Thomas R. Guskey – författare

How do we determine the effects and effectiveness of activities designed to enhance the professional knowledge and skills of educators so that they might improve the learning of students? Thomas R. Guskey explores the processes and procedures involved in evaluating professional development, from the very simple to the very complex, at five increasing levels of sophistication:

Participants' reactions to professional development How much participants learn Evaluating organizational support and change How participants use their new knowledge and skills Improvement in student learning

. . . complete with sample evaluation forms, checklists, and helpful hints and tips.

A practical guide to more effective assessment for improved student learningLearn how to be more consistent in judging student performance, and help your students become more effective at assessing their own learning! This book offers a practical approach to assessing challenging but necessary performance tasks, like creative writing, "real-world" research projects, and cooperative group activities. Judith Arter and Jay McTighe, experts in the field of assessment, wrote Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom to help you achieve three main goals: Clarify the targets of instruction, especially for hard-to-define problem solving Provide valid and reliable assessment of student learning Improve student motivation and achievement by helping students understand the nature of quality for performances and productsEach chapter is framed by an essential question and includes illustrative stories, practical examples, tips and cautions, and a summary of key points and recommended resources for further information. The resources section contains a wealth of rubrics to adopt or adapt.Teachers and administrators will find this an essential resource in increasing teacher effectiveness and student performance.

In How's My Kid Doing? noted educator Thomas R. Guskey has created a practical handbook for parents who have trouble understanding their school-age children's grades, report cards, and test scores. This down-to-earth guide will help parents make sense of school reports and offers a helpful resource that can open communications between parents and teachers.

The implementation of a ′high stakes′, performace-based assessment system has resulted in financial rewards being granted to those schools demonstrating improved results, while sanctions have been imposed on schools whose academic performance is poor. Contributors to this book examine the complex issues associated with this system in the state of Kentucky and offer diverse opinion on the topic.

The implementation of a 'high stakes', performace-based assessment system has resulted in financial rewards being granted to those schools demonstrating improved results, while sanctions have been imposed on schools whose academic performance is poor. Contributors to this book examine the complex issues associated with this system in the state of Kentucky and offer diverse opinion on the topic.

Teachers, parents, students, administrators, and community members all agree that we need better grading and reporting systems. Often, these systems are inadequate because they are part of a tradition that can go unexamined and unquestioned for years. Here is the first serious look at the issue, written to provide all those involved — especially teachers — with a coherent and thoughtful framework. Guskey and Bailey offer four pillars of successful grading and reporting systems: Communication is the primary goal of grading and reportingGrading and reporting are integral parts of the instructional processGood reporting is based on good evidenceCreating change in grading and reporting requires creating a multi-faceted reporting systemWritten to help readers develop a deeper and more reflective understanding of the various aspects of the subject, Thomas Guskey and Jane Bailey′s work brings organization and clarity to a murky and disagreement-filled topic.Here is a practical and essential guide for teachers, administrators or anyone concerned with understanding and implementing best practices in grading and reporting systems.

Students and parents benefit from this powerful communication tool!

Jane Bailey and Thomas Guskey, leaders in the field of student assessment, address a nagging issue for both beginning and veteran teachers—how to effectively communicate to parents the learning progress of their children. Every teacher knows the sinking feeling of facing a sea of anxious parents with limited time for in-depth discussion.

Now there is a way for students to take responsibility in communicating their progress and for parents to get the satisfaction they deserve. In this new approach, the teacher serves as facilitator as students lead their parents through a discussion of their work. An important benefit in this innovation—students are required to evaluate and reflect upon their work!

Highlights of Implementing Student-Led Conferences include:

Overview and philosophy of student-led conferences Roles and responsibilities of participants What an effective model looks like How to prepare, organize, and evaluate for maximum effectiveness Anticipating and handling unique situations The role of student-led conferences in authentic assessment and reporting

A rich resource section includes everything you need to prepare, conduct, and evaluate successful student-led conferences—sample conference announcements and formats, portfolio planners, reproducible letters, parent and student response forms, teacher surveys, and much more!

This is an essential resource for teachers and administrators at every school level to maximize time, improve communication with parents, and encourage student self-reliance.

The definitive classic—updated for our times.

