School Climate & Student Achievement

The world of education is constantly going through both dramatic and subtle changes. The start of the 21st Century has, in many ways, brought several key changes to education, including the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Ultimately, NCLB is about learning standards and accountability, both of which are essential to good teaching and learning.

In comes, formative assessments and standard-based learning. Both of these components are connected and when used correctly can provide the most dramatic positive change in school climate while also driving student achievement.

Often times, educators see grades and learning as a one-way street: student is taught, student completes assignments, student is assessed, and finally student is given a grade for the course. Obviously this process of teaching, learning, and grading provides huge problems for both the student and teacher.

In keeping with the road analogy, teaching and learning in the 21st century, takes on more of an interstate highway, with several exits, and many different on-ramps. A teacher that utilizes a standards-based learning approach understands that students must be provided several avenues to learning and not all students learn the curriculum/material during the first cycle, instead, some students may need to be presented the curriculum/material several times over the period of course or class. This is not necessarily bad.

But how does an educator know when a student has mastered the standards/curriculum/goals? Very simple, through the usage of formative assessments.

From Professional Learning Board’s online continuing education course for teachers: Formative Assessment