The discussion on what it means to truly assess a kid has taken me to a different place, in terms of my own experience as a teacher. I don’t even know what the term assessment means anymore. I do know that the term for me is moving fast to the rubric/portfolio/descriptive model. I’m even really […]

I was thinking of the word test. Without knowing its etymology, I’m guessing that in that word is implied a certain amount of self will, like where an athlete would “test herself” before getting ready for a competition. But what if the athlete doesn’t want to be tested? Does that count or does it skew

Is anyone aware of any of these interactive whiteboard apps? Explain Everything Doceri ShowMe Whiteboard HD Syncpace Jot! BaiBoard Groupboard Educreations Does Notability also have interactive whiteboard features? Does anybody use these?

Alisa said: Clearly Claire’s brilliant authentic assessment tour de force has struck a chord as many of us slog toward the last reporting session of the year. What’s currently in place in many districts and buildings is a lame inherited status quo, uninspired mumbo-jumbo of vague ACTFL-ese eduspeak. Adminz who aren’t in the know cling

Paul Seevinck asks: Hi Ben, Do you happen to access to any common formative assessments (writing, speaking, listening or reading) that are good for a level 1 or two Spanish class? I was just handed the assessment that my district will be using (guiding instruction for all teachers) next year and they are bad. The

Our discussion about assessment has me thinking about the unnecessary brutality, directed at both teachers and students, of testing. It is as if there is some negative organizing principle that wants us to test and will get upset if we don’t, and we buy into it. It’s the old Wizard of Oz trick. As a

There is a student in my 7th grade class who has four mouths. Each one says different things. Yesterday in a story Daniel was able, against all comprehension and belief, to remember what each mouth said and when and how. How he did that I don’t know, because I was the one directing the story,

When we assess in the moment we show compassion. We build bridges. The message to the child is, “OK I know that this interacting with a real adult on a human level is new to you. I get that you are surrounded by screens and your parents many not be available for you and that

These three examples of performance indicators are from my school’s curriculum docs: I can often understand words, phrases, and simple sentences related to everyday life. I can sometimes understand the main idea in short messages. I can recognize a few memorized words and phrases when I hear them spoken. These don’t ring true with me

This from Russ in Portland, OR: Ben, I just wanted to tell you that today I was observed by other teachers during my sixth period. All year long this has been one of my toughest classes. They are gifted and fast processors but they are also my most difficult class. They are sometimes standoffish and

A repost from 2013: Yesterday I highlighted in blue and orange a few key points of Krashen’s 2009 draft on non-targeted comprehensible input. In today’s post of the final version of the draft I will highlight a few more key points, one in red and the other in purple. The four color highlighted points are, in my