See beyond content standards to the broader context of life-changing skills. The standards-based learning and grading movement of the past twenty years has ushered in a critical shift in assessment that demands clarity in both what is being measured and how well students are learning. Seeing the value in this evolution, a wave of schools has invested enormous effort to institutionalize the policy and practices of the movement. In doing so, many focused their initial efforts squarely on grading and fell short of the more important work-classroom assessment. There are important lessons in these missteps and failures. This groundbreaking, "next generation" approach to classroom assessment challenges educators to reflect on the connections between growth, mastery, and student self-efficacy and to prioritize the transferable skills of metacognition and self-regulation in assessments. A powerful call-to-action, this guide includes: A conceptual framework that guides the questions and order of assessment reform An approach to assessment, grading, and reporting that prioritizes student growth over a standard definition of success for everyone Strategies to develop metacognition and catalyze motivation in students Orientation to each chapter with learning intentions with success criteria Vivid case stories and prompts to power deep reflection Underscoring the importance of learning environments that work for the full range of learning profiles, this book calls for a revolution in the narrative around assessment and grading, emphasizing the ultimate goal of nurturing students who are metacognitive, expert learners, motivated by the joy of learning.
All students deserve an equal opportunity to learn Through student engagement, accessible instruction, and multiple approaches to demonstrate learning, UDL ensures all students succeed by enabling educators to remove barriers to learning.
How do assessments for learning differ from assessments of learning? What is the purpose of grading? After nearly two decades of immersion in standards-based curriculua and instruction, our nation's educators are often still confounded by the (admittedly complex) landscape of standards, assessment, and reporting. Lead author Tom Guskey has a remarkable knack for bringing clarity to even the most complex of concepts. In this brief, practical guide, he and co-author Lee Ann Jung address the frequently-asked questions that almost inevitably surface in his work with school districts, state DOEs, and international agencies. The authors respond to these questions in short, simple, jargon-free, reader-friendly responses that will make sense to all levels of readers. As schools proceed with the implementation of the Common Core curriculum and the use of corresponding assessments, this invaluable guide will help clarify the meaning of these critical issues for key stakeholders and greatly facilitate communication among and between group members.
The authors' standards-based inclusive grading model helps teachers set expectations, implement appropriate accommodations and modifications, and communicate grading to students and their families.
