MSDE’s Office of Professional Learning offers a variety of professional learning pathways that focus on the formative assessment process. These experiences are for educators at all stages in their learning.
Student Agency in Learning (SAIL)
Student Agency in Learning (SAIL) is a professional learning experience that supports teachers and students to use formative assessment practices to increase student agency and deepen learning. It uses a blended learning approach, combining digital content with classroom application, reflection experiences, and face-to-face collaboration. SAIL is designed so that the teacher's learning experience mirrors the experiences of students learning formative assessment. Throughout this course, teachers are encouraged to take risks, reflect on their progress with peers, assess their current learning status, and use evidence of classroom practice to guide next steps in their learning.
Formative Assessment for Maryland Educators (FAME)
This course is currently being revised as an online, self-paced course that will be available on our Learning Management System. Stay tuned for more updates.
Formative Assessment for Leadership Teams (FALT)
Is your leadership team looking for a way to deepen and sustain the formative assessment work happening in your school? Formative Assessment for Leadership Teams (FALT) is a yearlong course designed to do just that. FALT’s intended outcomes are to:
- Recognize effective formative practices;
- Model effective formative assessment practices when conversing with teachers, leading meetings, and providing professional learning;
- Give teachers effective feedback* aimed at improving formative assessment practices;
- Accompany teachers on classroom visits where formative assessment elements are implemented with fidelity; and
- Facilitate discussions regarding teacher practice and planning for implementation.
*Feedback is non-evaluative in nature; tools created during CoP meetings will not be used for evaluative purposes
To be considered for FALT, schools should loosely fit the profile outlined below:
- 3-5 school-based instructional leaders that have already completed FAME or SAIL (at least one should be an administrator)
- 3-5 teachers who are in the process of completing SAIL (these could be teachers new to the system/school/or formative assessment)
- 3-5 teachers that have completed FAME or SAIL and have demonstrated competency with the formative assessment process
Formative Assessment PLC Series
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) provide opportunities for educator teams to share ideas and grow in their pedagogical practices. This PLC Series was created by Charles County Public Schools in partnership with MSDE. Each PLC is designed to be facilitated in school buildings by a school-based facilitator. To receive CPD credits, the PLC course facilitator must submit the following to
jennifer.wojcik@maryland.gov: sign-in sheets for each community of practice meeting; agendas for each community of practice meeting; and a copy of the course syllabus if syllabus was revised and differs from the one provided.
According to Susan Brookhart, “The most effective teaching and the most meaningful student learning happens when teachers design the right learning target for today’s lesson and use it along with their students to aim for and assess understanding.” This course will focus on building teacher capacity on the foundational building blocks of the formative assessment process including learning targets, success criteria, and feedback. Participants will be required to read assigned chapters, answer reflection questions, actively participate in monthly Community of Practice meetings (CoP) and implement classroom connections relevant to topics explored in the course.
Effective Feedback PLC
According to Susan Brookhart, "Feedback is information about a student’s learning that helps the student take the next steps in the learning process.” This course will focus on the components of effective feedback and how effective feedback is integral to student growth. Participants will be required to read assigned chapters, answer reflection questions, actively participate in monthly Community of Practice meetings (CoP) and implement classroom connections relevant to topics explored in the course.
Exploring Formative Assessment PLC
Formative assessment, when implemented with fidelity, has one of the most positive effects on student achievement. This PLC will focus on increasing teacher knowledge and skill in formative assessment as well as increasing student motivation and achievement. Teachers will learn, share, and reflect on various practices that support the formative assessment process within their classroom. This PLC is ideal for schools/staff who have not participated in FAME. Participants will be required to read assigned articles and excerpts from texts, answer reflection questions, actively participate in monthly Community of Practice meetings (CoP) and implement classroom connections relevant to topics explored in the course.
Embedding Formative Assessment PLC
As a follow-up for participants who have completed the FAME course and wish to continue to build capacity about formative assessment, this course will focus on practical techniques to embed formative assessment in all classrooms. This PLC will focus on the following strategies: clarifying, sharing, and understanding learning intentions and success criteria; eliciting evidence; providing feedback; activating students as learning resources for one another; and activating students as owners of their own learning. Participants will be required to read chapters, answer reflection questions, actively participate in monthly Community of Practice meetings (CoP) and implement classroom connections relevant to topics explored in the course.
Feedback Through Questioning PLC
Research states that teachers ask about 400 questions in one day. What do these questions look like? And how can we empower students to be the ones asking high-level questions that require critical thinking? This course will focus on questioning as it relates to the formative assessment process and how questioning can be used as a channel for feedback in the classroom. Participants will be required to read assigned texts, answer reflection questions, actively participate in monthly Community of Practice (CoP) meetings and implement classroom connections relevant to topics explored in the course.
Teacher Clarity PLC
When teachers are clear in their expectations and instruction, students learn more. A major part of teaching clarity is understanding what students need to learn and identifying how they will know that they learned it. To get there, teachers must analyze standards and plan meaningful instruction and assessments. This course will focus on clarifying what teachers expect their students to learn, identifying how they will know what students have learned, and being responsive to students during the learning process. Participants will be required to read assigned modules, view accompanying videos, answer reflection questions, actively participate in monthly Community of Practice meetings (CoP) and implement classroom connections relevant to topics explored in the course.
Special thank you to Diedra Barnett, Nelly Ellis, Michelle Foxx, Dana Freundel, and Christina Mulhollan Miller for their contributions.
If you are interested in facilitating a PLC at your site and would like access to our suite of resources, please contact Jen Wojcik at
jennifer.wojcik@maryland.gov.
Maryland Teacher Leadership Summit
The Maryland Teacher Leadership Summit is a great way to deepen and sustain the formative assessment work that is happening in your school by creating and executing a school-specific sustainability plan. For more information about the Summit, visit the Teacher Leadership page or contact Jen Wojcik at
jennifer.wojcik@maryland.gov
Assessment for Learning Rooms of Distinction
The Office of Professional Learning aims to identify and recognize teachers across the state who are using the formative assessment process to improve teaching and learning in their schools. These Rooms of Distinction will serve as model classrooms for other educators around the state who wish to grow in their pedagogical practices.
Teachers who have been recognized through the Assessment for Learning Rooms of Distinction program will be observed by other educators, participate in pre and/or post conferences with those peer observers, and informally serve as mentors to other educators wishing to grow in their understanding and implementation of the formative assessment process. Awardees must plan to attend an onboarding workshop facilitated by MSDE. Dates and locations are flexible.
Opportunities for awardees include:
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Credits
- Recognition banner and celebration
- Attendance at local and/or national conferences
- Exclusive collaborative network membership
Any Maryland certified teacher may apply to the Assessment for Learning Rooms of Distinction program. Candidates are selected based on a two-round application process.
If you are interested in applying to the Assessment for Learning: Rooms of Distinction program, please contact Jen Wojcik at
jennifer.wojcik@maryland.gov.
Contact:
Jennifer Wojcik
Instructional Assessment Specialist
Office: (410) 767-0346
jennifer.wojcik@maryland.gov