Your weekly source of learner-centered inspiration
Dear Educator,
I am finishing my last week of teaching a grad school course at the High Tech High Graduate School of Education, and we have our presentations of learning this week. I can’t wait to see the presentations and how the leaders in our course demonstrate their learning. I know that many educators are in similar places as the year winds down. As we come to the end of the year, assessment is top of mind for many. It’s the time to fill in report cards, give credit, and pass students.
My Bright Spot this week is a reminder of how we can help learners show what they know and can do.
With Gratitude, Katie
I'd love to hear from you! Reply to this email to share your Bright Spot this week!
BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK
A Demonstration of Learning
The portfolio defense at SEEQSmiddle school in Hawai’i is a fabulous example of a demonstration of learning. The defense is an expected part of the SEEQS experience where they highlight how they have grown, and reflect and capture their learning in a portfolio. Based on their learning philosophy, SEEQS educators work with students to develop and grow their sustainability skills. On their website, they highlight:
“The system is divided into two main parts:
1. The portfolio
2. The defense
The relationship between the portfolio and the defense is similar to the relationship between a resume and a job interview. The resume describes what you can do on paper, and it can be reviewed independently, ahead of time and without you in the room. The job interview, in contrast, is a live event, providing the opportunity for you to expand upon what’s in the resume, and for the interviewer to learn things about you that cannot be communicated on paper.”
I was honored to be part of the process and was amazed at what these students were creating, how they had captured their learning, and how unique each defense was.
We have an opportunity and obligation to rethink our assessment and accountability practices and use models like SEEQS where learners are developing the skills and capturing their learning in a portfolio to show evidence of their skills and growth over time.
Interested in transforming performance assessment practices in your school or district? Let's connect!
Below are some resources to support a shift in assessment practices in your school or district.
1. Performance assessment case study series.This brief from The Learning Policy Institute makes the case for how performance assessment can be used to support student learning in districts and classrooms.
2. Think critically about evolving assessment practices. Dr. Michael Nagler, superintendent of Mineola Public Schools, shares how his district has shifted assessment practices and much more in his new book.
3. A defense of learning. This op-ed from EdWeek questions the purpose of examination and imagines the possibilities for students to demonstrate their learning.
LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!
What does assessment look like in your learning community?
Use #LCBrightSpots to share your experiences on social media!
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