By Lynne Fedorcha, IU 21 PIIC Mentor

Instructional coaches who practice the PIIC model of coaching use very specific coaching techniques.  They use the B,D,A cycle of consultation when working one-on-one with classroom teachers; they self-reflect and reflect with teachers, administrators, and their mentor; they focus on evidence-based literacy strategies and research-based instructional techniques; and they look at the results of data to effectively drive instructional practice.  While all core elements of PIIC are equally important, the coach’s work with data deserves specific attention because, in my opinion, it is the glue that binds these elements. 

Data takes on many forms, but typically when data is mentioned in educational circles, one thinks of high-stakes statewide assessments such as the PSSA.  While results of statewide assessments measure student achievement toward state standards, coaches recognize these reports as a measure of what was, not what could be.  Real-time data, data that shows what students are learning about the current topic, is collected through formative assessments.  This type of assessment supports student learning and guides the teacher to make instructional decisions that benefit all learners in the classroom at the time it matters most – during the teaching/learning process!

Certainly there is an emphasis on using formative assessments in math and English/Language Arts classrooms, where content is measured by high stakes testing.  But I wondered if my coaches were supporting the use of formative assessments in general.  During one of our monthly coaches’ networking meetings, I posed the question about whether or not they would recommend the use of formative assessments to teachers of courses not measured by the PSSA.  Here are some of the responses:

Formative assessment gives teachers a quick view of student understanding so they can modify instruction to enhance student learning.  All of the education at our school is valuable whether or not it is assessed by the state!

Formative assessment allows the classroom teacher to make good decisions about what happens next.  Whether standardized testing is done, or not, the classroom teacher needs to know the readiness level of his/her students.

Formative assessments help the teacher understand how well students understand what is being taught no matter what the class.  There is great benefit in knowing that students are “getting it” as it is being taught rather than discovering that they didn’t “get it” from the final exam!

All content areas have standards and the reading, writing, speaking, and listening and math standards impact all subject areas.  Why wouldn’t we use formative assessments with everyone?

Next, my coaches generated the following list of formative assessment activities which can be used by every teacher in any subject area:

·  Summaries and reflections                       

·  Lists, charts, and graphic organizers

·  Visual representations of information

·  Developing questions from daily content

·  Collaborative activities

·  Exit Tickets (examples: students respond to a question, solve a problem)

In his book Formative Assessment: Responding to Your Students, Harry Tuttle says, “You do formative assessments as part of the regular classroom learning; you embed formative assessment into classroom learning.”  My coaches concur.  Formative assessments are best practice.  Every teacher should rely on formative assessments, no matter what the content.

As coaches continue to work with teachers, they need to emphasize the importance of using formative assessments; they need to incorporate formative assessments into the bigger assessment picture.  Teachers need to know that “formative feedback is the most powerful single moderator in the enhancement of achievement” (Hattie, 1998).  The results of formative assessment not only inform teachers about their instruction and students about their learning, but also provide our coaches with the information they need to effectively incorporate all core elements emphasized by the PIIC model into their coaching.