"This I Believe" from Ken O'Connor

[Scott Habeeb]

If you are looking for some Assessment FOR Learning principles for discussion and reflection, check out this following blog post from Ken O'Connor.  

As educators, we must be in a continuous state of professional growth through personal reflection.  No matter how long you've been in education, this process is greatly aided by contemplating the ideas of others.  

Ken O'Connor's ideas have been well thought out and well-researched. My guess is that for many of you they will be somewhat "mind-blowing" as they are definitely outside the norm of schools as we know it.  So much of what we do is the result of institutional inertia - but is it best practice?  Maybe or maybe not.

Follow the link below; read the short post; be challenged; reflect on your practices, and never stop growing professionally.

Thanks, Ken, for a thought-provoking post.

http://pearsonati.wordpress.com/2015/01/06/this-i-believe/

[stephen owen kitchen]

I like his 5th point, and the others are excellent concepts, however, he started off his premises with the statement " the ideal narrative", which at this time it is not, so even though his concepts and reasons are sound, we as good teachers, must use our professional judgement , teach the students we have, make them more successful when they leave our classroom then they were when they came to us and use grades that show growth and benefit the learning development of the student. ( Grading philosophies--- so many---that all come back around with different names.)  I enjoy talking about them, but to me teaching is an easy concept----working with each individual student to make him or her better for being in your class. whether it be from a better understanding of the standards, increasing the student's self esteem and self worth and confidence, challenging them to rise above their own limits, or just making it a memorable moment for them. Each student is different and what each take away from your class will be different. As a good teacher you recognize this and teach to their strengths, weaknesses and needs. One grade cannot show all of this , but yet  one grade is expected, so we make it happen. Thank you for making teachers think about different ways of doing things. Some times teachers get hung up on passing standardized state mandated test or grading scales and forget they are working with kids that come from all different backgrounds and environments, some need our help more than others.