tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4792512320454717753.post8338506300387811881..comments2023-04-03T04:45:37.261-07:00Comments on McNair Moments: Thoughts from the Principal: AssessmentJason Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18205817127814782824noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4792512320454717753.post-23128560693324686702011-02-07T22:00:56.243-08:002011-02-07T22:00:56.243-08:00Thanks for the feedback, Remi. I agree with your ...Thanks for the feedback, Remi. I agree with your comment that too often people feel the letter grade tells enough of the story, and that we can't truly move forward with our 21st century learning initiatives until we update our assessment practices. I am, however, optimistic, since I see great turn out at study groups and other professional development groups discussing the topic. We have a way to go, but have begun the process.Jason Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205817127814782824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4792512320454717753.post-46418302986224510342011-02-07T13:35:24.801-08:002011-02-07T13:35:24.801-08:00Hi Jason,
It is interesting to see how much this c...Hi Jason,<br />It is interesting to see how much this conversation is happening around the province. In Coquitlam we are starting a process of re-examining our assessment and reporting practices with the goal of no longer having letter grades K-7 and perhaps beyond. Just as the comment made about the swimming report card, letter grades are too vague and take away from the learning, progress, individual goals. The comments can be too vague, and are at times limited in how useful they are for parents to know what their child's strenghts, areas of progress and areas that need additional focus are. Too often it is felt that the letter grade tells enough of the story.<br /><br />We cannot talk about personalized learning or 21st century learning without first addressing assessment. Most teachers are now using much more formative assessment than before, but I think that we still have a way to go. We also need to look at whether letter grades can be used in a report card when much more formative assessment is what is what should be used in the classroom. Schools are about engaging the learner and helping them grow, not about ranking.Remihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17627852226185370848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4792512320454717753.post-62885200863741736302011-02-05T16:34:29.102-08:002011-02-05T16:34:29.102-08:00Thanks for the feedback, Cale. Sounds like you ar...Thanks for the feedback, Cale. Sounds like you are well underway, and we will likely be following some similar steps. I am pleased to see so far that some of the more traditional assessment practices in certain Richmond schools are not as commonplace as I worried they might have been. However, there is still much to discuss, and formalizing a commonly understood purose and guidelines for assessment practices will be very valuable in the long run. It should be quite a journey. <br /><br />I have seen the Doug Reeves video, and we have begun discussions around the topics he questions as well as those surfaced by Ken O'Connor and others. We will continue to do so.<br /><br />I look forward to learning more from people like yourelf as we move through the process.<br /><br />ThanksJason Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205817127814782824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4792512320454717753.post-50990691334876067092011-02-05T11:56:39.049-08:002011-02-05T11:56:39.049-08:00Nice post here, Jason, and on a topic that I am ve...Nice post here, Jason, and on a topic that I am very interested in. We have started down this pathway in Kamloops, and specifically at our school. We have worked with Damian Cooper, sent groups to the Portland Assessment Institute, and spent extensive amounts of time looking at the Professional Learning Communities Model. Initially, it was incredibly challenging to confront some assessment practices that have been commonplace and traditional. However, the benefits that we are seeing as a school in terms of recognizing the purpose of assessment as well as the changes in student achievement have made any struggles more than worthwhile.<br /><br />Doug Reeves is an excellent resource in the area of grading practices as well. His YouTube Video on Toxic Grading Practices, and his article called "The Case Against Zero" are excellent for schools and districts to look at.<br /><br />I will make sure to keep my eye on Richmond over the next months!birklearnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07368990673349142540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4792512320454717753.post-34014395883952098882011-02-05T08:17:30.714-08:002011-02-05T08:17:30.714-08:00Thanks, Terry. It sounds familiar to what you are ...Thanks, Terry. It sounds familiar to what you are engaged in in Delta. Ours is focused on assessment, while yours sounds a little more holistic. Important conversations indeed.Jason Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205817127814782824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4792512320454717753.post-9245160100465904102011-02-04T23:09:41.976-08:002011-02-04T23:09:41.976-08:00Hi Jason,
Interesting post on an important issue. ...Hi Jason,<br />Interesting post on an important issue. It's good to see that Richmond is looking at this conversation at the policy level. Formalizing a common understanding around the purpose of assessment and grading practice is ambitious but needed. Years after the dialogue began, we are still having it! <br /><br />You've probably seen it, but this video with Dr. Douglas Reeves on Toxic Grading Practises is a good conversation starter... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHZyrz0NcuEterryaingehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06066545850995829008noreply@blogger.com