Running head: PLANNING, PREPARATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT 1

Planning, Preparation, Instruction, and Assessment of Learners

Arrykka S. Jackson

Regent University

As required for partial fulfillment of EFND 595: Field Experience and Student Teaching
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Planning, Preparation, Instruction, and Assessment of Learners

The four pillars: planning, preparation, instruction, and assessment, are uniquely and

intricately interwoven. The learning objectives and skills outline what the students should know

and be able to do, yet how do they get there? Proper planning, preparation, instruction, and

assessment by the educator hold the key. Wiggins and McTighe (2006) outline a backward

design template which gives educators tools that assist in implementing these in a practical,

logical manner. Each of these holds a vital place in the teaching, learning, and instruction

process. Teachers abide by these four staples throughout the year in a cyclical custom; each unit

unpacking and demonstrating a section until the students boast at the end of the year of all they

have learned. Implementation of the four pillars precedes all boasting and rightfully so.

Rationale for Artifacts

The first artifact that I chose is a print out and analysis of how the students performed on

their quarter 2 assessment for the school district. I highlighted the areas that the students, as a

class, collectively scored a 74% or lower. I also labeled each portion of the test with a heading.

The test was nicely divided by objective. After I identified the areas the kids struggled with the

most, I used that as planning for my small group in math. Each week students were divided into

groups based on similar struggles. During math each day, two groups of students were

remediated daily based on those struggles. Depending on the exact struggle area of the quarterly

assessment, I made my groups.

This artifact was an example of the assessment portion of the four pillars. Although this

assessment was a formal assessment. fashioned by the district, I used the questions as daily

warm-ups after the assessment. It also demonstrated the planning, preparation, and instructional

thought that went into the next weeks instruction plan. As I highlighted, figuratively and
PLANNING, PREPARATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT 3

literally, the areas in which the class struggled the most, I planned my whole group lessons

around the three major areas in which the students struggled: making change with money,

multiplication models and fact families, and telling time.

The second artifact depicts the way that I planned my small groups. I broke the students

into groups based on what remediation they needed the most, as indicated by the quarterly

assessment. I created a group for extension, if the students did not seem to struggle and did well

on all parts of the quarterly assessment. One student even got all questions correct! Each day of

small group recapped some of the strategies we used during initial instruction of that topic. The

remediation focused mainly on identifying the trouble areas of the student within each objective.

Very few students had little or no understanding of any objective.

This artifact pointed out the areas of informal pre-assessment that I did within small

group. It also noted all the informal assessment that I took throughout the week of interacting

with the small groups. It noted our discussions and things that the students struggled with. It also

depicted what further instruction I could give the next day in small group lesson. Lastly, it

explains the results of the informal post-assessment I gave at the end of the week in each small

group. Should I decide to formally reassess the objective, I have an idea of the areas that the

student would benefit most in reassessing in.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

[A]ssessment can be used to supplement and complement our teaching efforts,

(Waugh & Gronlund, 2013, p.13). This quote very well summarizes all the pieces of this

competency. Each unit begins with proper planning. After the planning, teachers must prepare

their instruction using best practices for teaching and re-teaching the content. It will take

collaboration to effectively reteach an objective, concept, or skill. Each teacher must deliver a
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well-planned lesson. To plan well, a teacher must assess what his/her students are learning. These

steps are very cyclical and intermingled. It seems hard at times to differentiate one from the

other, yet each has its own right and place in the classroom.

Teachers must first look at the standards and essential questions in the planning stages of

their lesson. Beginning with the end in mind will properly set up teachers for a more effective

lesson. What do we want our students to know, understand, and be able to do? How do we know

that they know, understand, and can do these things? All of this takes backward design and

keeping in mind the objectives (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013; Wiggins & McTighe, 2006).

In instruction, we must focus on the diverse needs of learners. Each student is unique and

crafted in the image of God. There is a God-deposit. We must allow each student the opportunity

to express their God-deposit as they incorporate it into their learning. This can be done through

including Kagan structures in learning. Kagan structures and other means of cooperative learning

allow each student to equal participate and take ownership of their own learning. This brings up

our lower students, yet also allows our on-grade-level students an opportunity to grow and our

high-achieving students to extend (Kagan, 2013).

All in all, teachers must create an environment of learning birthed through their planning,

preparations, engaging instruction, and well-timed assessment with clear, student-friendly,

focused, and timely feedback (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Backward design helps educators to

effectively implement these components (Wiggins & McTighe, 2006). Kagan structures help to

implement engaging instruction. Assessments must be used strategically. Proverbs 24:27 says,

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field and after that build

your house. Educators must prepare and plan to execute a quality lesson. These four pillars are

the foundation of effective education.

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References

Kagan, S. (2013). Kagan cooperative learning structures. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing.

Tomlinson, C.A. & Moon, T.R. (2013). Assessment and student success in a differentiated

classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Waugh, C.K. & Gronlund, N.E. (2013). Assessment of student achievement (10th ed.). Upper

Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2006). Understanding by design. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Pearson Education.