Qualitative Evidence of Academic Growth
Overview
Quantitative data shows me numbers and percentages of how students are performing, but qualitative data is the proof students are growing and applying newly learned skills into writing. I have chosen to showcase student writing as qualitative data for dramatic academic growth because it is proof my students are able to apply skills they have learned in phonics and create writing pieces to state their opinion or reflect on lessons. In the beginning of the year, students were using inventive spelling based off sounds they heard and showing their thoughts through pictures. Now, students are using phonics patterns they have learned in phonics lessons in their writing and adding labels to further explain their writing. My school follows Lucy Calkins writing curriculum, therefore we use Lucy Calkins writing rubrics to assess student writing. The rubric is a range from pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grade 1. Students are assessed on their spelling, use of pages, labels, sight words, and transition words in their writing. On the rubric, I circle the level students are at based on their writing then calculate their overall writing score, based on the rubric.
Quantitative data shows me numbers and percentages of how students are performing, but qualitative data is the proof students are growing and applying newly learned skills into writing. I have chosen to showcase student writing as qualitative data for dramatic academic growth because it is proof my students are able to apply skills they have learned in phonics and create writing pieces to state their opinion or reflect on lessons. In the beginning of the year, students were using inventive spelling based off sounds they heard and showing their thoughts through pictures. Now, students are using phonics patterns they have learned in phonics lessons in their writing and adding labels to further explain their writing. My school follows Lucy Calkins writing curriculum, therefore we use Lucy Calkins writing rubrics to assess student writing. The rubric is a range from pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grade 1. Students are assessed on their spelling, use of pages, labels, sight words, and transition words in their writing. On the rubric, I circle the level students are at based on their writing then calculate their overall writing score, based on the rubric.
Work Samples
Students have their own writing journals where they either engage in a free write or specific writing prompt to be assessed. I always inform students when writing will be assessed, this happens monthly to see writing development and how students are internalizing their phonics lessons. Below are writing samples from three different students from the beginning, middle, and near the end of the school year with their grading rubrics.
Lucy Calkins rubrics grade on a various topics from Overall, Lead, Transitions, Endings, Organization, Elaboration, Craft, Spelling, and Punctuation from a Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 levels.
For context, the prompts were as follows:
September prompt: Tell me about a special time in your life.
January prompt: Write your own fairy tale.
March prompt: What could you do to make the world a better place? Why?
Below are the explanations of student work and actual student work with rubrics.
Students have their own writing journals where they either engage in a free write or specific writing prompt to be assessed. I always inform students when writing will be assessed, this happens monthly to see writing development and how students are internalizing their phonics lessons. Below are writing samples from three different students from the beginning, middle, and near the end of the school year with their grading rubrics.
Lucy Calkins rubrics grade on a various topics from Overall, Lead, Transitions, Endings, Organization, Elaboration, Craft, Spelling, and Punctuation from a Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 levels.
For context, the prompts were as follows:
September prompt: Tell me about a special time in your life.
January prompt: Write your own fairy tale.
March prompt: What could you do to make the world a better place? Why?
Below are the explanations of student work and actual student work with rubrics.
Student A in September (Fall), January (Winter), and March (Spring)
September- This student showed strength in putting their writing in sequential order but many letters were reversed. This student did well on drawing a picture to communicate, but the letters/patterns did not match the picture.
January- This student, along with Students B and C showed great growth from the Fall to Winter. This student began producing work near a first grade level by using transition words and improving writing conventions such as using spaces and capitalization.
March- This student is writing on a first grade level by incorporating more details, clear beginning, middle, and end, and improvement on spelling and irregular patterns.
Below is Student A's work and completed rubrics.
September- This student showed strength in putting their writing in sequential order but many letters were reversed. This student did well on drawing a picture to communicate, but the letters/patterns did not match the picture.
January- This student, along with Students B and C showed great growth from the Fall to Winter. This student began producing work near a first grade level by using transition words and improving writing conventions such as using spaces and capitalization.
March- This student is writing on a first grade level by incorporating more details, clear beginning, middle, and end, and improvement on spelling and irregular patterns.
Below is Student A's work and completed rubrics.
