Our Modalities and Learning Styles

Saturday, October 29, 2011

What next?

Kim, your question at the end of our session on Tuesday, "Now what?" really struck me.

Christine and Lori both alluded to the "reculturing" that is necessary when we consider our current assessment practices and what we know will benefit students.

On page 15 of Evidence to Action Hume states, "Changing a teaching practice isn't like going on a diet or adopting a fitness regime. When a new teaching practice is successful, you will be able to see and measure the increase in student engagement and achievement...The difficult part of change for us is not maintaining it; it is achieving change in the first place in the midst of our intensely busy lives."

Pondering on that statement and on all of the ideas posted here and posed on Tuesday, my goal this semester is to approach all of my conversations with educators tackling those "courageous questions". This might allow me to assist teachers to "risk small changes in order to gather the evidence that will support [me] in continuing to take new actions and, gradually and slowly, in changing" (15) teacher beliefs. I notice Hume uses the word "risk" which means it may not always be comfortable, but as Cathie continually reminds me: "When Goldilocks was perfectly comfortable, what did she do? She fell fast asleep."

That's what's next for me. I'll tell you how it goes....What's next for you?

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Welcome!

    
We are excited to be part of this Book Study together with you. We invite you, before we meet, to share via this blog or in an email to us (Jennifer and Cathie) a sense of what you hope these sessions will hold for you in terms of your professional learning.  Here are a few questions to guide that reflection but do not feel bound to respond to each or even any of them.  This really is your forum designed to suit and respond to you!
  • Why are you interested in Assessment?
  • How do you see your role in supporting Assessment at your school
    • For yourself?
    • With teachers?
    • With Administration?
  • How involved are you in co-planning Evaluations (CPTs for example) with teachers?
  • What are you hoping to learn from this book study that can assist you when you co-plan with teachers?