New Book Study - Assessment for Learning

For those of you who have read my blog and listened to my podcast you are aware that I was not a very big fan of my administrative teams last book study, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I am sure that if handled correctly and under the right circumstances this book study may benefit some of our schools. Many from our team went away from our first discussion with hurt feelings and comments were made that couldn't be taken back. Anyway, it is over and we have a new book!!!

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right - Using it well by: Stiggings, Arter, Chappuis, Chappuis.

Chapter One discussion is tomorrow. Just read it and here are my notes:

Chapter One Title: Classroom Assessment: Every Student a Winner!

• The teaching profession i s a calling
• Assessment can work in positive ways to benefit learning
• Example #1 a good example - teacher worked with students to implement new standards, shared scoring guides written for just students in understandable terms, studied GOOD examples of writing, took a beginning of the year writing sample and end of the year writing sample to a School board meeting to show that a newly adopted program was working.
• Unlucky students story - only direction was to "fill the page" and student only wrote 3/4 way down page, failed assignment regardless of content of writing.
• 2nd Success story - students given copy of final exam plan at beginning of unit, teacher wrote 4-5 test questions each day, students wrote some questions for practice test.
• INVOLVE STUDENTS
• Begin with purpose in mind
• Classroom learning targets are clear and communicated to the students
• Standards, GLE's, etc. in student-friendly language
• Include enough exercises
• Student involvement is critically important
• The most important instructional decisions are by students themselves - OMG that is a mind shift for some! Holy cow!

There is a CD and I could take a survey if time but that wasn't part of the assignment.