Table of Content
SIS Educational Philosophy

2Rationale

2Philosophy

3

Principles of Assessment

3Assessment Practices
Assessment For, As, and Of Learning

44Planning

5Assessing

5Recording

6

Reporting

6

Special Features of the MYP

7References

8

Review Cycle

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SIS Vision
Our vision is to foster passionate, independent, highly-motivated learners who actively
contribute to world peace.

SIS Mission
Our mission is to provide a multicultural learning community which nurtures passion for
academic, social, and personal success.

SIS Educational Philosophy
SIS aims at educating each of its students to be:● inspired and independent life-long learners.
● academically, artistically, socially, and physically balanced.
● inquirers and problem-solvers.
● multilingual communicators.
● responsible and principled internationally-minded citizens.
● appreciative of our local community.

Rationale
Assessment must be planned with its purpose in mind. Formative and summative assessments
are administered at SIS to provide feedback to students, teachers, and parents in order toinform and improve student learning.
Purpose of Assessment for Students● To understand the purpose behind their learning● To reflect on learning, gauge their progress, and set goals for growth● To receive timely feedback from teachers and peers● To discover areas of strength and growth in their learning● To encourage independence and responsibility for their own learning
Purpose of Assessment for Teachers● To gauge student understanding of the learning outcomes throughout the learning process● To inform written and taught curriculum● To monitor student progress in order to meet individual learning styles and needs● To reflect on teaching in order to improve practice● To provide evidence of student learning
Purpose of Assessment for Parents● To see evidence of student progress●●●To develop a clear understanding of student learning

To collaborate with teachers in order to facilitate growth
To help parents advocate for student self-efficacy

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Philosophy
We believe that learning is not exclusive to the classroom setting; it can be facilitatedwithin or beyond the four walls of the classroom. At SIS, “the primary purpose ofassessment and evaluation is to improve student learning” (“Growing”). Authentic
assessment, including assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment oflearning, is considered fundamental and essential to a student’s educational growth andachievement (“Assessment”). It is our firm conviction that affording students theopportunity to demonstrate what they know, understand, and can do will allow them totransfer conceptual understanding, knowledge, and skills learned in school to real life(Erickson 7).
Authentic assessments are student-centered, holistic in nature, and meet a wide variety ofstudent needs and learning styles. In order to facilitate effective authentic assessments thatprovide best practice for student learning , teachers must be knowledgeable in varied
assessment practices, transparent and fair in their assessment process, and participatory incontinued professional growth regarding assessment. Student involvement is also integral
to authentic assessment and evaluation, providing students with necessary tools to gain
ownership of and advocacy for their learning. When assessments are appropriatelyaddressed, educators form a collaborative partnership with students and parents byinvolving them in the assessment and evaluation process, allowing assessment andevaluation to then become the facilitator for the lifelong learner.

Principles of Assessment
Effective assessment practices support students in their development asinternationally-minded citizens.The following principles guide effective assessment atShinagawa International School:
Assessment Promotes:● Positive student attitudes toward learning.
● Deep understanding of the content by supporting student inquiries set in real worldcontexts.
● The development of Approaches to Learning skills.
● Student learning by providing feedback on the learning process.
Assessment Includes:● Parents, students, and teachers in the assessment process.
● Student and teacher self assessment and reflection.
● Process as well as outcome.
● Opportunity for students to demonstrate transfer of concepts and skills acrossdisciplines.

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Assessment of what students know, understand, can do and feel at different stages ofthe learning process.
Assessment for, as, and of learning.
Pre, formative, and summative assessments.

Assessment Supports:● The holistic nature of the programme, including development of the IB Learner Profile
attributes.
● The international mindedness of the programme.
● Enhancement and improvement of both teaching process and practice.

Assessment Practices
Assessment practices at SIS are designed to provide feedback in order to improve student
learning. Assessment for, as, and of learning all play a role in supporting and improving
student learning, and must be appropriately balanced within the assessment cycle(“Assessment”). It is essential that our teachers understand these practices; doing so allows
teachers to utilize the four facets of assessment effectively in order to guide teaching andlearning.
Assessment For, As, and Of Learning
One of the most important aspects of assessment is the utilization and interpretation ofassessment for, as, and of learning.
Assessment for Learning - Teachers gather and interpret evidence to inform teaching andlearning; they gather and interpret information to gauge student understanding, provide
feedback, and differentiate instruction appropriately.
Assessment as Learning - Students reflect on their own learning; they monitor theirprogress, use assessment feedback from the teacher, self, and peers to determine next
steps, and set individual learning goals.
Assessment of Learning - Teachers collect and interpret evidence to make judgments about
the quality of student learning on the basis of established criteria; they summarize learning,record results, and communicate student achievement to parents and students.

