. This meant students were developing as self- directed learners who could modify, manage, and monitor what they were doing. End of the Grading Period Reflections At the end of the grading period, I asked the students to take some time to reflect on their year so far in History and Language Arts, the two subject areas I teach. I had them read through the standards we had addressed so far and think about the research they had done, the reading, the projects, the writing, and the lessons. Here was the cover sheet for scholars: End of the Reporting Period Reflection Directions: Take this time to reflect on your year so far in History and Language Arts. Read through the standards addressed so far and think about the research youve done, the reading, the projects, the writing and the lessons. Attach another sheet of paper to this document to write your reflection. OR maybe you want to demonstrate your understanding in a more creative way, just let me know what your presentation of knowledge will be before you start. Make sure your parents read your reflection and sign it before turning it in. Summarize and reflect on what you have learned so far this year in History and Language Arts. Include examples that demonstrate your understanding and learning. Include what ideas or things struck you. Include any problems or roadblocks you encountered. Include overall, how you feel about what youve learned and how you participated in your learning. Lastly, Draw your scholarly pathway so far this year.

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Kathleen Blough FINDINGS: HOW CAN I INCORPORATE STUDENT-LED ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP SELF-DIRECTED LEARNERS?

A surprising result of this reflection came from Andrew, my reflection road-blocker. He wrote a two-page reflection about himself! This was shocking to me because at the beginning of the year, Andrew left questions blank about his learning and how he felt about himself as a learner on the initial survey. Here was his essay: So far this year I have done lots of projects. I have chosen 4 projects from Language Arts and history to reflect on. My first example is my history accordion book. I had 4-5 facts about each hominid group, and a good a good understanding of early man. One cool fact I learned was that homo habilis used fire, while homo erectus learned to make it. The notes took a long time, and I feel I deserve a proficient. My second piece of evidence is my response to literature. We had to describe how a quote relates to the story and a big idea. I noticed the 1 quote influences the entire story, and is a key quote. I was a little behind on my rough draft and when we were working on the final, I was not in the classroom. I feel that I could have done a better job and I rushed a lot. My final piece of evidence is my science current event. When doing these I learn a lot of scientific facts and new ideas. I usually focus on astronomy, because there is a lot of research in that field. It can be difficult when the article doesnt have a lot of facts, and there are often long titles and website addresses. It can be easy at times and hard at other times, and articles can be interesting and boring. Overall, I feel I could do better at managing time well and finishing work but I am still doing quality work. ~ Andrew First of all, Andrew had learned how to reflect on his learning by evaluating himself and setting goals for himself. The notes took a long time, and I feel I deserve a proficient, and yet he stated in another project, I could have done a better job and I rushed a lot. These examples showed how Andrew critically analyzed his own learning. He even showed how he sought a challenge by stating, I could do better at managing time well and finishing work. All of these statements showed his ability to self assess and how he had an understanding of those capabilities that lead him to self-direction, life-long learning. Im not sure if the dialogue journals or the continual use of reflection in class had contributed to this development with Andrew. I sense that it was a combination of all elements as I stated in the beginning of my action research - clear expectations, time for reflection, time for peer feedback all make up and create what I call student-led assessment. All of these together led to self-directed learning.

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