Meet Melanie LiCausi
Melanie is the original creator of Leveled Assessments for Math and ELA. Leveled Assessments take Marzano’s research to a whole new LEVEL, by adding clear and objective tasks to proficiency scales. Melanie’s experience with differentiation comes from twelve years in the classroom teaching first grade, second grade, middle school math, and several years of Gifted Resource in a multi-age classroom for grades 3-5. She has mastered the art of aligning content at multiple grade levels to give students a smooth and defined path for progress.
As Proficiency Scales become the NEW way to teach, more and more schools are looking for resources from experienced teachers. Melanie has written, taught and presented proficiency scales at multiple conferences to walk teachers through the process of creating, presenting, organizing, and assessing learning objectives with scales. FOLLOW THE LINK above to recieve a free GUIDE to SCALES sharing my own experience and tips.
Looking for SCHOOL SITE LICENSES? Contact Melanie.licausi@mrslsleveledlearning.com
Mrs. L’s Blog
Rubrics verses Proficiency Scales
s the difference between a Rubric and a Proficiency Scale? In the examples below I’m going to share with you how each classroom tool can vary in structure and purpose. A rubric can look like a four-point scale with one crucial difference; a proficiency scale is focused on one learning objective. A rubric often includes a variety of skills that are related to different standards. Let’s look at some examples for elementary and middle school language arts and writing!
Standards Based Learning with a Flipped Classroom
Classroom time always feels too short to do everything we know we're supposed to do! Connect to students’ prior knowledge, scaffold learning, repeat vocabulary, give multiple opportunities for practice, give students think time,...
Inclusion – The Goal of Proficiency Scales
What's the most important reason to use proficiency scales? One word. INCLUSION. The goal of proficiency scales is not to be one more complicated thing on your to-do list, but to accommodate your students at ALL LEVELS at the same time. Four Levels of Differentiation...
Distance Learning and the Homeschool Connection
Have you figured out what to work on with your child at home?
My name is Melanie LiCausi, and I am a mom of three, a classroom teacher, and trying out home-schooling for the very first time!
Having the unique experience of being on both sides of online learning has given me the chance to notice a few things.
Read on to see the simplest way to communicate your standards to students and parents in 4 easy steps!
Differentiate Eighth Grade Equations with Proficiency Scales
Proficiency Scales are all about helping students show growth in small steps instead of being overwhelmed by a year-end goal that seems way over their head. This video will walk you through one way to get your students understanding a scale. In this eighth grade equations and expressions standard, students must know and apply the properties of integer exponents to generate equivalent numerical expressions.
Differentiate Seventh Grade Ratios with Proficiency Scales
In this seventh grade standard for ratios and proportions, students are expected to compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions including lengths and areas with different measurements.