Student Academic Progress Assignment

Background: The Virginia Department of Education mandates that all teacher education programs provide information on the
documentation of student learning by their student teachers. Therefore, we require each student teacher to document students
learning once during their student teaching experience. This documentation involves assessing each classroom students content
knowledge of a skill, concept, idea, view, or theory before it is taught and then assessing the students learning as a result of
his/her teaching. The following is a template for the documentation of student learning. This model is currently the sample of
goal setting for student academic progress provided by the Virginia Department of Education. Many local school districts use a
variation of this assignment.

Part A. Chart
I.
Setting: Describe the population and special learning circumstances of your students (Ex.
number of students, gender, ethnicity, academic levels, ability grouping).
II.
Content/Subject/Field Area: Choose a unit of instruction (at least 3-5 lessons). Describe the
area/topic addressed based on learner achievement, data analysis, or observational data. State
SOLs or National Standards.
III.
Baseline Data: What is shown by the current pre-test assessment data?
IV.
SMART Goal Statement: Describe what you want learners to accomplish.
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, Timely)
V.
Means for Attaining Goal: Overview of the strategies you will use to accomplish the goal(s).
Part B. Reflection
VI.
Pre-Assessment Analysis: How will you pre-assess before teaching? Create or choose a
baseline data collection instrument. Why did you choose this instrument? What are the strengths
and/or weaknesses in the instrument? Administer the pre-test assessment. Analyze the results of
the data. What does the data show? Prepare a graphic representation (ex. bar graph) of each
students pre-assessment data. Clearly indicate each students progress.
VII.
Means for Attaining Goal(s): Describe in detail what you want learners to accomplish based
on the data collected. How did you arrive at these goals? Describe your plan for instruction based
on information from the pretest. Include the teaching strategies used and include a justification
for your instructional decisions. How did the results inform your instructional planning? Be
specific. This should be an expansion of part V (above).
VIII. Analyze the results: Administer the post-test assessment. Analyze the results of the data.
What does the data show? Prepare a graphic representation of each students post-assessment data
compared to the pre-assessment data (ex: double bar graph). Clearly indicate each students
progress. Discuss the reasons for student results and implications for further instruction (For
example: what went well, what you might change if you had it to do again, what you will do in
subsequent lessons). Were the goals achieved?
Part C. Lesson Plans and Supplemental Materials
IX.
Include complete Bridgewater College format lesson plans (at least 3-5) that directly relate to
the goals and objectives. Include a copy of any supplemental resources (ex. assessment,
worksheets) you used to assist students in this unit but do not include individual student papers.
A score of 75% or higher must be achieved in each category to pass this assignment - Any category with a DN must be revised

SAPA
Teacher Candidates Name: Sierra Martin

School: W.W. Robinson Elementary School

Subject/Grade: All/1st Grade

Cooperating Teacher(s): Ms. Loughry & Ms. Ross

School Year: Fall 2016

Directions: This form is a tool to assist teachers in setting a goal that results in measurable learner
progress. NOTE: When applicable, learner achievement/progress should be the focus of the goal. Enter
information electronically into the cells (the boxes will expand to fit the text).
I. Setting

For my specific Student Teaching Experience, I am working with Ms.

Loughry and Ms. Ross. Ms. Loughry focuses on Math, Social Studies, and
Science and Ms. Ross focuses on Reading and Language Arts with Science
and Social Studies woven through her curriculum.
Ms. Loughrys class consists of eleven girls and eight boys, with a total of
nineteen students. There are three African American students and sixteen
Caucasion students. None of her students receive ELL/ESL services. Three
students receive Special Education services (DD/OHI/SLI/ED), two are
under review for eligibility (moving out of the DD age group), and two
more students are in the review process for Child Study and future IEP
eligibility meetings. Four students are under review for Title 1 services.
Several students are on review for TDT services that will be finalized in the
coming weeks/months. Three students receive Speech services.
Ms. Ross class consists of eleven girls and eight boy, with a total of
nineteen students as well. There are nine Hispanic/Latino students and ten
Caucasion students. Eight students receive ELL/ESL services of some sort
and one family opted out of ELL/ESL services for their child. Three
students receive Special Education services (ID/ED). Two students are
under review for Child Study and future IEP eligibility meetings. Three
students are under review for Title 1 services. Several students are under
review for TDT services. None of her students receive Speech services.

