Classroom Assessment Chapter 12

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     To help us work towards our school goal of improving our understanding and practice of assessment, my principal has provided our staff with a copy of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right – Using it Well, by Jan Chappuis, Rick Stiggins, Steve Chappuis, and Judith Arter. As I make my way through the book, I will be summarizing my learning as a means of organizing my thoughts and getting clarification on particular ideas.

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning Cover. (Accessed 2016). Uploaded to Amazon; Pearson Education. Available online at: https://www.amazon.ca/Classroom-Assessment-Student-Learning-Doing/dp/0132685884

Chapter 12 – Conferences About & With Students

Kinds of Conferences

Feedback Conferences

– make sure students know what learning targets will be discussed before the meeting

– you can ask students to reflect on strengths/weaknesses before the meeting

– Keys to Success

     – focus on the intended learning (identify strengths & help guide improvement)

     – offer feedback

     – only offer feedback if the student demonstrates at least partial understanding

      – do not do all the work for the student

     – limit corrective info to the amount a student can act on at one time

Goal-Setting Conferences

– can refer to one piece of work or a collection of evidence

– not necessary for every student

– Keys to Success

     – clarify the learning target

     – clarify the students’ current status

     – state the target as a goal

     – make a plan

           – what action will they take

           – what assistance do they need? from who?

           – what is the time frame?

           – collect before and after examples

           – ensure student ownership; don’t set the goals for them

Progress Conferences

– typical parent-teacher night conferences

– can focus on growth over time or on a student’s current achievement status

* personal preference is for student AND parent/guardian present 

– meeting agenda

     – explain learning targets

     – identify strengths, help guide improvement

     – provide evidence/exemplars of student work

     – end positive

* provide conference evaluation forms, follow-up as needed