After 50 years, Benjamin Bloom’s revolutionary work on mastery learning is more relevant than ever. One of the most widely researched and proven-effective education methodologies in existence, it provides a direct challenge to the traditional, deterministic, time-based approaches to teaching and learning that have perpetuated inequities for generations of children.

Mastery learning is the progenitor of many of today’s most promising teaching methods, including competency-based learning, personalized instruction, and differentiated instruction. It helped to elevate the importance and use of formative assessment as a powerful instructional practice. This timely new edition of the foremost practical guide includes:

Recent applications of the principles of mastery learning to distance, hybrid, and blended learning environments Updates including evidence from recent implementation efforts, the results of the most current research on mastery learning and its implications for practice Step-by-step guidance on implementation across grade levels and subject areas Supplemental, on-line chapters that unpack the development of effective formative assessments and connections between RTI and mastery learning

Written by one of the most highly regarded scholar/practitioners in the field and the leading interpreter of Bloom’s work, this updated guidebook is essential reading for teachers, school leaders, professional learning communities, and anyone who believes that all students can learn well, achieve success, and become confident learners.

Improve grading practices with support from families

Educators seeking to transform age-old grading practices face numerous challenges, particularly when it comes to gaining support from students’ families. This practical guide from a world-renowned expert on grading and assessment practices offers concrete strategies to turn parents and families into trusted partners in grading reform efforts. The book enables educators to anticipate, understand, and effectively address families' concerns over grading reforms and build trust through authentic engagement.

With clear and actionable strategies that educators can implement right away, the easily digestible chapters unpack the complexities of the change process, clarify the purpose of grading, and show how to enhance the use of computerized grading programs. Other features include:

Strategies to ease opposition to grading reform from parents and familiesInsights into how to improve report cardsGuidance on how to effectively communicate student performance with parents and families

A must-have resource for educators navigating the challenging journey of grading reform, Engaging Parents and Families in Grading Reform is a comprehensive guide to grading reform that emphasizes family engagement to ensure success.

Let evidence and integrity guide your grading practice

If you want to ask a polarizing question in education, ask someone their thoughts on grading. Few topics have elicited more interest or opinions, even though grading practices have remained relatively unchanged for years. But opinions are not evidence. The time has come to get it right with a fresh approach grounded in research and the principles of integrity.

Grading With Integrity introduces a measured approach to grading reform based on honesty, transparency, accuracy, and equity with recommendations backed by clear and trustworthy evidence. Addressing the many “whys’’ involved, this thoughtfully organized book addresses central questions related to grading and reporting student learning, covering:

An historical overview of grading and reporting practicesA discussion of standards-based and competency-based gradingRecommendations for reporting non academic learning goals separately from academic achievement, to accurately reflect students' performanceSuggestions for reporting growth and improvement, using specific assessments and other reporting toolsAn infallible argument for grading with integrity

This book is a must-read for K-12 classroom teachers and administrators who are looking to implement better and more defensible grading and reporting policies and practices. Let evidence and integrity be your guide to enhancing students’ best interests and learning success.

"Guskey and Bailey offer realistic solutions to improving how educators communicate a student′s academic progress to all stakeholders. Their work provides a faculty with the research, step-by-step guidelines, and reporting templates to begin the dialogue to develop a standards-based report card. Without a doubt, this work is a model for schools that want to improve their system of grading and reporting. It certainly has transformed ours!"—Jeffrey Erickson, Assistant PrincipalMinnetonka High School, MNDevelop standards-based report cards that are meaningful to students, parents, and educators!Although schools have moved toward standards-based curriculum and instruction, grading practices and reporting systems have remained largely unchanged. Helping school leaders gain support for transitioning from traditional to standards-based report cards, this book guides educators in aligning assessment and reporting practices with standards-based education and providing more detailed reports of children′s learning and achievement.A standards-based report card breaks down each subject area into specific elements of learning to offer parents and educators a more thorough description of each child′s progress toward proficiency. This accessible volume:Provides a clear framework for developing standards-based report cardsShows how to communicate with parents, students, and other stakeholders about changesIllustrates how to achieve grading consistency without increasing teachers′ workloads or violating their professional autonomyFilled with examples of standards-based report cards that can be adapted to a school′s needs, this practical resource shows district and school administrators how to establish reporting practices that facilitate learning.