II. Content/Subject/Field Area

For this assignment, I have worked with 21 students (12 from Ms.
Loughrys class and 9 from Ms. Ross class). Many of these students are
below grade level in reading and math but working towards obtaining the
skills to become on grade level in terms of knowledge and application of
content by the end of the first nine weeks.
Subject: Mathematics
Strand: Geometry
Standard: 1.12 The student will identify and trace, describe, and sort plane
geometric figures (triangle, square, rectangle, and circle) according to
number of sides, vertices, and right angles.
Essential Knowledge: The student will use problem solving, mathematical
communication, mathematical reasoning, connections, and representations
to:
Describe a circle.
Trace triangles, squares, rectangles, and circles.
Describe triangles, squares, and rectangles by the number of sides, vertices,
and right angles.
Sort plane geometric figures into appropriate subsets (categories) based on
characteristics (number of sides, vertices, angles, curved, etc.).
Identify the name of the geometric figure when given information about the

number of sides, vertices, and right angles.**

III. Baseline Data

**Highlighted material was the focus of content during this week of

planning, instruction, and remediation.
Before administering the PreTest, one could observe that the students were
at a little-to-no level of understanding of vertices and right angles. The week
before my lessons, my Cooperating Teacher, Ms. Loughry, had begun
instruction on plane geometric shapes and touched base on the fact that they
had sides. During the week of my SAPA assignment instruction, I delved
more into what makes a side, how many sides the specific shapes have, what
makes a vertex and vertices, how many vertices each shape has, what makes
up a right angle, which shapes have right angles, and how many right angles
each shape has.
After administering the PreTest, I could infer that the students had very little
understanding of vertices and right angles. In regards to the questions
concerning both concepts, it was assumed that the students might have just
saw the number 4 and chose the shape that had four of something,
whether they counted the sides or the corners. The PreTest showed me that
there were some outlying students who needed a lot of remediation and
guidance to focus on the new concepts, while other students might have had
an understanding or made their best educated guess, in order to receive a
higher score than anticipated. I also considered the fact that the students, as
discussed before, just counted until they saw four of something and did not
really focus on counting just the sides or just the vertices (corners) like
asked in the questions.
As suggested and discussed with my Cooperating Teacher, I included a
repeated question as a test to see if they were realy focusing on the task at
hand, and also because the shapes indicated were ones that the students
struggled with, for example: a triangle. After further discussion and
analyizing, I also noticed that the fifth question, or the house question,
was worded in a way that might have confused the students. It was
suggested that in the future I take that question out completely or word it
something like this, Do you see a shape that has any right angles? Circle
it.

The data received from this PreTest guided me to focus on the vertices of a
triangle, the whole concept of a right angle, what shapes contain right
angles, how one can describe a shape by its vertices and its sides, and
drawing/showing the shapes with accuracy in regards to the specific
characteristics.
IV. SMART Goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, Timely)
Goal
Observable Behavior
Criteria
Measurement
be able to aquire the appropraite
identify, create, describe,
sides, vertices (corners), administering
knowledge of shapes by their many
show
and right angles of
the PostTest
characteristics
shapes
SMART Goal Statement: 75% or more of the students will be able to recognize and describe plane geometric shapes
(triangle, square, rectangle, and circle) by their number of sides, vertices, and right angles with 75-80% accuracy by the
end of a weeks worth of small group instruction.

