In my previous school district, I was the only teacher teaching a physics course with set, district-wide learning outcomes. These same outcomes were also taught in physics classrooms at the other high school in our district. But at our school, I was one of the 2 physics teachers. The other teacher taught the AP-level physics courses. So, in many ways, I had opportunities to incorporate strategies I believed were best for learners and that I found worked best for them without being seen as out of alignment with anyone in our building. My amazing friend and one of my teaching philosophy goddesses, Katie Novak, stated the following misconception about alignment: All teachers must deliver instruction in the exact same way. True alignment, she says, is about shared goals, rigor, and outcomes. Thank you, Katie! Katie has taught me to truly believe that learner variability is the rule, not the exception. I encourage you to take 10 minutes to listen to Katie Novak explain it in the ...
It's finals time here at Brookfield Central High School. It is a time for reflection as we give our final assessment for our course. I asked my students to reflect on which type of assessment allows them to best demonstrate their understanding.
When growing up in the 70's and 80's, I remember there was a heated rivalry between McDonald's and Burger King. Some may remember the argument over flame-broiled vs. fried. But, I remember the difference between the Whopper and the Big Mac. One you could have your way. The other was so regulated, it spawned its own song.
I collected feedback from my students on what helped them learn in my class this term. The number one piece of positive feedback students provided was the ability to have individualized assessment options. Below is my final feedback board of the year on "This Helped Me Learn".
I could go on and on about why you should allow students the option to choose how they will be assessed, but I'll let the students speak for themselves.
This doesn't mean that traditional multiple choice assessments don't have their place. If a student can use it to demonstrate mastery, give them that option. The great thing about a traditional multiple choice assessment is that it can be graded quickly and students can get immediate feedback. It is the primary way I have students track their progress in a unit of instruction. But, that doesn't mean it is the best way for all students to demonstrate that they have mastered a learning objective. The more opportunities a teacher gives a student to choose or even design his/her own assessments, the more likely the student will have a better grasp of how he or she learns best. Finally, rather than creating a classroom of passive students, I feel I have created a group of students who are willing to advocate for themselves. Sadly, they are afraid to express these feelings of how they learn best outside of my classroom to their other teachers. Hopefully that will change over time. But, it's up to teachers to show that they are open to this change. That is the ultimate goal of this post.
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