"Guskey and Bailey offer realistic solutions to improving how educators communicate a student′s academic progress to all stakeholders. Their work provides a faculty with the research, step-by-step guidelines, and reporting templates to begin the dialogue to develop a standards-based report card. Without a doubt, this work is a model for schools that want to improve their system of grading and reporting. It certainly has transformed ours!"—Jeffrey Erickson, Assistant PrincipalMinnetonka High School, MNDevelop standards-based report cards that are meaningful to students, parents, and educators!Although schools have moved toward standards-based curriculum and instruction, grading practices and reporting systems have remained largely unchanged. Helping school leaders gain support for transitioning from traditional to standards-based report cards, this book guides educators in aligning assessment and reporting practices with standards-based education and providing more detailed reports of children′s learning and achievement.A standards-based report card breaks down each subject area into specific elements of learning to offer parents and educators a more thorough description of each child′s progress toward proficiency. This accessible volume:Provides a clear framework for developing standards-based report cardsShows how to communicate with parents, students, and other stakeholders about changesIllustrates how to achieve grading consistency without increasing teachers′ workloads or violating their professional autonomyFilled with examples of standards-based report cards that can be adapted to a school′s needs, this practical resource shows district and school administrators how to establish reporting practices that facilitate learning.

"The book combines research, critical issues, and creative solutions in a concise and easy-to-read manner. While there is little doubt that educators today face a myriad of critical issues, this book allows educators to believe that they can be agents of change for students and for the profession."—Sammie Novack, Vice PrincipalCurran Middle School Bakersfield, CAImplement standards-based grading practices that accurately and equitably report student achievement!Standards-based education poses a variety of challenges for grading and reporting practices, especially for ensuring that the grades assigned to students are honest, meaningful, and fair. Many traditional methods, such as limiting the number of high grades or defining "C" as "average," no longer work in a standards-based environment. This edited volume examines critical issues in standards-based grading and provides specific suggestions for improving grading policies and practices at the school and classroom levels.With contributions from prominent educators and researchers, this groundbreaking volume:Describes traditional school practices that inhibit the implementation of standards-based gradingAddresses how teachers can assign fair and accurate grades to English language learners and students with special needsExamines legal issues that influence grading and reporting policiesDiscusses why report card grades and large-scale assessment scores may varyFosters consistency in grading across states and districtsOffers effective strategies for communicating with parentsThis solution-oriented book offers teachers, principals, and administrators practical strategies for implementing grading policies that benefit all students.

"The book combines research, critical issues, and creative solutions in a concise and easy-to-read manner. While there is little doubt that educators today face a myriad of critical issues, this book allows educators to believe that they can be agents of change for students and for the profession."—Sammie Novack, Vice PrincipalCurran Middle School Bakersfield, CA

Implement standards-based grading practices that accurately and equitably report student achievement!

Standards-based education poses a variety of challenges for grading and reporting practices, especially for ensuring that the grades assigned to students are honest, meaningful, and fair. Many traditional methods, such as limiting the number of high grades or defining "C" as "average," no longer work in a standards-based environment. This edited volume examines critical issues in standards-based grading and provides specific suggestions for improving grading policies and practices at the school and classroom levels.

With contributions from prominent educators and researchers, this groundbreaking volume:

Describes traditional school practices that inhibit the implementation of standards-based gradingAddresses how teachers can assign fair and accurate grades to English language learners and students with special needsExamines legal issues that influence grading and reporting policiesDiscusses why report card grades and large-scale assessment scores may varyFosters consistency in grading across states and districtsOffers effective strategies for communicating with parents

This solution-oriented book offers teachers, principals, and administrators practical strategies for implementing grading policies that benefit all students.

A powerful model for helping struggling students succeed

How can you ensure that you are grading your exceptional students fairly? Teachers receive very little guidance for grading students with disabilities, English learners, and those receiving services through a response-to-intervention (RTI) process. This practitioner-friendly book provides teachers and administrators with an effective framework for assigning grades that are accurate, meaningful, and legally defensible. The authors' easy-to-follow, five-step standards-based inclusive grading model helps teachers:

Determine appropriate expectations for each student Understand the differences between accommodations and modificationsGrade based on modified expectationsCommunicate the meaning of grades to students and their families

Included are a graphic illustration of the grading model, sample report cards and progress reports, and vignettes that show how to tailor applications to each subgroup and grade level. This invaluable guide takes the mystery out of grading exceptional learners and focuses on what matters most—helping all students learn.

