by Terry Heick The difference between assessment of learning and assessment for learning is a crucial one, in many ways indicative of an important shift in education. Traditionally, tests have told teachers and parents how a student “does,” then … Continued
by Terry Heick Say you’ve got some students. Two or 122. Doesn’t matter–they’re there. What should you do with them? Oh, lots. There’s lots to consider. First, you have to see them. Really see them for who they are, where they are. … Continued
by Terry Heick Students can be a lot like cats. This occurred to me recently when teaching a group of 8th graders about the wonders of the preposition. Cats are curious, aloof little prima donnas, capable of great feats of … Continued
How do you measure what a student understands? First, Determine The Purpose Of The Assessment If all students are all going to have their height and weight measured, a common standard makes sense; If students are all going to … Continued
Teachers don’t get to set the culture of their school, but they do define the world inside the four walls of their classroom. With every word and gesture, they determine the how-we-do-things-in-this-room, from conversational style to turning in work, … Continued
While assessment gets all the press, it is feedback for learning that can transform a student’s learning. When feedback is predominately negative, studies have shown that it can discourage student effort and achievement. As a teacher, most of the … Continued
Education, of course, is different than learning. Education implies a formal, systematic, and strategic intent to cause learning. In this case, content to be learned is identified, learning experiences are planned, learning results are assessed, and data from said … Continued
Thumbs up. You’re on the right track now. You’ve worked so hard on that. I heard you say how you feel. That’s great, Oh, that turned out very well. That’s coming along nicely. I’m proud of the way you … Continued
If the mind of a student isn’t engaged, understanding and content mastery don’t stand a chance; If the mind and heart together aren’t engaged, long-term retention and transfer of understanding and content mastery are unlikely as well. Make it meaningful … Continued
Our education system often punishes errors, rather than rewarding risk-taking. Schools were modeled in the Industrial Revolution to be efficient and reduce time spent on divergent thinking. After all, in a factory environment, divergent thinking might break down a … Continued