Successful implementation requires complete understanding by the primary implementers: the teachers.  What does it look like?  How will this work in my class?  Why should I change?

I had started to question my assessment and evaluation practices more than five years ago, well before the province-wide initiative.  I met a teacher during a round table session at a MetroSeries regarding Understanding by Design (UbD).  As per usual, the best professional development is when you get a chance to talk with other teachers about your practice.  We chatted about marks and grades.  The question posed, “Why does everything count?” After a full-day of quality gab, I simmered with the question.

This person changed my practice and I am grateful.  I feel a deep connection with my assessment strategies, my instructional practices, and my students.  The three realms work in harmony.  There is a clear distinction between grades, work habits, and behaviour.  Although one area may influence the other, I could report out an “A,” a work habit of “S,” and a comment about attendance or attitude to best reflect the student’s learning experience.  Conversely,  I could give a student a “G” for work habits, “Happy Holidays” as a comment, but an “I” or an “F” with respect to the learning outcomes.

For more Edu-Gab about AFL in Secondary (Math) Classrooms, stay tuned to my blog…