V. Means for Attaining Goal

Strategy
Use shape manipulatives to discuss
what the shape is and how many sides it
has. Ask critical questions like how do
you know it has sides and what makes
up a side? Describe a shape by its
number of sides and have student
choose the appropriate shape from a
pile of manipulatives. Count the
number of sides together.
Use shape manipulatives to discuss how
many sides the shape has as a review.
Point to the corners and ask what it is.
Discuss how it is called a vertex and the
shape has multiple vertices. Count the
number of vertices. Discuss what makes
up a vertex (corner). Use the
vocabulary over and over again. Have
students choose the appropriate shape
described from the pile of
manipulatives based on its number of
vertices.
Use GeoBoards to show vertices and
sides (review) and right angles. Discuss
what a right angle is and what makes up
a right angle. Have students make a
right angle with their arm. Discuss that
the sides need to be straight and not
diagonal. Show shapes and point out
their right angles. Ask students if they
see any right angles. Count right angles.
Use GeoBoards again to further discuss
right angles. Have students make the
shape asked of them and to count out
the number of sides. Using the same
shape ask if there are any right anlges in
the shape, point and count them. Do
this for all the shapes (triangles,
squares, and rectangles where
applicable). Review of all concepts at
the end.

Evidence
Students describe a shape by
its number of sides and what
makes up a side. Students
use the pile of shape
manipulatives to show the
shape described. Count the
number of sides along with
the group.

Target Date
End of Day One or beginning of Day Two

Students describe a shape by

its number of sides and how
many vertices it has.
Students discuss what makes
up a vertex. Use the pile of
manipulatives to choose the
appropriate shape described.
Count the number of vertices
along with the group.

End of Day Two or beginning of Day Three

Students describe a shape by

its number of vertices and
right angles. Students
discuss what makes up a
right angle. Count right
angles. Point out right
angles.

End of Day Three and Day Four

(anticipating that right angles may take
longer to grasp)

Students use the GeoBoards

to show shapes, count their
sides, and point out any right
angles. Discuss which
shapes have right angles and
which shapes do not.

End of Day Four or beginning of Day Five

(quick review before PostTest if needed)

Reflection
Pre-Assessment Analysis

Before the start of mapping out and planning lessons, I had a week to assess what the
students knew in regards to shapes as my Cooperating Teacher began instruction on shapes and
their characteristics. After much discussion with her on what kind of assessment tool would be
appropriate for the group of learners, I decided to go with a concrete, paper-pencil form of
assessment. I used high frequency images that were relatable to the students instead of numbered
questions so they would not become confused by what numbered question they were on and
what number of sides or vertices they were looking for in a specific shape. I also used page
breaks between questions to keep their focus on one question at a time. I decided that I would
read the questions one at a time to the students in order to pace their thinking, keep the lesson on
track, and ensure they understood the question and the directions. All-in-all, the assessment went

well and the students responded well to my encouragement for them to make their best guess
because this was just a way for them to show Ms. Martin what they know and what we need to
work on that week. My Cooperating Teacher uses this tactic when assessing knowledge before
her units, and it went well for me as well.

Overall, I believe the assessment tool was a fairly accurate representation of what the
students would be expected to know at the end of this unit, and for a future SOL test. There was a
balance of questions relating to sides, vertices, and right angles. I decided to have a question
where the students would have a chance to show what they knew and how to demonstrate that on
paper (drawing the shape described). I had a listed twice in order to really gauge if the students
were aware of the number of sides and vertices in a triangle and how different it is compared to
the other shapes. I realized after administering the PreTest that the question marked with the
House might have been worded in a way that was confusing for the students. If I could change
the questions and give the test again, I would have asked it in a different way, for example: Do
you see a shape that has right angles? Circle it. The wording I had originally had could have
made it seem like the shape they were looking for only had one right angle, when it really had
four right angles. I also noticed after grading the assessments that some students might have
circled the shapes they did only because of the number shown in the questions, not because they
knew that a square has four vertices, but it had four of something when a triangle only had three.
This is something that I will be looking closely at when it comes time to administer and assess
the PostTest results.
After looking at the PreTest results, I noticed that many students were average or above
average in their scores, while other students were at an outlier level of knowledge. Many of the
students missed the House and Boat labeled questions, which was not anticipated in the
beginning. Further discussion and analyzing with my Cooperating Teacher guided me see that
the possibility of confusion in regards to some of the wording to the questions was relevant,
although my reading of the questions was a great tactic used in order to alleviate excessive
confusion. These PreTest results helped guide my instruction in regards to a deeper focus on the
vocabulary surrounding vertices, how to find vertices, what makes up vertices, the vocabulary

surrounding right angles, how to point out right angles, and what makes up a right angle. I knew
early on that I would need to remediate some students in a small group setting in order to fill in
the gaps regarding a few missed questions where the student was asked the number of sides or
what shape had no sides. The following week after my PreTest was based on assisting my
Cooperating Teacher during whole group math and then fully planning and administering
instruction in the small group setting for remediation and further content delivery.

