Events and Open Sessions for All Educators

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“Gives you the knowledge to create more accurate assessments, which actually makes teaching, assessing, and planning easier.”

Research shows that effective formative assessment engages students and improves student learning.

  • In-depth learning experience for teachers and leaders

  • Consistent with the TQS and LQS

  • Collaborate with like-minded professionals across the province

  •  Supports assessment with existing and new curriculum

  • Offered virtually via Zoom

A collaborative learning series. 

Winter Cohort Dates:

March 2, 3, 9 and 10, 2021

Leader Cohort  9:00am -noon, each day

Teacher Cohort  4:00-7:00pm, each day

Registration fee:

AAC Members $100

Non-members $150

For 12 hours of professional learning!

"This is a great opportunity to look closer at assessment practice. Whether you are brand new or a veteran, it is always great to have a refresher."
Jason
"The facilitator did a great job breaking open the assessment process in manageable chunks. I am extremely excited to share my learning with others."
David
"Great professional discussions and dialogue around assessment that I will carry into my practice."
Jenny

Cohort Themes and Reflective Questions

For Teachers

For Leaders

Explore key assessment topics through engaging activities and deep conversations with colleagues.

Session 1: Making Intentional Choices for Assessment and Instruction

After choosing the outcomes for the unit/theme/topic what will success look like within each outcome? What assessment methods and instructional strategies and other considerations will be most effective for your learners and for you to gather evidence of their learning?

Session 2: Honouring the Learners and the Iterative Cycle of Learning and Feedback

How can we best engage the hearts and minds of our students in the assessment process? How can we design learning experiences that are rich with opportunities to practice, receive and give feedback and self reflect and then the time to put those feedback and reflections into practice?

Session 3: Formative Assessment to Inform Instructional Decisions

How will we use the evidence of learning to determine our next instructional steps? When do we know our students are ready for summative assessment? Who is the audience for formative assessment results?

Session 4: Summative Assessment: Putting it All Together

How can we be sure that we are creating an accurate picture of student performance? How can we combine evidence in a meaningful way? In what ways can we communicate student learning?

Enhance your assessment leadership capacity by exploring key topics and issues in conversation with other leaders.

Session 1: Assessment Leadership

What is your leadership stance for assessment? What does it take to build a positive assessment culture within your organization? What are the key documents and foundational understandings that need to be taken into consideration when leading assessment?

Session 2: Guiding the Assessment Process: Planning with the End in Mind

What are the three dimensions of the planning phase of classroom assessment? What does success look like in each dimension of the Planning Phase? What can professional learning opportunities look like when exploring this phase within your organization?

Session 3: Formative Assessment: Foundational Understandings

What are the foundational principles of formative assessment? Do my organization’s beliefs/policies align with these foundational understandings? What can professional learning opportunities look like when exploring this phase within your organization?

Session 4: Summative Assessment: Pulling it all Together

What are the foundational principles of summative assessments? What are the current expectations for summative assessments in my organization (leaders, teachers, students and parents/caregivers of students)? Do these expectations align with the fundamental principles of summative assessment? What can professional learning opportunities look like when exploring this phase within your organization?

More Testimonials

This project gave me the time, space and mentorship to critically assess my own assessment practices and pedagogy. I feel both validated and motivated to continue my own learning journey. — Chelsie

The facilitator established an environment where we felt comfortable sharing even the most controversial ideas. There was never any judgment. — Geoff

The facilitator did a great job breaking open the assessment process in manageable chunks. I am extremely excited to share my learning with others. — David

Absolutely awesome! Loved the professional conversation. Helped facilitate conversations at our school. — Kirsten

Amazing conversation around assessment and teaching. Opportunity to work with colleagues from varied backgrounds and teaching experiences. Inspires thinking and questioning of my own practice. — Shauna

This is a great opportunity to look closer at assessment practice. Whether you are brand new or a veteran, it is always great to have a refresher. — Jason

These sessions were great. It was very interesting to dig into what the outcomes are asking. The discussions around formative assessment were very thought provoking. Wish all teachers could do these sessions. — Sharon

This experience really made me think of my own assessment practices and re-evaluate what I thought I was doing well. This session would be great for all teachers to attend. — Shannon

Great professional discussions and dialogue around assessment that I will carry into my practice. — Jenny

The conversations during the cohort were invaluable. My thinking was always pushed and I enjoyed hearing the many different opinions and viewpoints from colleagues. — Tausha

Good practical work embedded into each session that you can use immediately and adapt to your job assignment. — Holly

Safe place to refine a message about assessment practices in order to help others move along the continuum. — Shelley

Rich conversations that helped the individual participants, as well as the group as a whole, to reflect on the purpose and impact of assessment on students. Time to focus on making conscious assessment decisions. — Jill

It is intense and very self-reflective. Gives you the knowledge to create more accurate assessments, which actually makes teaching/assessing/planning easier. — Dallas

Being part of the cohort provided opportunities for thought-provoking conversation and professional reflection. I also know where to access assessment resources. This was an extremely valuable and practical PD opportunity. — Lauren

It’s an opportunity to shift paradigms and challenge the status quo. It makes you think and it facilitates teacher/leader growth and change. — David

Excellent PD! Your knowledge of balanced assessment will definitely grow. You’ll be given time to reflect and time to share. Be prepared to have your thinking challenged – in a good way! — Mary Lynn

I loved the opportunity to have time to share ideas, challenge each other, and just talk about assessment. All our discussions were clearly focused and expertly guided with ample time for reflection and sharing. We had to think deeply which was excellent. Highly recommended. — Joanne

I am looking at instruction and assessment in different ways. After teaching for 25+ years, it feels good to learn more and be motivated (enthusiastic) in my teaching. Some of the best PD I have done in assessment. — Cathy

Stay Tuned for an updated list of future AAC sessions!

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