It is not a new invention, either. In the mid to late 1990′s, some states used performance assessment measures to assess every student for all types of skills and capacities. These assessments can, however, be costly. Perhaps that is the issue during this time of ever tightening budgets. A performance assessment cannot be run through a scantron for scoring. It requires manpower. So while we may not see widespread performance assessment in the near future, we can all encourage the educators that we work with to use them in their own classrooms for formal and informal assessment of students. Before the end of the 21st century, they’ll thank you.

“I have a clutch of students who read for pleasure, yet bizarrely hand in assignments only sporadically. Let’s call them “Readers.” These are the kids who take home The Kite Runner and read the whole thing in two days—then never write any of their journal responses. Their grades do not reflect their abilities. However, these students always score at or near the very top of the class on these standardized tests.”  

This hints at an even deeper gift that these students have – one that feeds their love of reading – and that is the innate (or is it taught? modeled? suggested?) gift of CURIOSITY. These people do not read because they have to – “have to” doesn’t factor in that heavily if they are not writing their journal responses and earning poor grades. They are reading because of something else. That SOMETHING is also leading them to score at the top of these assesments that Mr. Brown refers to. Freedom of thought, freedom from the slavish “do only what you are told to do and nothing more” and a freedom to pursue knowledge and adventure (what else?) through books fuels these students’ success. As a parent, how do you foster CURIOSITY?

 - Heather

1. Science tools.

2. Dirty kids.

3. Excitement.

4. Mystery.

5. Discovery.

6.Higher-Level Thinking.

In fact, one student said, “This is probably the best science class ever,” (Angus Stewart). What is all this referring to? One teacher teaching science the way it should be taught: in the field. Here’s an excerpt from Anderson, South Carolina’s Independent Mail:

Teacher Nancy Hughes said all of her third-grade students would be digging up the past as part of their science lessons. “We’ve just finished a unit on rocks and fossils, and we’re getting ready to start a unit on soil, so this exercise sort of bridges both of those units,” she said. “And we’ve talked about being paleontologists and archaeologists so this gives them a chance to see what it’s like to do a real dig.”

DIG IT?

- Heather

Happy planting everyone!

- Heather

1. We are driving 9 hours with three kids, and we have decided to leave all electronic devices at home. We are going “unplugged” for two weeks. For me, this is wonderful. I work from home and am attached to a laptop more than I’d like. My husband, who is in IT, feels the same. But on the long ‘legs’ of our trip with the kids, will we regret the lack of Leapster, the dearth of DVD’s? In theory, I want them to stay ‘in the now’ and find new ways to entertain themselves. Everyone got a new book last week for the trip, and I bought three portable white boards. I’m also going to invest in some pipecleaners (kids love to make stuff from pipecleaners, and I’ve found them to be ‘magic’ during any long trip). These, plus games they make up (the latest is called “MINE!” where they look for yellow cars and whoever sees them first gets points), are all I have in my bag of tricks. I may regret this. I may not. We’ll see. (Don’t get me wrong, my kids do not spend a lot of time ‘plugged in’ at home; I just wonder if the bickering will get to me, or whether the forced time together will elicit “greater sibling to sibling tolerance” – is this a pipe (cleaner) dream?)

2. We are cutting costs and making the trip one that is ‘closer to nature’ by camping. We’re not camping the entire two weeks, I have combined camping stays with hotel stays so that we all have a break (and laundry, and a bed) every couple of days. I have camped plenty, but never with my three young kids. Our last camping plans got rained out by a hurricane. Before then, we only had two kids and one was in the tent in a pack-and-play. So needless to say, this will be a new experience. Will I crawl into the car at night? Will my third be scared if we have a thunderstorm (YES)? Will I generally regret this seemingly-sound decision?

I’d love to hear from brave parents who have underaken this type of endeavor. I know that the trip will offer unbounded opportunities for my kids to learn about different cultures, languages, foreign money, city life, the outdoors, and more. The kids always have developmental (intellectual) ‘growth spurts’ after trips and experiences that are so new to them – that is probably the single most motivating factor for me – the chance to witness that.

- Heather

“Kristina White, 11, took a persuasive writing assignment so seriously this spring that today more than $72,000 worth of computers and technology will begin arriving at Sherwood Elementary. In her two-page letter to Todd Bradley, executive vice president of Hewlett-Packard’s $42 billion personal systems division, Kristina introduced herself, told Bradley she was aware of HP’s donation record, listed specific examples and then in her best prose, asked if he would consider donating to Sherwood.

“I told him that if everybody heard what he had done for our community, he would get more sales,” she said Tuesday from the couch of her grandmother’s home in South Memphis. “Always introduce yourself first,” she said. “You stand a better chance of getting what you want.” The letter was written in pencil on lined paper because the school does not have enough computers to allow every student to polish up and print their work.”

This story was compelling to me not because a well deserving school will now receive some great learning tools (that part is great too) – it is that, more than anything, this student and her classmates were able to be involved in, and witness, the power of the written word. They were taking on a lesson that was relevant to their school’s situation, they were writing to executives at real companies in the real world (that they reseached first). This lesson was authentic and obviously very motivating. The lesson that real power lies in the written word is worth much more than the $72K this school will receive. To educate is to draw out what is within, and writing is one of the very best ways to give life to what is ‘within’ so that it impacts the world. I am thrilled for this little girl and for her school. Way to go!

- Heather

Get out and Enjoy!

- Heather

“Advanced science students at Zionsville High School extracted and analyzed dolphin DNA this month in an ongoing collaboration with the Indianapolis Zoo, the University of Indianapolis and other research facilities.” IndyStar.com

 Purpose – check. Relevance – check. Inquiry – check. Intrinsically motivating – check. I only hope that I can foster these types of experiences for my own kids and as a partner with the museums I consult with about education.

- Heather