Assessment by itself can be challenging. Now that we are teaching and learning from a distance, what is and isn’t working for you? Please share your celebrations and challenges in this thread (a slow chat).
Grades are a question for our district. Right now we are leaning toward “pass/incomplete” instead of typical marks at the end of the year. This might be an opportunity to go gradeless in our assessment practices, too.
I'm hoping that we can use this very unexpected experience to rethink so many of the things that we do in education. I can't help but wonder if this is a time to focus on grades or if it's an opportunity to focus on what we envision for a better professional future. How can we grade when we don't know what kind of supports kids have at home. Why couldn't we use the same kind of formative assessments we values so much digitally (where possible). In my mind, maybe that's a better questions. I think about Aeriale Johnson's beautiful posts (the first three here). In 14 days for example she shared the dialogue around a poem. We CAN assess that! I would simply like to think that this is an opportunity to revisit and reevaluate. We're actually going to ponder that question on our #G2great chat tonight in our topic, Preparing for the Unexpected: Using Our Present to Inform our Future. We don't have the answers but we can initiate the discussions. If we believe that formal grading is not the answer then this is a good time to apply that to a time when grades are the last thing kids (or teachers) really need. I'm just wondering out loud, by the way!
You make valid points, Mary. I think we start with what we know and build from there, I hope. Thank you for sharing Aeriale's post, I will check it out.
I missed the time on this, but here's my challenge....We are super rural and a lot of poverty. A good portion of our families have little to no access to internet. I'm finding it super challenging because even though I am pushing things out to parents both virtually and through the mail...it is in NO way equitable and hurts my heart. The gaps are going to be massive.
As far as assessment, we are leaning toward pass/fail, I like the subtle shift in your language to pass/incomplete. It sounds less final thank "fail" and honestly, under this time how can we "fail" any student when we are not in their homes and have little to no idea what their family is experiencing. I hope you and your family are well and staying safe.
No set time now Ryanne - a slow chat from now on. Good point on the “fail” language.
That’s frustrating about access, Ryanne. We see some of these issues too. Once this is over, I hope as a state or even as a country we can invest in internet access for all.
Grades are a question for our district. Right now we are leaning toward “pass/incomplete” instead of typical marks at the end of the year. This might be an opportunity to go gradeless in our assessment practices, too.
I would so welcome gradeless....it presents so much more opportunity for students.
I'm hoping that we can use this very unexpected experience to rethink so many of the things that we do in education. I can't help but wonder if this is a time to focus on grades or if it's an opportunity to focus on what we envision for a better professional future. How can we grade when we don't know what kind of supports kids have at home. Why couldn't we use the same kind of formative assessments we values so much digitally (where possible). In my mind, maybe that's a better questions. I think about Aeriale Johnson's beautiful posts (the first three here). In 14 days for example she shared the dialogue around a poem. We CAN assess that! I would simply like to think that this is an opportunity to revisit and reevaluate. We're actually going to ponder that question on our #G2great chat tonight in our topic, Preparing for the Unexpected: Using Our Present to Inform our Future. We don't have the answers but we can initiate the discussions. If we believe that formal grading is not the answer then this is a good time to apply that to a time when grades are the last thing kids (or teachers) really need. I'm just wondering out loud, by the way!
Aeriale Johnson's posts: https://kinderbender.com
You make valid points, Mary. I think we start with what we know and build from there, I hope. Thank you for sharing Aeriale's post, I will check it out.
I missed the time on this, but here's my challenge....We are super rural and a lot of poverty. A good portion of our families have little to no access to internet. I'm finding it super challenging because even though I am pushing things out to parents both virtually and through the mail...it is in NO way equitable and hurts my heart. The gaps are going to be massive.
As far as assessment, we are leaning toward pass/fail, I like the subtle shift in your language to pass/incomplete. It sounds less final thank "fail" and honestly, under this time how can we "fail" any student when we are not in their homes and have little to no idea what their family is experiencing. I hope you and your family are well and staying safe.
No set time now Ryanne - a slow chat from now on. Good point on the “fail” language.
That’s frustrating about access, Ryanne. We see some of these issues too. Once this is over, I hope as a state or even as a country we can invest in internet access for all.
Internet access for all is a wonderful goal.