Means for Attaining Goal(s)

Once I analyzed the PreTest results, I knew that I needed to spend at least a day on each
concept (sides, vertices, and right angles), with room to really focus on a concept to ensure the
students were fully grasping the vocabulary and descriptions. I knew that my instruction needed
to correlate with my Cooperating Teacher's instruction and activities in order to maintain
consistency with the new concepts. I decided early on that I would not be using any worksheets
during the week of my instruction. Rather, I wanted to get the students working with various
manipulatives in order for them to be able to learn about the shapes and concepts while also
being able to create them, not just look at them on a sheet of paper or on the SmartBoard. I first
began instruction on the shapes themselves in regards to the students ability to recognize and
describe all the shapes (square, circle, rectangle, triangle). This was important to solidify in order
for the students to then connect the shape to its specific, and sometimes unique, set of
characteristics. The next step in my instruction was to focus on the number of sides each shape
possessed. We explore this topic by having students touch and count the sides using plastic shape
manipulatives. The students were able to use these materials to show me a shape when asked and
to count along with me while they pointed to or slide their finger across each side of the shape. I
knew that for this specific group of students that activities and concepts would have to be made

very tactile and relevant. Each day I would ask students what in the classroom or school could be
described by its shape and sides, and I continued this the entire week.
As I moved to the concepts of vertices and right angles, I had to do a little research and
resource discovering in order to teach the concept in a way that students would genuinely
understand and be able to apply later. I decided that on my day of instructing the concept of
vertices that I would have the students practice saying the term a few times while they pointed to
them on the shape while I pointed to the vertices. With this class having so many students who
receive ESL services, I knew that understanding the vocabulary was vital to the building of their
knowledge. I also decided to call the vertices corners as well because this was a term they
knew and understood. During the activities I would ask students to point and count the vertices
or corners. At the end of instruction I had students who would call them vertices and then some
that associated them with being corners. This was something I discussed with my Cooperating
Teacher and we knew it would be vocabulary that they would obtain over time. When it came
time to teach about right angles, I decided to use as many manipulatives as I could in order to
show the students that for the angle to be a right angle, it had to be as straight as possible. We
used GeoBoards for the main instructional supplementary material and the students loved being
able to create the shapes with the GeoBands. Some students continued to confuse the terms and
others began to associate everything as a side. I decided to further explain that a right angle is
made when two straight sides meet. I showed this by taking off bands and holding up my arm to
show a right angle. I had the students do the same thing while practicing saying, Right angle,
right angle, right on and flexing their muscles. I wanted to create something else visual to the
concept in order to reach struggling students, and my ESL learners.

Analyze the Results

After implementing my last day of instruction and administering the PostTest, I had many
conversations with my Cooperating Teacher about further remediation during the next week of
small group instruction. We discussed what went well, what did not go as planned, and what
concepts would just be difficult for the students developmentally. I continued to read the
questions to the students one-by-one as I did during the PreTest, but this time had folder dividers
up so students would not be able to look off another peer's paper when confused. This definitely
helped with keeping the results from being skewed by that outlying circumstance. Once I began
to analyze the PostTest results, I knew it was important to consider new outlying circumstances
in regards to student improvement or decline in score.

One can see from the results above that seven students improved, some significantly, in
their scores. Five students scores remained the same between both tests. This was something
that really surprised me, and I knew I had to take time to research the meaning of these results.
Upon discussion with my Cooperating Teacher, it was determined that perhaps these students
were among the few who possibly looked off a peer's paper during the PreTest, but after

