Central MiddleInternational School

Philosophy

"The single most important aim of MYP assessment is to support and encourage student learning. The MYP places an emphasis on assessment processes that involve the gathering and analysis of information about student performance and that provide timely feedback to students on their performance. MYP assessment aims deidentify what students know, understand, can do and feel at different stages unlearning process and to provide a basis for practice. Students and teachers will be actively engaging and assessing student progress as part of the development of their wider critical-thinking and self-assessment skills." (MYP: From Principals into Practice 2008, pg. 41)

The IB MYP Assessment

The IB Middle Years Program is an educational framework built around eight core subject areas designed to be taught through Approaches to Learning. These are:

• Organization
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Information Literacy
• Reflection
• Thinking
• Transfer

Assessment plays a significant role in the development of approaches to learning. Subject assessments encourage students to sharpen their research skills, become more organized, work more effectively in groups and develop critical problem solving skills.

The assessment criteria and point values vary for each of the subject areas but all are derived from four core components:

• Knowledge: Facts that the student should be able to recall to ensure competence in the subject
• Understanding: How the student will be able to interpret, apply, or predict aspects of the subject
• Skills: Shown through tasks that allow the student to apply what has been learned to a new situation
• Attitudes: Ways in which the student is changed by the learning experience

Types of Assessments

Formative Assessments are part of the instructional process that provides timely information needed to adjust teaching programs. Formative assessments actively involve students in the process as they learn to self-assess, peer-assess, and set goals based on their teacher's feedback. Examples:

• Group Observations
• Group Discussions
• Check Lists
• Inventories
• Drawings
• Journal Entries
• Quizzes
• Tests
• Self-Evaluations

Summative Assessments are given periodically to assess a student's knowledge and understanding against a fixed set of standards. They are developed and assessed with reference to the relevant MYP Subject Guides and the MYP's Interim Objectives. These assess what the student has learned. Examples:

• Multimedia Presentations of Information
• Productions of a Model
• Oral Presentations
• Essays
• Creative Presentations of Information
• What If Statements
• Projects
• Defenses of Position
• Argumentative/Persuasive Essays
• Tests

Summary of assessment in the MYP...

• Assessment focuses on student learning and development.
• Assessments are based on criteria.
• The criteria are different in each subject because the subjects require different knowledge, understanding, and skills.
• There are no externally set or marked exams, although teachers may of course set exams as one of the methods used to assess the students.
• Assessment is ongoing and takes into account process as well as product.
• It requires students to understand how the work is being assessed and for them to evaluate their own work.

The MYP criteria must be used by all teachers.

Using criteria to assess student achievement is very helpful because the student knows before attempting the work what needs to be done to reach the highest level. It also helps teachers clarify and express their expectations about assignments in ways that students can understand. These types of assessments allow students to monitor their own performances and increase their quality of work.

Student Expectations

Be autonomous learners by thinking independently, assessing their own progress, and taking responsibility for deadlines without excuse.

Analyze and monitor their own formative and summative assessment data to assess their own progress.

Arrange meetings with subject teachers to get personalized feedback and to get additional help.

Apply effort on formative assessments to maximize progress and summative assessment scores.

Submit work on time, adequately attending to interim drafts and final deadlines without exception.

Follow the interim deadlines for large assignments to ensure adequate progress and maximize potential.

Teacher Responsibilities

Focus on the assessment of student learning outcomes rather than just teaching content.

Modify teaching in light of the learning that has taken place using formative assessment data.

Analyze assessment data to identify patterns of individual student performance and needs.

Work in collaborative teams to design and assess common assessments.

Compare common assessment data with other teachers to assess where student learning has been strong and where it has been less strong.

Show an awareness of the perseity of the learning styles of students by using a variety of assessment and teaching strategies.

Provide timely written and oral feedback on assignments.

Avoid summative assessment without formative assessment and feedback first.

Bear in mind the student's whole schedule and use only meaningful assessments.

Post assessments dates.

Work with the Teachers of Record to design assessments that will effectively assess the learning of students with specific learning needs.

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program

MYP Assessment is internal. The IB provides internationally benchmarked objectives and assessment criteria for each subject. Teachers at the International School at Central Middle School develop tasks and strategies in alignment with the IB standards to help their students reach the subject objectives. Interim objects and modified assessment criteria are used for each particular stage of the learning over the five years of the program. The MYP does not provide externally set examinations or other assessments.

The MYP assessment model is criterion-related, meaning that each student's success in reaching the objectives of each subject group is measured by relating his/her work to predetermined criteria. MYP assessment aims to support student learning by providing feedback on the learning process. It aims to identify what students understand at different stages in the learning process. Teachers and students are continuously and actively engaged in assessing student progress.

Additionally, MYP assessment also plays a significant role in the development of approaches to learning (ATL) skills. To support ATL skills, the program stresses the importance of both student and teacher self-assessment and reflection.

If a summative assessment is not completed on time, the teacher will notify parents. The teacher will work with the parent to support the ATL skills and learner profile traits to ensure that the student is successful in the MYP. Teachers may request students to stay after school or assign lunch detentions to assist in the completion of summative assessment tasks. Students who do not complete summative assessments consistently will receive other consequences at the discretion of the leadership team.

IB Middle Years Program General Grade Descriptions

(Coordinators Handbook 2012-2013, pg. 56)

Further information about the MYP can be found on the IBO website, www.ibo.org Please feel free to contact the MYP coordinator, or any of the teachers if you have specific questions.