The JCPS documents have made a huge impact on changing/guiding our classroom to a proficiency-based environment. Thomas Sauer and our cohort (full of wonderful teachers from across the district) worked on these for two solid years. Megan and I would like to ask for a small favor. We are compiling information about their usefulness and would love to have your feedback.
How have the JCPS documents impacted your teaching or language curriculum?
Do you use the performance rubric?
Do you use any of the unit “I can” statements?
Do you use the stamp sheets with daily goals?
Do you use the performance assessments to measure their proficiency and progress?
Thank you for helping us out! Your comments are very valuable to us! Hopefully we will have more to share with you soon. -Kara and Megan
Visit the JCPS site here if you want to see them:
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=28f7c805d5a3213d&sc=documents&wa=wsignin1.0&sa=343767067&id=28F7C805D5A3213D%21154
Currently I use bits and pieces, really want to incorporate more next year. The I can statements have made the biggest impact for my classes. Gracias
I have used a little bit of everything in my work! They have inspired many of my rubrics and performance assessments- awesome ideas! many thanks!
I would love to help out, but up here in Québec we use a different system altogether. Moreover, since I’m a first year teacher, I’ve been improvising more than anything. In fact, I think all of my lessons were based on ideas that I found here! My weakness has definitely been evaluation; perhaps I should take a look at your JCPS documents.
Thanks again for the enormous support you have (unknowingly perhaps) provided me with.
Hi there would like to connect with a teacher of French in Quebec – are you or any of your colleagues interested in a Skype project / etwinning at all?
Your I can statements, performance rubrics and posted ideas have made a difference. I was able to use them with level 1 students, and I see an increased proficiency. Like the first comment, I incorporated ‘bits and pieces’, enough to see the impact, and implement more for next year. I know I need to fine-tune my “I can” statements,use them daily (instead of as an end goal) and perhaps do a little more backward design thematic planning. My level one class was fantastic this year. Thanks for all your hard work.
And I have another member of my department using them also.
This year I made the switch to a proficiency based assessment system. Next year I am hoping to make stamp sheets for each chapter. I don’t use the performance assessments b/c they don’t exactly align with my curriculum requirements but I have absolutely loved using them to help me develop my own performance assessments. Please, please, please continue to keep these resources available for free! They have completely altered the way I teach and have made me such a better teacher!
Yes, the performance rubrics were fantastic! I now use them (modified) for any type of assessment I do.
The documents really helped me switch to a more proficiency based class this year! I used them as guidelines to structure my class. I have adopted “unit objectives” that I post in the classroom during each unit, which I incorporate for the final assessment.
I have developed a simpler rubric and system for working with my 7th graders, but after I came across the I can stamp sets I am planning to scrap my system and adopt yours. I think students will really respond and appreciate the concrete, clear articulation of goals met. Also the proficiency level performance rubric has been very helpful to me in terms of thinking about what I want students to know and be able to do. I do think this particular rubric is a bit cumbersome to share with the students I serve but it is helpful as a reference tool to guide planning and instruction. I would love the opportunity to respond again to these questions mid-year 2013 after I have had time to design and develop my own I can stamp sets and materials that are aligned with yours. Any chance Mr. Sauer can upload some editable versions? I would gladly pay for them on TPT! ~ With deep appreciation for all you ladies do and your generous sharing of a wealth of terrific ideas and resources!
These are definitely fantastic. When I started teaching Spanish as a foreign language, and not content in Spanish, the vagueness of it all was so daunting. I could focus on anything and everything, and sometimes I think the other teachers in our district do just that – focus on random vocabulary without a real flow or feel for it. Y’all gave a smooth flow to things, have meaningful real-world assignments/assessments laid out for students’ typically weakest areas – speaking and writing, and have built ready-to-use rubrics to use. I wish there were a few more “I Cans” and not everything online had a stamp page, but everything is very useful and it has saved my bacons frequently.
This is wonderful on first glances – would the templates be available to adapt at all? Think my trainee MFL teachers could make good use of them!
These documents are fantastic! I use them all of the time, every single day, from the “I can” statements to the daily goals to the assessments. They’re like my “text book”! Next year, once our poster maker is working again, I’m turning the performance rubric into a giant poster. (Let me know if you want one, too! 😉 )
I used them this year. I adapted them to my specific classroom units. In fact, we are working on a curriculum re-write this year and obtained permission from Tom Sauer (via a consultant John DeMado) to use them and adapt them to our needs. I use the “I can” sheets, the performance rubrics and so many other ideas from this blog. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the things that you share. You have helped me become excited about my teaching again. GRACIAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. I hope to one day meet up with you at the ACTFL conference.