instruction may have then been able to perform using their own knowledge. During small group
instruction, it was clear that three of the five students were able to apply their own knowledge of
shapes, their sides, vertices, and right angles when working through various activities, and in
turn, being able to obtain the same high results when it came to the PostTest.
As I had done with the PreTest, I wanted to investigate the students who received a
perfect score on the PostTest assessment. After the PreTest, it was discussed and assumed that the
students who received scores of 100% were students that might have made their best educated
guess or even used context clues in the questions in order to choose the answer that made the
most sense to them. In regards to the PostTest, it was clear through observation during
instruction that the nine students who received perfect scores were the students who did
understand and apply the content accurately and paid attention during instruction in regards to
analyze the important details of the information. The PostTest results were even more insightful
than the PreTest due to the use of separated file folders because it helped to further my small
group instruction through remedial strategies and activities into the next few weeks. These two
assessments, results, and lessons from the week of small group instruction also helped to guide
our purpose and use of math stations during small group time, as another way for students to
apply their knowledge, and remediate their skills on their own, in an ongoing and engaging way.
In correlation to whether or not I achieved the goal I developed after assessing the
PreTest, I would say that I have achieved my goal to the best of my and the students abilities.
When analyzing the PostTest data and evaluating my goal, I believe I did achieve it in regards to
the ten students who made improvements to their PreTest scores and received a 75-88% on their
PostTest. I did not, however, feel it was accurate to take into account the four students who
maintain a score of 100% on both assessments. I did observe these students making
improvements throughout the week, but because the data was skewed in the beginning, I was not

able to make full judgement based on their scores. Instead, I was able to base their grounds for
improvement on their application of knowledge throughout the week of small group instruction
where we delved into the content. There were also four students who made great improvements
and jumped leaps-and-bounds in order to truly grasp the concepts and work for a score on the
PostTest that was three-to-four times the score they received on the PreTest. These students
scores were also very helpful when analyzing the data because these were the students who very
much needed the remediation and small group instruction. They thrived from the environment
and truly worked towards grasping the concepts in order to apply them later on.
In analyzing some strategies that did not work or concepts that we would need to further
remediate in the following week, I had three students who received a 100% score on their
PreTest, but declined in their PostTest scores by almost two letter grades, to put them into
perspective. These are the students I considered when analyzing the skewed data, but these
students were also ones who might not have benefited from the small group instruction as much
as others. I believe that these three students would have benefited much more from an even
smaller group setting or even one-on-one instruction. These were the students with attention or
behavior struggles and had plenty of outside distractions that affected their means to learn during
our time that week. I know that these are the students who will benefit from the further
remediation. On the other hand, these three students did not score significantly lower than their
100% on the PreTest, but it is something to duly note because they did fall behind during
instruction, and it did show on the PostTest.
In reflection of my entire weeks worth of instruction and formative assessment, I would
gather that the students retained a lot of information in a short amount of time for their ability
levels, and their application of the information was the better than anticipated. The students who
struggled throughout the week are ones that will most definitely need and receive remedial

services next week during small group math time from either myself or my Cooperating Teacher.
The students who did not improve as much as anticipated will also receive remedial services next
week as well, and many of these students are also the students who struggled to grasp certain
concepts during instruction this week. I do, however, plan to review the number of sides,
vertices, and right angles in regards to the squares, triangles, and rectangles during the small
group rotation times next week. Once that week of small group remediation and instruction is
over, my Cooperating Teacher and myself plan on working out a time for students who are still
struggling with specific topics to receive one-on-one services in order to solidify the concepts for
further reference when we move to growing patterns and addition in the weeks to come. I
anticipate that the students will greatly benefit from small group review and remediation, and the
further review when learning growing patterns.

Student Academic Progress Assignment Rubric

CATEGORY

EE (4)

ME (3)

DE (2)

DN (1)

TOTAL

Thorough and clear

description of the population
and special learning

Complete description of
the population and
special learning

Brief description of the

population and learning
circumstances of your

Very brief
description of the
population and

__ x 1 = ___

Part A: Chart
I. Setting

circumstances of your
students.

circumstances of your
students.

students.

learning
circumstances or not
included

II. Content/
Subject/ Field
Area

Clear description of the

content, subject, and field
area. Includes all relevant
SOLs or National Standards

Complete description of
the content, subject, and
field area. Includes all
relevant SOLs or
National Standards

Brief description of
content, subject, and
field area. Some SOLs
or National Standards
included.

