What's Missing?

This is not a multiple choice question and it's not a trick question. Feel free to add your own answer to the prompt: What is missing in assessment today?

My answer to that question is logic and balance. Let me explain my analysis and conclusion with a story. My son was an average student in elementary school. He complained about the stories that he had to read and was a more engaged reader when he came home and could read Ranger Rick or National Geographic for Kids. In school he read literature and wrote narratives. He did well in math but until middle school his language arts grades were ordinary. In 8th grade, during career day, he listened to a Pfizer scientist explain his research. In the course of that day, my son decided that he too, wanted to be a scientist. Since that day he completed high school at the top of his class, scored 5s on his AP biology, chemistry, and physics tests, earned a Bachelor's degree in biochemistry and completed a PhD in molecular and cell biology. He is now working as a research scientist, searching for a cure to infectious diseases.

Clearly, I'm proud of him, but my point is that if he were allowed to flounder through years of standardized test preparation in language arts and if we hadn't seen his STEM spark and arranged for enrichment, there's a good chance he would be a frustrated scientist and mediocre literary writer. He now writes for scientific journals and presents at international conferences.

The logic of waiting until all children achieve mastery on standardized tests, combined with the emphasis on a narrow set of standards, is hurting our children and doing irreparable harm to our future. It's time to change this lock-step progression. For children who need additional time and support to develop mastery, it is essential to provide that. Rather than keeping everyone on the bunny slope, move those who are move advanced to the black diamond trails. Let's support their progression to the 21st century skills that will move our country forward and make it globally competitive. This means assessments must be developed that measure skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. There needs to be logic in what we teach and balance in the way we assess.

Degrees of Optimism

I married into a family who always sees the glass nearly full. If your unemployment was about to run out, they’d say don’t worry, another door will open soon. If someone was sick, they’d say that in time things will get better. This certainty in a better tomorrow has sustained them through many of life’s tribulations . On the other hand, they have always been very satisfied with the status quo, waiting for something better to come along rather than working to make it happen.

For too long in education, we’ve looked at the nearly full glass. We continue to teach and measure the same content standards and congratulate ourselves when one group’s scores go up one-tenth of one percent. Sure, over time, those will add up to tenths and whole numbers but how long can we be complacent while we wait for that? One projection for 100% proficiency at the current rate of growth is the year 2166.

As we wait, the world is changing rapidly and so are our students. Children are growing up in a technologically connected global network of information and services. They prefer to be engaged in discovery rather than as passive observers. Yet many schools, classrooms, and teacher look and act like they did a generation ago.

Changes in goals, standards, and desirable learning outcomes will drive schools towards 21st century outcomes. These outcomes need new metrics to assess critical thinking, creativity, communication, and productivity. It’s time to fill the glass with more than hopeful optimism.