Assessments FOR Learning

 Rick Stiggins REVOLUTIONIZE ASSESSMENT: Empower Students Inspire Learning

Rick Stiggins is a familiar name to many of us in the field of education. I once heard him referred to as the “Father of Assessment FOR Learning”. Stiggins strongly encourages district, school, and classroom leaders to “use (high quality) assessments in the classroom to help students learn” and as a “viable universal motivator” for students to develop ownership of their own learning.

This made me go back to Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle:

Why:  Bottom line—we want, no we need all of our students to achieve their outcome goals so they can become the individuals we know they can be. Belief. We need to share this vision with them. They are the owners of their own learning. We are the facilitators.

How: “It’s not what you do, but how you do it ” (Sinek).

Provide students with a clear learning target—one key concept at a time.

Provide students with the success criteria (i.e. examples, non-examples) needed for proficiency.

Provide ongoing, specific, targeted feedback while they are learning.

Provide opportunities for students to self assess and track their growth—it’s about ownership.

What: Quality assessments collaboratively developed based on the standards of what students should know and be able to do. “In summary, then quality assessments are created by those who; begin with clear and appropriate learning targets, select proper assessments methods, build quality assessments, and communicate results effectively given their intended purpose (pg. 73).

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." 

Benjamin Franklin