We are definitely going this year and presenting. 🙂 Hello Orlando!
I found your blog just last week, and I’ve already started incorporating ideas from you! 🙂 The “I can” statements and the stamp sheets are what I’ve used the most. Next year, I plan to use them more — my department and I are getting together this summer to see how we can use the documents to improve our curriculum map. 🙂 Thank you!!
I am a Spanish Education major at KWC and have used them as resources for lesson development. Great resource! Thank you for all your hard work! Your blog is a great inspiration for me!
i LOVE all your resources. I have used the stamps for each of my units this year. I call them “Yo Puedo” stamps. Your performance rubric is wonderful, too! Thank you so much for sharing these great tools. This year I have emphasized proficiency goals and l also plan on creating giant posters next year to hang in my classroom. Again, thank you!
OMG! you have no idea how much you have changed my teaching this year!!! Using ALL of your documents, I have re-created them for my curriculum for next school year. I have shared with all members in my department, but I did make sure to site you (the website) as a resource and noted it on my re-created documents. I have a few questions for you in terms of grading, but, yes, so helpful–all of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you! Merci! Gracias! Danke!!!!!!!!
We are going to a book-free curriculum next year and are using your stamp sheets and the Unit Learner statements to help develop our new units. Thank you so much for sharing these!
I have used everything you guys have put out there! I have a huge What Level Am I? poster at the front of the year using proficiency phrases to help students see where they are. I point to it all of the time! I use I can phrases for myself to simplify and keep my teaching more targeted. I use many of the proficiency documents for stations. I love those! I use many of your teaching ideas in class all of the time. I think my favorite is the Ask, Ask, Switch activity. I started off using the stamp sheets, but stopped, because stamping each of them was becoming time consuming for me, but I think I will use them again next year, but have the students stamp their own and then turn in when they feel ready. Also, I think I have bought everything you have put out there on TpT that is Spanish related. Even if I’m not sure I will use it, I want to support your hard work!
My students have learned more this year than ever before.
I like these docs but can I access the files? These are like screenshots on the blog post right?
found the link after I posted that – but would love to be able to adapt them;)
Thomas Sauer visited us in DE last year and we have adopted this proficiency curriculum- we call it the “Kentucky curriculum”. We are finding our students are more proficient. The stamps sheets were difficult to implement as well as most of the speaking assessments. WE have tweaked some of the units as well.Your site is bookmarked on my laptop and I CONSTANTLY am using your ideas!!!! The stamp sheets were a good idea though. And I had kids also video tape their stamp sheets and their presentational assessments. Your site is a godsend!
I teach in Georgia and use ideas from y’all ALL the time. I have implemented the speaking stamp sheets for every unit and tweaked them to fit our classes and units, and I am really seeing a difference in my student’s confidence and ability to speak. This blog has been WONDERFUL for spicing up my lesson plans and your style of teaching is very similar to mine, so it has been a huge help. I have used some of your proficiency/performance rubrics as well and plan to implement even more next year as I can. Keep up the awesome work!
Mostly I use the “I can ” statements. They are fabulous and SOOO helpful!
I wanted to use the stamp sheets, but it was too cumbersome and I kept forgetting to stamp them and couldn’t keep track of who had done what
I also want to use the rubric for grading, but it is so subjective and I need to see it in action and see many examples of novice high, intermediate low, etc both in speaking and writing. This rubric is intruiging but you need training to know how to use it. There is no way I could “sell” it to my department without really knowing it through and through.
The performance assessments are good and give me some ideas, but I typically branch off of those. Still, they are a great starting point and definitely give me ideas.
All in all, the jcps FL department documents have been very useful to me – in opening up a whole new world of performance based assessment and a proficiency-based classroom ….neither of which I knew anything about until last summer when I stumbled across your blog! So YES – keep up the good work in inspiring us all to change, create, and share!
Where to begin? Through help from you guys and Thomas, I have revamped my entire teaching/curriculum for levels 2 and 3. I can statements guide everything, and our assessments look a lot like the JCPS ones on skydrive. We adapted the rubric and are using it across languages and levels in our department. I have tried the stamp sheets, but struggle with consistent follow through. In addition, I have trained others in our district on using them. Thank you for sharing your awesomeness!
I found your blog on a google search and have used so many ideas in my classroom that I found on here. The curriculum documents were instrumental in serving as a model for our committee. Some teachers are skeptical of the stamp sheets, but I think it’s because people are skeptical of change. Many of us plan to incorporate them into our units for next year. I love the rubric and assessments!!! Right now we are searching for lower level authentic readings and culture items as well as audio clips for next year. What suggestions do you have as successful places in which to find them?
