BRIGHT SPOTS

Your weekly source of learner-centered inspiration

Dear Educator,

Many students are in different places with what they know and are able to do. As I learned in graduate school, and in my own classroom, the growth that young adolescents experience is second only to their first year of life. As a result, there are a plethora of changes that young people endure that impact how and what they learn. As we settle into a new school year amidst the pandemic, we are learning about strengths and opportunities that coexist in all of our students. Similarly, there are gaps that are more present than ever, and it is important we develop more effective forms of assessment to ensure comprehension in the classroom.

In this week’s issue of Bright Spots, I want to highlight assessment practices that allow students multiple opportunities to demonstrate competency.

With Gratitude,
Katie

BRIGHT SPOT OF THE WEEK

Assessments That Improve Learning

My children, Abby and Zack, are in 6th and 7th grade and I am grateful to their teachers who allow for multiple opportunities to show what they know and can do.

Instead of Abby’s teacher holding to a fixed timeline in the classroom, she allows Abby to review her mistakes, learn the material, and revise her thinking and understanding. After one of Abby’s tests, she had the opportunity to review her work, revisit the content, go over the questions she missed, and correct her answers. The impact of this retake method is not only that it allows students to improve their grade, but it also ensures that they learn and understand the important concepts. 

If developing competency in these skills is truly the goal, developing clarity on what we value most and what students should know, as well as developing policies and practices that help them improve, is key. 

Interested in discussing how you can develop effective assessment strategies for your learners? Let's connect!

RESOURCE ROUNDUP

Below are some resources to help evaluate assessment practices to improve learning in your context.

2. Learning opportunities during the pandemic. Students learned so much more during the pandemic than we realize. Just ask them! This EdSurge article highlights how the pandemic created space and time for all kinds of learning.

3. Uncovering the true purpose of assessment. Assessment comes from the Latin root assidere which means to sit beside. Learner-Centered Collaborative partner success lead Bryanna Hanson shares how we can get back to assessment practices that drive learning in her latest blog post.

LET'S SHARE OUR BRIGHT SPOTS!

How are you reevaluating assessment to improve learning?
Use #LCBrightSpots to share your experiences on social media!

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