How to Take Assessment for Learning Deeper

From our years working with educators, we have discovered that assessment for learning is most successful when teachers and school leaders have regular structured opportunities to reflect upon and extend their learning. One way to do this is form a learning circle, which you can learn more about through the link at the bottom of this page. In addition, we offer a range of books, workshops, and even a university-level online course to support teacher learning.

These resources include:

Making Classroom Assessment Work (2nd Edition)

This best-selling book by Dr. Anne Davies is being used by educators across North America and in other parts of the world. The end-of-chapter activities in this volume lead teachers step-by-step to complete an assessment plan in the subject area of their choice, an excellent starting point for people who want to learn to apply classroom assessment.

This book helps to lay the foundation of classroom assessment and is something you will come back to time and time again.

You can also use An Overview of Classroom Assessment, a professional learning conversation available free on the Connections Publishing website. This conversation is a lesson plan and used in conjunction with Making Classroom Assessment Work when you host a professional development session on assessment for learning.

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Knowing What Counts (series of three books)

Titles include: Setting & Using Criteria, Self-Assessment and Goal-Setting, and Conferencing and Reporting. This series is a natural progression for teachers who have started with Making Classroom Assessment Work.

We also offer, free on the Connections Publishing website, six additional professional learning conversations to accompany these books and help to deepen understanding of assessment for learning. Each learning conversation includes clear directions and resources for usage in self-facilitated one-hour professional learning sessions in your school or district.

Titles include:

• Making Self-Assessment and Goal Setting Work (3 pp.)
• Setting Goals (3 pp.)
• Exploring Self-Assessment (2 pp.)
• Involving Students in Communicating Their Learning (5 pp.)
• Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences (3 pp.)
• Learning to Set Criteria with Students (2 pp.)
  

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Classroom Assessment: Whats Working in High Schools?

A two-book set, edited by Anne Davies and researcher/writer, Kathy Busick, has gathered the wisdom and expertise of twenty-two educators from Canada, the United States, and Europe. The authors are high school teachers from a variety of disciplines, and professionals in supporting roles. They offer a rich collection of practical classroom assessment ideas and solutions, as well as Blackline Masters.

Book One themes, Beginning with Students and Learning Along with Students, introduce the dynamic process of assessment for learning by focusing on engaging students in planning for the learning destination, co-constructing criteria and using feedback to strengthen their work.

Book Two themes, Involving Students in Providing Proof of Learning and Reconsidering Marking, Grading and Reporting, continue the process by highlighting strategies for collecting and presenting evidence, as well as using criteria-based proof of learning to report student achievement according to required regulations. A summary of key research about classroom assessment is also featured.

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Workshop-In-A-Box

This Workshop-In-A-Box includes all materials needed for a stand-alone, "do it yourself", facilitated workshop for almost any size group of teachers who want to learn both the "why" and the "how" of assessment for learning.

The materials include:

• PowerPoint slides for every part of the day
• Video segments to be used at key parts of the workshop to introduce concepts and provide evidence of current classroom practice
• Full agenda with facilitator notes to set the purpose for the day, provide context, and guide participant expectations
• Ground rules for table groups
• Step-by-step instructions and timeline with full resources for every step of the way
• Guidelines or suggestions for reading the energy of the room, working with participants, drawing out participation and contributions, fielding questions and objections, and handling difficult conversations

Workshop texts are purchased separately:

• Making Classroom Assessment Work (one copy required for each participant)
• Knowing What Counts Series (three books in a set: one set required for every three participants, as participants may share the books)

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Facilitator's Guide to Classroom Assessment - K-12

Over the past few years, we have seen teachers with a gift for facilitation who have really taken to classroom assessment and have become involved in leading learning groups and workshops.

To support them, we have put together an interactive multimedia resource that includes over 26 minutes of video, actual student examples, ready-to-use handouts, overhead charts and diagrams, and an implementation guide filled with practical steps, suggestions, and examples.

The Facilitator's Guide provides lesson plans for eighteen professional learning conversations that can be held with teachers in full-day workshops or in one-hour sessions over two to three school years. You can print fresh materials and masters for every session so the materials can be used over and over again throughout your school or district.

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Next: Form A Learning Circle

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