What kind of assignments?
Like many educators not currently teaching, I’ve had multiple opportunities through this pandemic to be back in the classroom, serving as a substitute teacher. It’s helped me see how stressful things have been for teachers, students, and school leaders.
In the midst of another chaotic year, the idea of performance assessment system building might seem luxurious. Most schools are struggling to staff campus tomorrow. Those big plans for rolling out the district’s new graduate profile or developing your school’s performance outcomes? Maybe next year.
Still, when I’ve been subbing, looking over the shoulders of students communicating with their teachers on Google Classroom, I am reminded that the essence of teaching and learning remains: Students learn content and skills by working through the challenges that their teachers assign and guide them through.
What’s the student work? What kind of assignments? Such questions are always relevant, and whenever we raise and discuss them in dialogue with colleagues, we are engaged in the work of performance assessment system building, even in a year like this. Every assignment that a teacher sets up to advance student learning is an opportunity to apply the principles of High Quality Performance Assessment (HQPA).
ELP’s newest virtual workshop, debuting in February, is called “Building a Great Performance Assessment.” Designed for classroom teachers, it’s a place to revise or create a standards-aligned task that is ready to embed in instruction. It’s hands-on, small-scale, and, we hope, won’t require a sub.
Justin Wells, ELP Executive Director
Building a Great Performance Assessment Workshop Series
The best assessments not only capture our students’ brilliance but also enable them to see and feel their progress. In this three-part workshop, you will learn the principles of high-quality performance assessment (HQPA) and apply them to the design of a task that aligns to your outcomes and provides evidence of your students’ learning. You’ll come out of the workshop with an assessment that is ready to implement in your classroom.
This workshop series is facilitated by ELP Assessment Design Partner, Soraya Ramos and ELP Executive Director, Justin Wells.
Session #1: Wednesday, February 16th, 1:00pm-3:00pm PT (4:00-6:00pm ET)
Session #2: Wednesday, February 23rd, 1:00pm-3:00pm PT (4:00-6:00pm ET)
Session #3: Wednesday, March 2nd, 1:00pm-3:00pm PT (4:00-6:00pm ET)
Mark your calendars for the next ELP Lounge!
The ELP Lounge will offer time to share stories, thought partnership with peers, or just the chance to throw up your hands and say, am I the only one experiencing this??? Plan to stop in and slow down to connect, share, learn, & heal. We can’t wait to see you.
Thursday, February 17th, 4:00-5:00pm PT (7:00-8:00pm ET)
Click here to grab your free ticket!
Deeper Learning Conference 2022
Share space with change-makers like you who are in search of a collective experience to highlight current triumphs and challenges, leverage student voice, and move from aspiration to action.
ELP will be facilitating sessions both, in-person and virtually! Keep an eye out for more details.
Happening March 29th-31st, 2022. Learn more about the event and register here.