Thank you guys for all of your help!!
I absolutely love everything that you have put on here. This year, as a first year teacher who walked into my position two days before school started, have learned so much from the both of you and even all of the teachers who comment back with ideas. I’ve incorporated a lot of different things such as the assessment ideas and different activities, but over the summer I’m completely rewriting the curriculum so that it’s modeled after yours (probably even just adopted with some tweaks). The “I can” statements really helped me to move from focusing on a grammar topics to really using the language. I probably would’ve been really disheartened at the end of this year with teaching because I’m the only foreign language teacher in the high school because of how small the school is. Your blog and the curriculum documents have been a HUGE help. During a PLC meeting at school I was discussing your Unit Stamps and the Proficiency Progress sheets (also making sure you were credited) because the middle school teacher and I both want to use them more next year. We had teachers from other disciplines who were so impressed that they wanted to see a copy of them and try to incorporate it into their own classes. Now that, my dears, is something to be proud of: you’re not only helping us, your fellow world language teachers, but others from core classes to improve their craft as well.
I so agree about using the stamp sheets without grades. I would love to take that step. I’ll ask my students what they think.
I just recently discovered all of these with your blog so I can’t offer meaningful feedback in terms of use. 🙂 But I can’t wait to try to use them–the look fabulous! I want to read more on your blog about how you use the stamp pages etc.
Love your website! Question: Do your 6th, 7th and 8th grades use the rubric as well?
Hola Megan and Kara! I just want you to both know how much you have influenced my classroom during the past few months. I have read extensively on your blog postings and have been loving everything. The stamp sheets are new in my classes and my students love them. They often come into my room before class and sometimes even after school because they want to see if they can reach their “goals.” I have shared the stamp sheet with other colleagues and have gotten the recommendation that I should not use them as grading; rather, the students should feel intrinsically motivated to complete them without getting “points.” At this time I am still giving points to my students for completing the stamps. I am also using a more standards-based grading approach with the rubrics that you have online. It has been a learning process for the students, but I have realized that by doing a few sample assessments with the students, they understand the categories more (novice low, mid, high). I also give some students scores in between the levels. Honestly, these documents have changed and modernized my teaching and I am so glad that I found your site; I won’t go back to my old ways! THANK YOU!
Yes, I use the documents and the ideas to create my own similar product (for example, my own i can statements). I use your rubrics as well. I haven’t used the assessments.
I also love the I can stamps idea and plan on creating my own to go with my units next year. Thanks for sharing so much of your positive energy and ideas!!
Do you use the performance rubric?
Yes! I’ve replaced the rubrics that I came up with which were similar but which did not measure student performance based on ACTFL’s proficiency levels. I started using these rubrics in order to track progress beginning in the middle of my level I classes, and proceeding through the rest of the classes that I teach. My kids love the consistency with which they are graded, and I think that they enjoy seeing their progress as well.
Do you use any of the unit “I can” statements?
As a first year teacher, I’ve been winging it this year; starting at the beginning of the summer I will reform my entire program to revolve around I Can statements; I believe this will build a more solid foundation for everything that we do.
Do you use the stamp sheets with daily goals?
I do not plan to use the stamp sheets.
Do you use the performance assessments to measure their proficiency and progress?
I have been using IPA-style performance assessments since my student teaching and LOVE them. My students also greatly prefer them to “normal” tests.
I am using the stamp sheets, the proficiency rubric, the objectives for the different modes, and some of the assessments.
Students reflect on their own progress in ways that I have not experienced when solely relying on a grade. We did the exercise about describing a circus to a Martian where each group has a different proficiency level, and we created a wall sized graphic of the words from the rubric to describe just how a student can improve. Students reference this and even self-critique.
The stamp sheets are fun (who doesn’t love to hear students speaking Spanish in Spanish class!) and bring a sense of accomplishment to students that what we do each day matters by breaking up the seemingly impossible task into something I can do. Students sometimes feel that 25 is too many on one page.
I print the objectives on the other side of the stamp sheet, but find that I may be the only one who looks at them. I may make a poster size one per unit and post that on the wall as a way to reference our objectives daily.
These tools are the keys to creating my AP syllabus this summer–6 themes, overarching questions, 3 modes–it would be overwhelming if I did not have the amazing framework that you have generously shared with us.
Our previous curriculum was purely based on worksheets. I love the engaging creative ideas that come from your blog. Thank you. (And I love the energy of our Selena silhouettes! I feel like I work in an itunes classroom!)
