Assessment, Evaluation & Documentation

Visible Learners: Promoting Reggio-Inspired Approaches in All Schools

Inspired by the innovative educational philosophy that originated in Reggio Emilia, a small city in Italy, Visible Learners offers research-based practices for fostering learning in groups through documentation. In this approach, first developed during a long-term collaboration between researchers at Harvard's Project Zero and Reggio educators, learning becomes a visible activity that develops students' intellectual capacities as well as their individual and group identities as learners. Visible classrooms can be identified by five key principles—that learning is purposeful, social, representational, empowering, and emotional. The authors define each principle using illustrative learning portraits, quotes from students and teachers, pictures, reflections, and examples of student work. Additionally, the authors offer teachers and administrators practical ways to enhance learning by increasing collaboration and critical thinking across grade levels and subject matter. Also included is a section containing dozens of tools for making learners and learning visible, incorporating guidelines for the classroom and the staffroom as well as ideas for engaging students' families. Visible Learners shows how observing and documenting learning can change the nature of that learning, and asks teachers to look beyond surface to understand who their students are, what they come to know, and how they come to know it.  ISBN: 978-1118345696

9 Apps for Parents

Nine easy discussion starters for parents of the App Generation:

1. Name and Notice Thinking

Use the language of thinking to name and notice the thinking your child is using and thus make it more visible. I like how you have used what you already know to make connections. That’s a perspective I hadn’t thought about.

2. Develop a Growth Mindset

Develop a growth mindset in your child by focusing your praise on process, learning, and effort (You really worked hard on this and have learned a lot. You’ve really developed as a musician.), as opposed to ability (You’re so clever. You’re good at math.)

3. Challenge but Don’t Rescue

When your child encounters difficulties, don’t jump in to solve the problem and rescue him/her. Instead, ask questions that will help him/her to think through the problem, identify, and choose a course of action to moving forward.

4. What Questions Did You Ask Today?

Our questions drive us as learners. Instead of asking your child, “Did you learn anything today?”, you could say, “Did you ask a good question today?” This will encourage your child to be more invested in the types of questions they ask at school.

5. Focus on the Learning Over the Work

Learning is the goal of an assignment. Take a moment to ask your child what the purpose of each homework assignment is, what do they think the teacher wants them to learn and get better at as a result. Then monitor the learning, not the work.

6. Support Your Child in Arguing Effectively and Persuasively

Research has shown that teenagers who argued constructively with their parents by building a case and providing evidence for their position were more enabled to speak up, voice an opinion, and use evidence in other facets of life.

7. Provide Time to Pursue Passions

Students need time and space to pursue their passions and interests. Pay attention to your child’s learning and passions outside of school and make time for them.

8. Make Your Own Thinking Visible

You are a model for your child of what it means to be a thinker and a learner. Model your own interests, passions, curiosity, reflection, learning, and thinking for your child.

9. What Makes You Say That?

By simply asking, “What makes you say that?”, in a curious and non-judgmental tone after someone has given a response, we are able to get a window into the thinking behind that person’s initial response.

Supporting Learning in Groups in the Classroom (Ch. 11)

Tools included in this section of Visible Learners: 

- Getting started with Making Learning Visible

- Looking at Learning in Groups: Classroom Discussion Guidelines

- Considerations for FOrming Small Groups

- Entry-Point Charts: Engaging All Members of the Group

- Structures for Giving and Receiving Feedback 

Supporting Learning in Groups in the Staffroom (Ch. 12)

Tools included in this section of Visible Learners:

- "Throwing Your Money Away": Exploring Group Learning and Documentation

- Designing and Facilitating Adult Study Groups

- Looking at Documentation: The Collaborative Assessment Conference

- Creading Documentation or Public Viewing Protocols

The Amazing Circus Act

An animation of a visual essay from the book Visible Learners by Mara Krechevsky, Ben Mardell, Melissa Rivard, and Daniel Wilson.