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Messy Minutes Assessment Edition Special Proficiency Scale Series Episode 2 - This is the start of a beautiful proficiency scale
Link to my Bloom’s Taxonomy
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6fxd9swyym0kzmo0mb0tq/Blooms-taxonomy-2024.pdf?rlkey=9drjow0o7qzjjp6xjrjkxxjxu&st=b0eqotkd&dl=0
TRANSCRIPT:
Welcome back to Messy Minutes: Assessment Edition episode two in our proficiency scale design series, This is the start of a beautiful proficiency scale! I’m your host, Shannon Schinkel, from the Embrace the Messy Podcast. Last week, we tackled backward design. This week, we’re taking on another mess educators face daily—understanding and breaking down standards. After all, as the title suggests…this is the start of a beautiful proficiency scale.________________________________________
Here’s the Issue: If you’ve ever looked at a standard and felt lost, you’re not alone. Some standards feel like someone took every education buzzword, threw them into a blender, and hit puree. In British Columbia, we have some of the most thoughtful and beautiful standards—but also some of the longest and even confusing (in my opinion). They can leave you wondering: What am I even supposed to teach here?
No matter if you are here in BC or elsewhere the common issue is twofold:
1. Standards are often wordy, full of excessive complexity.
2. The verbs within the standard don’t always match the intended learning outcome.
Last week, I spoke about the importance of backward design which means we must start with the standard. This week, our job is to unpack these standards—break them down into clear, user-friendly language that makes sense for us, our students, and caregivers. But breaking them down doesn’t mean throwing out the original. It’s about sense-making. Once that happens, you might here yourself say: “Oh, that’s what this means!” And then come back to the original to ensure nothing critical is missed.
________________________________________
Let’s Break It Down:
Here’s where Bloom’s Taxonomy comes in (and by the way, other taxonomies also work well here but I’m going to stick with Bloom’s because a, I’m a huge fan of Benjamin Bloom and b, it’s in my wheelhouse).
Bloom’s taxonomy is a brilliant tool because it helps us align the verbs in standards with the intended level of thinking. Verbs like create, evaluate, or analyze point to higher-order skills, while verbs like remember or understand focus on foundational knowledge.
But—and this is key—the verb at the beginning of a standard isn’t always the intended focus. The full standard matters. For example, in Hiking 101, our imaginary course, imagine that one of the standard’s reads as follows:
“Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike, ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness.”
It’s long, it’s wordy, and it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. So, let’s unpack it together.
________________________________________
Visualize This Scenario:
You’re part of Hiking 101. The instructor gives you this standard, expecting you to “Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike, ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness.”
Sounds simple, right?
But what does apply mean here? Appropriate strategies? Tools – what tools? Environmental awareness? Huh?
Take a deep breath. Let’s break down this standard into steps:
1. First…Align it to Bloom’s:
According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, apply means using knowledge or skills in a new situation. So, for the hike, you’re not just memorizing trail rules or identifying equipment, you should be able to do it in a new situation.
2. Second… look Beyond the Verb:
This is important because it sometimes tells us what the strategy entails. For example, if the standard was Apply appropriate strategies to plan an independent hike, the words plan an independent hike fall more in line with create in Bloom’s taxonomy. Creating is more about inventing and designing. Now in our case, when we examine Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike — it justifies that in this case, the standard is definitively about using knowledge or skills in a new situation. Learn it and do.
3. Three…Define the Words Beyond the Verb:
What are these appropriate strategies to plan an independent hike? This will come from the content. The strategies and tools will be the foundation for as the standard suggests, “ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness.” In the content, there is using tools like maps and compasses, demonstrating pacing strategies like adjusting your speed on steep inclines or taking scheduled breaks, and showing environmental awareness like packing out trash or staying on marked trails to protect the ecosystem.
So, let’s pause for a minute. We first aligned the standard to Bloom’s by looking at the verb and the words AFTER the verb. It’s application — using it in a new situation. Check! Then, we used the content to help us understand the rest of the standard.
So now, let’s Rephrase It:
We know the standard now, so let’s make it a little simpler. How about instead of “Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike, ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness,” we use “Complete a hike safely by using tools, pacing yourself, and being mindful of the environment."
This version is clear, action-focused, and still captures the intent of the original standard. Remember -- We are still keeping the original standard for reference. As you build learning experiences or assessments, the original can help ensure all key elements are addressed.
________________________________________
Closing:
In closing, now it’s your turn to embrace the messiness of unpacking standards: Grab a standard of your own, align it to Bloom’s, look beyond the verb, define the words beyond the verb, and then rephrase it. Need some help? Use AI tools like ChatGPT to support you with the process. It can help you determine what content best fits the standard and even assist with rephrasing it.
And remember, unpacking standards can seem daunting, but it’s doable. Give yourself grace, take time to practice, and collaborate with others if possible. Progress happens one step at a time.
The transcript for this episode will be available for you to review in the show notes and this episode is available to listen to again as necessary—and I’d love to hear from you! Share how your journey is going by commenting on this episode. And while you’re at it, why not like, share, and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
See you next Friday for part three in this series: "I love the smell of task-neutral criteria in the morning."
***
Have a suggestion for someone Shannon should interview, a question about an episode, or some feedback about the podcast, email Shannon here: [email protected].