Student B in September (Fall), January (Winter), and March (Spring)
September- This student scored on the pre-kindergarten level based on Lucy Calkin's scoring rubric. This student showed strength in writing conventions and creating a picture that matched the writing. This student scored highly on using spelling patterns strengthen spelling.
January- This student showed great growth from September to January. This writer improved on expanding their thought process and continuing their story over multiple pages. This student understood writing does not need to stop and we can always expand on our thoughts.
March- This student showed improvement on their sight word spelling and making stories concise. Once again, this student used spelling patterns learned during phonics to elevate spelling and still shows strength in writing conventions, as this was a focus in class.
Below is Student B's work and completed rubrics.
September- This student scored on the pre-kindergarten level based on Lucy Calkin's scoring rubric. This student showed strength in writing conventions and creating a picture that matched the writing. This student scored highly on using spelling patterns strengthen spelling.
January- This student showed great growth from September to January. This writer improved on expanding their thought process and continuing their story over multiple pages. This student understood writing does not need to stop and we can always expand on our thoughts.
March- This student showed improvement on their sight word spelling and making stories concise. Once again, this student used spelling patterns learned during phonics to elevate spelling and still shows strength in writing conventions, as this was a focus in class.
Below is Student B's work and completed rubrics.
Student C in September (Fall), January (Winter), and March (Spring)
September- This student struggled in the beginning of the year with their writing development. This student lacked an ending, elaboration, and craft. I wanted to highlight this student's work because of the dramatic growth they made over the course of the year, thus far.
January- Similarly to Student B, this student grew dramatically from September to January. This student showed great improvement on leading into the story and spelling. The spelling improvement is directly correlated to phonics instruction and students having weekly spelling tests. Not only do students know many spelling patterns they also know specific patterns they are working on and spelling rules.
March- This student has improved on their elaboration and giving specific evidence of their thought process. Writing conventions and the continuation of spelling improvement has been consistent for this student.
September- This student struggled in the beginning of the year with their writing development. This student lacked an ending, elaboration, and craft. I wanted to highlight this student's work because of the dramatic growth they made over the course of the year, thus far.
January- Similarly to Student B, this student grew dramatically from September to January. This student showed great improvement on leading into the story and spelling. The spelling improvement is directly correlated to phonics instruction and students having weekly spelling tests. Not only do students know many spelling patterns they also know specific patterns they are working on and spelling rules.
March- This student has improved on their elaboration and giving specific evidence of their thought process. Writing conventions and the continuation of spelling improvement has been consistent for this student.
Rationale and Analysis
All students have made dramatic gains in their writing by using phonics patterns and referencing the sight word wall to support their spelling. Students are growing as writers and readers and it has been proven true through their work. Students are given multiple opportunities throughout their day to show their writing and constantly receiving feedback from myself or peers to improve their writing.
I chose these three students because each showed dramatic growth over this school year and have tremendously improved their writing. Student A has been a student who struggles with focusing in lessons but loves to write and expression their emotions through writing. Student B is a high level student who has shown dramatic growth over the course of the year. This student has high level vocabulary and high reading levels. I chose this student to highlight their growth over the year, so far. Student C has grown immensely. I chose to highlight this work because this student has gone from knowing very few letter names or sounds and having to copy spelling to writing short paragraphs on their own and using spelling patterns we have studied in class.
Overall, I have been very proud of my students and their dramatic academic gains in writing, spelling, and foundational skills.
All students have made dramatic gains in their writing by using phonics patterns and referencing the sight word wall to support their spelling. Students are growing as writers and readers and it has been proven true through their work. Students are given multiple opportunities throughout their day to show their writing and constantly receiving feedback from myself or peers to improve their writing.
I chose these three students because each showed dramatic growth over this school year and have tremendously improved their writing. Student A has been a student who struggles with focusing in lessons but loves to write and expression their emotions through writing. Student B is a high level student who has shown dramatic growth over the course of the year. This student has high level vocabulary and high reading levels. I chose this student to highlight their growth over the year, so far. Student C has grown immensely. I chose to highlight this work because this student has gone from knowing very few letter names or sounds and having to copy spelling to writing short paragraphs on their own and using spelling patterns we have studied in class.
Overall, I have been very proud of my students and their dramatic academic gains in writing, spelling, and foundational skills.