Small World Consulting

You are likely familiar with “assessment for” learning rather than “assessment of” learning. It’s an important shift that many of us have been working hard to realize. But what about assessment as a caring practice? This episode of a podcast about the NGSS (yes – there’s a podcast about the NGSS : ) called “Unpack Everything” features the innovative science teacher Colleen LaMotte and her work with Washington State’s SAGE project (Science Assessment Grounded in Equity). In the episode, LaMotte describes her “assessment journey” across her long teaching career. She is still in the classroom and still learning from her kids.

Admittedly I was skeptical at the onset of this podcast, but I have found myself going back to this conversation whenever I am focusing on assessment work with teams. It’s a great way to recalibrate my thinking. Here’s a quote from the conversation to whet your appetite, “Assessments are valuable when they open doors and provide paths toward student success.” The SAGE project is worth exploring on its own as well. Happy listening!