Aim for the Target
Authentic Assessment and student products
What is Authentic Assessment and why is it beneficial for my classroom?
Traditional assessment, even constructed response, is an unnatural way for our students to communicate. Being teachers of English/Language arts written and spoken communication is integral to our learning outcomes, but the way we assess student knowledge can be so much richer than a 5 paragraph essay. It isn't enough to change instruction without also changing assessment. As our look at rigor and student voice expands in all areas of instruction, so must our look at the way we assess student learning.
Resources to Explore
The Buck Institute for Education
Below are a variety of resources from the Buck Institute, the leader in Project Based Learning design and professional development. These resources have been a guiding force in many of our equity conscious classrooms and will continue to drive the question of student voice and choice in our instruction. I love the rubric feel as I assess my own effectiveness as an instructor. Feel free to explore the entire website as well for more great stuff!