In order to assess how one is doing as a teacher and how students are growing throughout the year, it is important to look at both quantitative data and qualitative data to ensure growth throughout all areas of academic performance.

By assessing students using quantitative data, I am able to see where students are coming in at the beginning of the school year and how they are performing throughout the school year. Our school participates in the Northwest Evaluation Association's (NWEA) Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) test three times each year to assess students growth and to evaluate teacher proficiency and effectiveness. This data helps me pinpoint students who may need additional assistance and small group intervention as well as students who will need to be challenged with second grade material. I make sure to conference with parents in-person after each test is administer to ensure parents know exactly where their students are both coming into the school year and when completing the school year. I find it effective to communicate test scores to parents, explain the RIT score and growth in person, as well as to set quarterly and year long goals for the students with the assistance and support from parents and guardians.

Qualitative data and analysis, in the form of formative assessments happen daily and weekly throughout our first grade classroom. The most common form of qualitative data in my classroom is through writing assessments, to gauge student mastery of topics that we have learned about throughout each unit. This happens most frequently during our read aloud and comprehension class. Students are assessed at the beginning, middle and end of each comprehension unit. The qualitative data helps me to pinpoint gaps and areas of strength for each student based on the comprehension strategy we are targeting during the unit. Students are informed how their writing samples will be assessed by being provided with a realistic rubric to target individual comprehension strategies. The writing assessments are followed up with one on one conferences, so students have real-time feedback to work on in order to improve their writing and understanding.

Underneath the quantitative section, you will find class reports, provided from the MAP test, from the 2019-2020 school year. I have provided evidence of students who have shown dramatic academic growth as well as students who have shown limited growth and my reflection on the data. Underneath the qualitative section, you will find writing assessments from the 2020-2021 school year, that are aligned with common core standards. I have provided writing samples from students that have shown mastery and non-mastery as well as a reflection of teaching and intervention practices.

Assessing student growth, both through the use of quantitative and qualitative measures, helps to assess student needs as well as teacher effectiveness. My goal as a teacher is to push students to grow throughout the year, by addressing concepts and skills that students have not yet master and by challenging students who are ready for more difficult material. Although I do not believe quantitative data to be 100% accurate due to many outside influences and factors, it is the best way for me to pinpoint student growth and achievement. Both the quantitative and qualitative data, help me inform my teaching in order to create a rigorous and productive academic classroom. These two types of data, also help to keep me grounded in being data driven when preparing for parent teacher conferences and when setting goals with my students. With this in mind, it is important that I address to students that their test scores do not define who they are as students. I believe all students are capable of dramatic academic growth, I want to help my students achieve their fullest potential, by meeting their academic needs and re-assessing their mastery and my teaching throughout the school year.