Assignment

Part 1:

• Explore the Exemplars website, specifically the Resources tab for Rubrics. Review the Exemplars Math Rubric and Exemplars Reading Rubric.

• Questions to discuss:

o How does the Exemplars criteria for both math and reading rubrics follow a top-down or bottom-up approach? How do you know?

o To what degree are performance level descriptions addressed?

o Do these live up to what Brookhart proposes, that ". . .the most important aspect of the levels is that performance be described, with language that depicts what one would observe in the work rather than the quality conclusions one would draw" (p.26)?

o In your opinion, what are the values placed on using the terminology for mastery (Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner, and Expert)? In other words, how effective do you believe this terminology is and why?

Part 2:

• Explain the position Brookhart argues in Chapter 2 against rubrics that merely summarize the requirements of the task, as opposed to rubrics that describe evidence of learning.

• Explain what Brookhart means when saying; "Rubrics should not confuse the learning outcome to be assessed with the task used to asses it" (p.15).

• What is the relationship between this and what you learned about aligning formative assessments with the learning standards and objectives?