In the best of times, “Grading students is a controversial yet time-honored tradition used in most school systems to efficiently communicate the level of a student’s learning. Although it may be the most efficient way to share information, it is far from the most effective or compassionate way to do so. Kids at every level are labeled, compared, controlled, and ultimately dishonored by the process. Few think to question it because “it’s how we’ve always done it,” and perhaps they don’t realize that there are other options. “
As educators and parents, we have a real opportunity to shift the paradigm around what assessment for learning looks like and also consider the impact that teacher-centered schooling structures have on the development of young minds.
In Assessing with Respect: Everyday Practices That Meet Students’ Social and Emotional Needs, I share a variety of strategies that empower students to be a part of their learning which breeds success and improves the sense of learner identity. One way teachers can do this is by bringing student voice into the process early on: inviting them to help define what success looks like, or what we call…