As a new mom, I haven’t had the time to completely overhaul my curriculum and change to the JCPS version, but I easily added in “Yo puedo…” statements to our goals, speaking activities, etc. I found that it not only helps my students, but it helps me distinguish what is essential and what is “extra.”
I have spent this past year working to become a more proficiency based class, something I had wanted to do for quite a while, but found the task to be very daunting and was unsure where to even start. Then I found your website and the links to the JCPS documents. What a tremendous help they were in getting me started. I have gone to using I Can statements and stamp sheets and more performance-based assessments, thanks to the ideas I found here.
We are starting to compile information for our state (Ohio) student learning objectives and I have been looking through all of your materials. Thanks so much for sharing & making them available to us.
Do you use any of the unit “I can” statements?
Yes, I used some of the “I can” statements and found they really helped keep me focused on what I was planning to teach. I also feel they helped my students stay focused.
I used most of the goal sheets as they were, but did not use the objectives for units I modified b/c I was unable to edit them. I would be beneficial to be able to edit the objective sheets.
Do you use the stamp sheets with daily goals?
I started using the stamp sheets, but found them cumbersome to keep up with checking them (my class only meets for 2/12 hours per week), so I stopped checking them. For one unit that
I modified, did not use them at all but b/c I gave the “I can statements” then listed the assignments (class work and homework) under each “I can statement” my students didn’t really miss the the stamp sheets.
I found using the stamp sheets VERY for “grab bag review” was very helpful (print, laminate, cut up).
Do you use the performance assessments to measure their proficiency and progress?
Yes, I used one from each unit. Again, an editable version would be very helpful.
Do you use the performance rubric?
Yes, BUT…..
I feel it was ambiguous to some degree and it was difficult to assess students.
For example, I have a student that can do MORE than “words, phrases, and OCCASIONAL sentences” but not enough to completely fit into the next category of ….use “short simple sentences” and “begin to combine words and phrases to create original sentences” (Novice High).
OR “can be understood by someone accustomed to a language learner (Intermediate. LOW), but fits much lower in to some of the other categories (Vocab/Function & Structure).
Really had trouble assessing these types of situations.
I REALLY would like to see a rubric for Reading Comprehension. I struggled with this.
Overall, editable documents would be the most helpful as well as Semester Proficiency Assessments.
Though “intimidating” and a LOT more work, I am glad I went the proficiency route this year. Hopefully, my students (and their parents) will appreciate it more than they can fully grasp the benefits (achievement tests are so much easier).
I love your documents and we are trying to adapt them for next year. We started with the stamps sheets and made them work with our curriculum. I would love for us to put into place your whole system. We really appreciate all the hard work you did putting these documents together. Teachers from Punxsutawney High School thank you!
I use all of the resources on this website frequently. The I can statements, the unit overviews, the assessments, and the proficiency grading scale have all guided my curriculum planning. I am in a new school this year and the only Spanish teacher, so I am lucky enough to have control over what I am teaching, and these resources and this blog have been one of my top resources. I am creating a new curriculum and with these resources I have not had to start from scratch. Words cannot express how valuable all of this has been.
Also, something that would be helpful is semester assessments. What type of project type assessment is appropriate for a NH Spanish 1? I am struggling with that right now. Something where the students have choices.
Do you use the performance rubric?
I like it, but my district has its own speaking and writing rubrics that we have to use so unfortunately I can’t use it. I did take a look at it and think I would have a hard time assessing using it because there are some kids in between the levels you have posted.
Do you use any of the unit “I can” statements?
I didn’t use them this year, but I absolutely LOVE them! I think this will help students get the “why” of what we are learning and it will certainly help them focus on what they need to do for each unit. I will have to create my own similar ones to fit in with the foreign language curriculum we have here in Massachusetts and in my district. I completely appreciate you and your district for sharing these documents with us (for free, at that!), but I wish they were editable or at the very least you had templates available so it will be easier to adapt what you have done to what we have to do here. Luckily, I will get paid this summer to work on these documents.
Do you use the stamp sheets with daily goals?
I tried using the stamp sheets this year, but found them cumbersome and hard to get filled for as large as some of my classes are (as many as 28 kids in some classes!). The kids hated them too. I think having the “I can” statements instead will help them stay focused and get prepared for what they need to know.
Do you use the performance assessments to measure their proficiency and progress?
I am going to spend some time looking at them this summer, but I haven’t really looked at them much as of right now.
Robyn,
I have large classes too and found that making the “I can” statements into a broader, not daily stamp sheet effective. Students know what objective we’re working toward over the course of a couple days. It has eliminated a lot of my “busy work” grading, because most WANT to actively participate in class to get that stamp that will add up with the others for one grade.
The resources look fab and it is all about going back to the basics.