4Planning
Collaborative Planning - Teachers meet during regularly scheduled collaborative meetingsin order to craft units that are transdisciplinary (PYP)/interdisciplinary (MYP) in nature aswell as build a vertically and horizontally aligned curriculum. Collaborative planning affords
teachers time to differentiate for individual learners’ needs and styles across the curriculum.
This planning time aims to develop and improve school programmes that align with ourmission and vision.
Data-Driven Planning - Teachers collect and analyze data collaboratively to plan forauthentic learning experiences appropriate assessment strategies (see recording section).
Data collected and used at SIS includes:● Benchmark Assessments● Pre-Assessments● Formative Assessments● Summative Assessments
Student-Driven Planning - Collaborative planning is driven by students’ prior experiences inorder to build on prior knowledge. This planning allows for differentiation and takes into
account students’ various needs; it exists for the purpose of developing an authentic,
holistic education.

Assessing
Pre-Assessments - Teachers assess prior knowledge before new learning begins. Teachersthen use the results to build upon student experiences. This type of assessment allows
teachers to find gaps in student learning, deepen understanding, differentiate, build on
strengths, and determine student groupings to enhance learning.
Formative Assessments - Teachers use formative assessment to gauge student progress
during learning. This type of assessment allows teachers to use learning outcomes to help
students and teachers themselves identify learning needs; they modify instructional
methods, differentiate based on individuals’ needs, and provide student feedback
throughout the teaching and learning process as needed to promote a deeper
understanding.
Summative Assessments - Teachers administer summative assessments at the end of alearning period to determine student growth. This type of assessment allows teachers andstudents to measure a student’s growth and competency for the learning targets. Teachers
use summative assessments as a record of student learning; these assessments areultimately used to plan for future teaching and learning.
5Recording
Implementing Effective Strategies - Teachers utilize an array of assessment strategies thatare fair, comprehensive, and relevant to the learning targets in order to provide varied ways
for students to demonstrate their learning. Effective strategies used at SIS include:
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Observations
Performance assessments
Process-focused assessments
Selected responses
Open-ended tasks
Process journals
Portfolio documentation
Reflections

Applying Assessment Tools - Teachers record their assessment data using a range ofassessment tools in order to provide evidence of the ongoing learning process to informteaching and learning. At SIS, teachers are responsible for documenting their assessments
using appropriate tools such as:● Rubrics● Checklists● Anecdotal records● Continuums● Student exemplars

ReportingOngoing Communication - Clear, consistent and timely communication are essential toreporting student growth. All stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and students, areinvolved in reporting in order to have a clear understanding of where students are at in thelearning process.
Student Reflections on Learning - Students provide evidence of their own understandings
and actions they have taken in regards to their personal inquiries.
Reports on Progress - Teachers provide formal individualized assessment reports four times
per year through Toddle platform. These reports contribute to the ongoing communication
among all relevant stakeholders in order to monitor student progress. Teachers are also
encouraged to report informally on a regular basis regarding student successes as well as
concerns via digital messages, phone calls, and parent meetings.

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Conferences - The school invites all relevant stakeholders to participate in formal meetings
to discuss academic as well as social and emotional growth for each student. Conferences
facilitate ongoing communication by aiding parent understanding and inviting them toactively promote their child’s growth beyond the classroom. Conference structures at SIS
include:● Student-Led Conferences● Parent-Teacher Conferences