Very brief
description of
content, subject, and
field area and/or
SOLs or National
Standards or are
missing.

__ x 1 = ___

III. Baseline
Data

Clear description of baseline

data and thoughtful analysis
of the results.

Complete description of
baseline data and
analysis of the results.

Brief description of
baseline data and
limited analysis of the
results.

Very brief
description of
baseline data and/or
analysis of the
results.

__ x 1 = ___

IV. SMART
Goal Statement

Includes a strong goal

statement appropriate for
content area, grade level,
and students. Goal is
directly related to lesson
plans and is clearly a result
of the pre-assessment data.

A complete goal
statement is provided
that is appropriate for the
content area, grade, level
and students.

Weak goal statement

provided.

Very weak goal

statement or
statement not
included.

__ x 1 = ___

Very clear and insightful

description of student
results; including clear
analysis of strengths and
weaknesses of assessment
and possible contributors to
results. Excellent graphic
representation (ex. bar
graph) of each students preassessment data included.

A complete description
of student results are
including some analysis
of strengths and
weaknesses of
assessment with possible
contributors to results.
Graphic representation
(ex. bar graph) of each
students pre-assessment
data included.

Brief description of
student results are
including limited
analysis of strengths
and weakness of
assessment. Weak
graphic representation
(ex. bar graph) of each
students preassessment data
included.

Very brief
description of
student results and/or
missing analysis
and/or incomplete
graphic
representation or preassessment data.

__ x 4 = ___

VII. Means for

attaining the
goal

Clear and thorough

description of goals and
well-constructed plans for
instruction. Includes
thoughtful justification for
teaching strategies used.

Description of goals and

plans for instruction.
Includes justification for
teaching strategies used.

Brief description
overview of goals and
plans for instruction.
Limited justification
for teaching strategies
used.

Very brief
description and/or
missing goals and/or
plans for instruction.

__ x 4 = ___

VIII. PostAssessment
Analysis

Very clear and insightful

description of student
results; clear articulation of
possible contributors to
results; individual student
results analyzed based on
teacher self-evaluation;
excellent insights;
adaptations for future
teaching clearly articulated
and appropriate. Excellent
graphic representation (ex.

A complete description
of student results
including some
possible contributors to
results. Individual
student results analyzed
based on teacher selfevaluation; adequate
insights; adaptations for
future teaching
articulated and
appropriate. Graphic

Brief description of
student results
including; limited
analysis of cause;
teacher self-evaluation
but does not show
insight. Weak graphic
representation (ex. bar
graph) of each
students preassessment and postassessment data

Very brief
description of
student results and/or
missing analysis
and/or incomplete
graphic
representation or preassessment and postassessment data.

__ x 4 = ___

Part B: Reflection
V. & VI. PreAssessment
Analysis

bar graph) of each students

pre-assessment and postassessment data included.

representation (ex. bar

graph) of each students
pre-assessment and postassessment data
included.

included.

All components of the BC

lesson plan complete, clear,
and appropriate; clearly
represent planning based on
pre-assessment results and
formative assessment
throughout.

All components of the

BC lesson plan
complete, clear, and
appropriate; attempt to
utilize pre-assessment
results and formative
assessment.

Plans included; plans

need more detail and/or
clearer connection to
pre-assessment results
and/or clearer
formative assessment
throughout.

Incomplete lesson
plans; unclear; no
evidence of
assessment data.

__ x 4 = ___

Writing Mechanics

No grammar, spelling or
mechanics errors. Sentence
structure is varied and
appropriate.

Very few grammar,

spelling or mechanics
errors. Sentence structure
is appropriate.

Several grammar,
spelling or mechanics
errors. Weak sentence
structure.

Grammar, spelling
and/or mechanics
errors throughout.
Includes sentence
fragments and/or
other syntax errors.

__ x 1 = ___

Overall Quality
of Assignment

Provides work of the highest

quality.

Provides quality work.

Provides work that

needs improvement.

Unacceptable.

__ x 4 = ___

Part C: Lesson Plans

IX. Lesson
Plans

Overall

Total (out of 100)

A score of 75 or higher must be achieved to pass this assignment - Any category with a DN must be revised