I have used the stamp sheets which are great! I have also used some of the different performance assessments which have been fabulous. The rubrics are wonderful, too! Thanks for everything that yall contribute!!
THANK YOU ~ THANK YOU ~ THANK YOU!! Your comments are so helpful to us. I’ll see about sharing ones to edit.
Our departments is going to rely heavily on your curriculum his upcoming year. We would love to be able to edit the documents!
The stamp sheets are editable. Maybe a PDF converter will work for the others? It would be nice if you could leave an “adapted from JCPS” on the bottom.
Hi Kara,
I am writing to you from Brookline, Massachusetts. Your work has been a tremendous asset to and guide for our department as we transition to a proficiency based program. So, first of all I must offer thanks to you and your department for openly sharing your work.
We started the year using the performance rubric in 7th and 8th grade Spanish. We love the clarity of the descriptors and the progression of the rubric. Although we found it challenging to use when we also have to give letter grades for each assessment. Do you assign letter (or percentage grades) when you give a performance assessment? One other difficulty for me was to get students to connect in a meaningful way to rubric. Sometimes they struggle to see growth when they are not moving from one level to another. Do your students have a concept of where their skills lie along the rubric? Do you tell them or do they self-assess where they are?
The performance assessments are great. The students’ ability to produce the spoken language seems much greater when they are given a performance assessment. We used to ask 8th graders to do 2 minute timed oral presentations, but most 8th graders speak over five minutes when given a performance assessment. Huzzah. We love it! The grading takes a lot longer now though!
In light of our experiences, we attempted to combine (or blend) the idea of can-do statements with the performance assessment rubric to create a Can-do rubric. One column of the can-do rubric highlights the task(s) the student is asked to do in the performance assessment. The second column asks for the student to elaborate in a meaningful way on the task from the first column. Elaboration is a skill required of Novice High learners and above and our students start in Kindergarten so they are mostly novice high or above. The third column of the can-do rubric refers to language control and the fourth column is a space for teacher comments. This has made grading easier for the teachers as it is more of a check list. We also have begun to use the can-do rubrics as a tool for peer evaluations. We eliminate the last two columns and have students listen to each other present. A peer evaluates if the task was achieved and if the student elaborated. Thus the students are involved in a meaningful way in listening to each other. (If you are interested, I would be happy to share these.)
If you have time to answer any of the questions above, I would be very appreciative. I am also curious as to how often you give performance assessments. Do you have students do all three when you are doing them (presentation speaking, presentational writing and interpersonal speaking)? And finally do you have a language lab? If not, how do students record their speaking?
Many, many thanks, Lauren
Thank you for the feedback! We do not have a language lab. I find that iPads are a better investment. I use Edmodo as a place for them to turn in their work, videos, pictures, etc.
I give summative assessments about every 3-4 weeks. I don’t make them do all. Sometimes I let them pick which one they want. I try to give a reading every time and another production. Eventually I want to add a listening assessment too.
Grades: http://creativelanguageclass.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/idea-85-assigning-a-grade-to-a-proficiency-rubric/
We assess them and make them very aware of their levels. Mine can self assess now. http://creativelanguageclass.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/bring-the-rubric-to-life/
Keep their expectations realistic by showing the learner profile often. https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=28f7c805d5a3213d&sc=documents&wa=wsignin1.0&sa=343767067&id=28F7C805D5A3213D%21154#cid=28F7C805D5A3213D&id=28F7C805D5A3213D%21155&sc=documents
I cannot adequately express my gratitude to you and your colleagues for the tremendous work that you have done and your generosity. I have been incorporating performance assessments into my classes for several years now, but I love the format of yours. I am the sole Spanish teacher in my district, so opportunities for collaboration are non-existent. However, because of the resources that you have shared, I plan on making major changes to my Spanish I classes next year. I plan on relying much less on the textbook and using your units to develop my own lesson plans. I would love to be able to make these changes with all four levels, but that’s a little too overwhelming.
Thank you so much for all that you have done and shared!
So glad to hear!! I tried implementing one level at a time, then felt guilty and changed every level. Suggestion for the first year: align your levels where if level 1 is learning about a topic, level two is learning about the similar topic on a higher proficiency level. Example idea: Level 1 Restaurant / Level 2 Meals around the world. Then you can modify texts and resources for each level. Good luck!
I use the JCPS docs as a foundation to my elementary/middle school Spanish program. I have adapted many of the activities to make them appropriate for younger children, but I use the rubrics to assess, give feed back and educate the families on the progress their children are making. I use a pared down version of the I Can Statements for the younger students. Thank you for sharing them!!!