Special Features of the MYP
To guide all assessment planning, teachers must use the prescribed assessment criteria andtheir achievement levels that are laid out in their respective subject guides. As per therequirements outlined in “MYP: From Principles into Practice,” SIS MYP teachers sharecommon practices in applying those assessment criteria and determining achievementlevels for units’ summative assessment tasks, report cards, and final grades for end-of-year
report cards.
For those key reporting times, SIS MYP teachers use all assessment data gathered todetermine the “best fit” level of achievement for a student for each criterion assessed.
Below are the common practices SIS MYP teachers use in terms of determining “best fit.”
All MYP teachers:
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Assess each strand of each subject group’s criteria at least two times per MYP year level
to determine levels.
Standardize their understanding and application of the assessment criteria during
collaborative planning meetings to better determine “best fit” levels.
Use multiple samples of student work from a variety of learning experiences andassessment types in order to have sufficient evidence to make judgments on a student’sachievement level for the criterion.
Gather evidence of student learning from a range of learning experiences before
determining levels, ensuring that the evidence comes from student performance overthe duration of the units taught.
Consider student support given and group work when determining achievement levels.
Determine achievement levels by considering the descriptor bands like bucket-filling,
deciding if the descriptor aligns with the student’s performance and then moving on to
the next descriptor, or bucket, until it does not align with the student work orperformance. At that point, the previous descriptor is used to determine the best fit
level. (Note: If the student work/performance does not fulfill all of the descriptors in alower band but some in a higher band, professional judgment must be used indetermining the descriptor level that best fits.)
Use their professional judgment to decide, record, and report the lower or higher
numerical value found within the grade band, as mentioned above.

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For recording, teachers use the agreed upon Task-Specific Clarifications templates as a key
tool to plan, assess, record and report on MYP achievement levels for all MYP subject
groups’ objectives and their criteria.
For end-of-year report cards, MYP teachers must look at a student’s progress with eachcriterion and take into account the most recent and consistently achieved level, deciding ona final level for each criterion. Then, teachers must use the grade boundary guidelines table
outlined in “MYP: From Principles into Practice”. Teachers must use their final professional
judgment when determining levels.

References

This policy was informed by:“Assessment.” PYP: from Principles into Practice, International Baccalaureate Organization,
12 Dec. 2018,
resources.ibo.org/pyp/framework/The-PYP-Framework/works/pyp_11162-51465?root=1.6.2.12.5.3&c=0d74629d&lang=en.
“Assessment for, as, and of learning.” International Baccalaureate Organization, 2009,
Powerpoint Presentation.
Bloomfield Assessment Policy. Bloomfield Hills Schools, 2015,
https://www.bloomfield.org/uploaded/Parents_Students/IB/MYP_AssessmentPolicy.pdf.
Dili International School Policy and Procedure Manual. Dili International School, 2015,
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-jMMYoqX1FgBj1IpfIShQqgfUB-F8f-nWjmO9CeYZ0
M/edit.
Erickson, H. Lynn, et al. Concept-based Curriculum for the Thinking Classroom. Corwin,
2017.
Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, Ministry ofEducation, 2010, http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growSuccess.pdf.
Making the PYP Happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education.
International Baccalaureate Organization, 2009,https://resources.ibo.org//data/p_0_pypxx_mph_0912_2_e.pdf.

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McTighe, J. and Ken O’Connor. “Seven Practices for Effective Learning.” EducationalLeadership, vol. 63 , no. 3, 2005, pp. 10-17.
MYP: From Principles into Practice, for use from September 2014/January 2015.
International Baccalaureate Organization, 2017,https://resources.ibo.org//data/m_0_mypxx_guu_1405_4_e.pdf.
The Primary Years Programme A basis for practice. International Baccalaureate
Organization, 2009, https://resources.ibo.org//data/p_0_pypxx_mon_0901_1_e.pdf
Programme Standards and Practices, for use from 1 January 2014. International
Baccalaureate Organization, 2016,
http://www.ibo.org/globalassets/publications/become-an-ib-school/programme-standard
s-and-practices-en.pdf.
Seoul Foreign School Schoolwide Assessment Policy. Seoul Foreign School, 2016,
https://www.seoulforeign.org/uploaded/SFSwide/academics/SFSSchoolwideAssessmentP
olicy.pdf.
Wiggins, G. and Jay McTighe. “Assessing for Understanding.” Understanding by Design:
Professional Development Workbook. ASCD, 2004.

Review Cycle
Initiator: Head of Secondary School
Individuals Involved: MYP Coordinator
Date Ratified: March, 2022
To be reviewed: June 2022

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