The definitive guidebook to the complex terrain of 21st-century standards!

Standards, assessments, grading, and reporting provide the foundation for nearly every initiative in modern education reform. But what do these terms actually mean—and what changes in each area will bring about the improvements teachers and school leaders want to see? Here, Thomas R. Guskey and Lee Ann Jung collect the essential questions that stymie educators, and give each one a short, simple, jargon-free response.

Perfect for new teacher induction or professional learning on Common Core Standards initiatives, this book offers:

A vocabulary and frame of reference to share with other educatorsAn understanding of effective implementation in standards, assessments, grading, and reportingSpecific ideas for purposeful action

Organized in a unique, accessible Q&A format, this easy-to-use guide gives educators the common ground they need for successful improvement efforts.

"This text is a useful tool that educators can use to build common definitions about frequently used and misunderstood educational terms within their state, district, or school. Only when educators have the same understanding of 'formative assessment' or 'grade reporting' can they be implemented with fidelity."—Julie Quinn, Accountability SpecialistUtah State Office of Education, Salt Lake City, UT

"Written in small sections, this book explains well how we assess, why we use different assessments, and asks guiding questions for application of assessments. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in educational assessments."—Jeanne Collins, SuperintendentBurlington School District, VT

When teachers use data effectively, students see results. Learning Forward is a leader in understanding and advancing professional learning that leads to student success. This series explores Learning Forward’s seven Standards for Professional Learning, which outline the characteristics of effective professional learning. In this volume, the authors explore the crucial function of data for designing, implementing, and evaluating professional learning. The book’s features include: An original “think piece” by Thomas Guskey on using data in deliberate and thoughtful ways in the context of professional learning Specific implementation strategies that focus on analyzing student, educator, and system data and assessing progress A detailed case study of one district’s journey to successful use of data and how it led to measurable improvement in student achievement Learning to collect, analyze and use data is an essential component of professional development. When schools are able to make data work for them, students are the ones who benefit.

Implement evidence-based feedback practices that move learners forwardFeedback is essential to successful instruction and improved student performance, but learners often dread and dismiss feedback and its effectiveness can vary. Thus, sharing intentions, clarifying success criteria, knowing what type of feedback to provide and when, and activating students as owners of their learning are essential feedback functions.Instructional Feedback presents a comprehensive summary of the most recent research on instructional feedback and describes its successful implementation. With a focus on evidence-based approaches adapted to specific contexts, the authors use common classroom situations to demystify feedback and place it within a broad instructional context, along with definitions, characteristics, and precautions about its effect on students’ emotions and behaviors. Inside you’ll find:Coverage of all grades and concentrations, including math, language arts, music, art, and sciencePeer feedback, self-assessment, and subject-specific nuancesStudent and teacher examples of feedback and suggestions for improvementEngaging and concise, Instructional Feedback discusses why feedback is so powerful, how it is promising, and what it looks like in practice.

Few individuals in the history of education have had greater impact on educational policy and practice than Benjamin S. Bloom. During a career that spanned over five decades, his research and writing guided the development of innumerable educational programs and provided powerful insights into the untapped potential of educators to help all students learn well. Benjamin S. Bloom spent most of his professional life at the University of Chicago, where he held the Charles H. Swift Distinguished Service endowed chair. At this university, he founded and chaired the program in Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistical Analysis (or MESA), authored or co-authored 17 books, and wrote numerous journal articles. He served as the president of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), a member of the National Academy of Education, and a founding member of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Also the recipient of several awards, perhaps his greatest accomplishment was the profound influence he had on his students and professional colleagues. Much of his time was spent in one-to-one interactions with them, which have become known as "Bloom Stories" and have gained legendary status. Many of the "Bloom Stories" are humorous and show his amazing quick wit. Others recall the kindness and encouragement, and subtle wisdom he showed in helping students and colleagues overcome obstacles or setbacks. No matter what the topic, Benjamin Bloom's stories are touching remembrances that offer special insight into his uniqueness as a preeminent scholar, colleague, mentor, and friend. This book is a collection of these stories, with brief reviews of some of Bloom's major professional contributions.