Thankyou for listening! Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
Find out more about Shannon Schinkel:
https://linktr.ee/ShannonSchinkel
View all episodes
By Shannon SchinkelLink to my Bloom’s Taxonomy
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6fxd9swyym0kzmo0mb0tq/Blooms-taxonomy-2024.pdf?rlkey=9drjow0o7qzjjp6xjrjkxxjxu&st=b0eqotkd&dl=0
TRANSCRIPT:
Welcome back to Messy Minutes: Assessment Edition episode two in our proficiency scale design series, This is the start of a beautiful proficiency scale! I’m your host, Shannon Schinkel, from the Embrace the Messy Podcast. Last week, we tackled backward design. This week, we’re taking on another mess educators face daily—understanding and breaking down standards. After all, as the title suggests…this is the start of a beautiful proficiency scale.________________________________________
Here’s the Issue: If you’ve ever looked at a standard and felt lost, you’re not alone. Some standards feel like someone took every education buzzword, threw them into a blender, and hit puree. In British Columbia, we have some of the most thoughtful and beautiful standards—but also some of the longest and even confusing (in my opinion). They can leave you wondering: What am I even supposed to teach here?
No matter if you are here in BC or elsewhere the common issue is twofold:
1. Standards are often wordy, full of excessive complexity.
2. The verbs within the standard don’t always match the intended learning outcome.
Last week, I spoke about the importance of backward design which means we must start with the standard. This week, our job is to unpack these standards—break them down into clear, user-friendly language that makes sense for us, our students, and caregivers. But breaking them down doesn’t mean throwing out the original. It’s about sense-making. Once that happens, you might here yourself say: “Oh, that’s what this means!” And then come back to the original to ensure nothing critical is missed.
________________________________________
Let’s Break It Down:
Here’s where Bloom’s Taxonomy comes in (and by the way, other taxonomies also work well here but I’m going to stick with Bloom’s because a, I’m a huge fan of Benjamin Bloom and b, it’s in my wheelhouse).
Bloom’s taxonomy is a brilliant tool because it helps us align the verbs in standards with the intended level of thinking. Verbs like create, evaluate, or analyze point to higher-order skills, while verbs like remember or understand focus on foundational knowledge.
But—and this is key—the verb at the beginning of a standard isn’t always the intended focus. The full standard matters. For example, in Hiking 101, our imaginary course, imagine that one of the standard’s reads as follows:
“Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike, ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness.”
It’s long, it’s wordy, and it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. So, let’s unpack it together.
________________________________________
Visualize This Scenario:
You’re part of Hiking 101. The instructor gives you this standard, expecting you to “Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike, ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness.”
Sounds simple, right?
But what does apply mean here? Appropriate strategies? Tools – what tools? Environmental awareness? Huh?
Take a deep breath. Let’s break down this standard into steps:
1. First…Align it to Bloom’s:
According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, apply means using knowledge or skills in a new situation. So, for the hike, you’re not just memorizing trail rules or identifying equipment, you should be able to do it in a new situation.
2. Second… look Beyond the Verb:
This is important because it sometimes tells us what the strategy entails. For example, if the standard was Apply appropriate strategies to plan an independent hike, the words plan an independent hike fall more in line with create in Bloom’s taxonomy. Creating is more about inventing and designing. Now in our case, when we examine Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike — it justifies that in this case, the standard is definitively about using knowledge or skills in a new situation. Learn it and do.
3. Three…Define the Words Beyond the Verb:
What are these appropriate strategies to plan an independent hike? This will come from the content. The strategies and tools will be the foundation for as the standard suggests, “ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness.” In the content, there is using tools like maps and compasses, demonstrating pacing strategies like adjusting your speed on steep inclines or taking scheduled breaks, and showing environmental awareness like packing out trash or staying on marked trails to protect the ecosystem.
So, let’s pause for a minute. We first aligned the standard to Bloom’s by looking at the verb and the words AFTER the verb. It’s application — using it in a new situation. Check! Then, we used the content to help us understand the rest of the standard.
So now, let’s Rephrase It:
We know the standard now, so let’s make it a little simpler. How about instead of “Apply appropriate strategies and tools to complete a hike, ensuring safety, pacing, and environmental awareness,” we use “Complete a hike safely by using tools, pacing yourself, and being mindful of the environment."
This version is clear, action-focused, and still captures the intent of the original standard. Remember -- We are still keeping the original standard for reference. As you build learning experiences or assessments, the original can help ensure all key elements are addressed.
________________________________________
Closing:
In closing, now it’s your turn to embrace the messiness of unpacking standards: Grab a standard of your own, align it to Bloom’s, look beyond the verb, define the words beyond the verb, and then rephrase it. Need some help? Use AI tools like ChatGPT to support you with the process. It can help you determine what content best fits the standard and even assist with rephrasing it.
And remember, unpacking standards can seem daunting, but it’s doable. Give yourself grace, take time to practice, and collaborate with others if possible. Progress happens one step at a time.
The transcript for this episode will be available for you to review in the show notes and this episode is available to listen to again as necessary—and I’d love to hear from you! Share how your journey is going by commenting on this episode. And while you’re at it, why not like, share, and subscribe so you never miss an episode?
See you next Friday for part three in this series: "I love the smell of task-neutral criteria in the morning."
***
Have a suggestion for someone Shannon should interview, a question about an episode, or some feedback about the podcast, email Shannon here: [email protected].
Thankyou for listening! Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
Find out more about Shannon Schinkel:
https://linktr.ee/ShannonSchinkel