Assessing with Respect

Everyday Practices That Meet Students' Social and Emotional Needs

Starr Sackstein

• Publisher: ASCD
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781416630005
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Evaluation & Assessment in Education

In this timely and thoughtful call to action, author and educator Starr Sackstein examines the critical intersection between assessment and social and emotional learning (SEL), particularly as it affects students of color and other marginalized groups. The book addresses the five SEL competencies identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making—and explains how teaching students to develop their abilities in these areas can help them improve their learning and assessment experiences.

Sackstein also raises important considerations for educators, urging them to * Examine their implicit biases to improve their relationships with students.
* Deepen their understanding of the impact of grades and assessments on students' self-image and their ability to reach their full potential as learners.
* Develop personalized assessment systems that ensure an accurate, fair, and equitable portrayal of what students know and can do.

In addition to presenting the relevant research, Sackstein draws from personal experience and the reflections of students, teachers, and administrators to present a compelling case for approaching assessment through the SEL lens. Educators at all levels who have witnessed the devasting effects that testing can have on students' beliefs in themselves as learners will find Assessing with Respect to be an invaluable guide to ensuring better outcomes—and better emotional health—for all students.

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Chapter 1

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Building Relationships to Support Learning

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Learning can be a scary proposition for some students, and when their basic needs aren't met, the likelihood of doing it well is markedly low. To help all students succeed, teachers and school communities need to build deeper connections with students, enabling better understanding of not only surface needs but also core social and emotional needs that can affect learning in many ways. Although it may sound like a cliché to say that relationships are key to learning, the idea has become a cliché because it is true. We simply can't undervalue the importance of intentionally building relationships in schools to increase student success.

Aside from the inherent benefits of relational trust, schools that build great relationships develop assessment-capable learners who not only succeed in the conventional sense—completing classwork, contributing productively to class discussions, developing knowledge and skills at or above standards—but also potentially actualize the best versions of themselves. Classrooms that make relationships a high priority create the conditions for deeper curiosity and greater accessibility to individual student and teacher expertise. Quality relationships can increase a student's ability to learn more deeply by allowing for positive risk taking. How much students will risk in their own learning can shape the way we construct and conduct assessments throughout the year.

Relationship building requires that we explore ourselves, including our personal biases and how they affect our ability to work with students. Taking a deeper look at what we know and value and how we express our beliefs will affect our ability both to build better relationships with all invested parties—relationships that are more empathetic and humble—and to model that process.

This chapter addresses CASEL's core competencies of relationship skills and social awareness. CASEL (2020) defines relationship skills as follows:

The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek or offer help when needed.

It defines social awareness as follows:

The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Addressing the two competencies together acknowledges their interlocking and complementary characteristics. Social awareness is a foundational component of relationship skills, and, in turn, building relationships contributes to continual development of social awareness.

Teacher-Student Relationships

Often, even before the first day of school, teacher-student relationships are developing through word-of-mouth by students who came before. Teachers who are challenging to get along with are identified as such by reputation. Although I am not suggesting that we seek friendships with our students or that we shouldn't be firm in our expectations and demeanor, I am suggesting that what students experience in our behavior matters, especially if they are ever going to see us as allies and advocates for them. Of course, in our efforts to become better allies and advocates, we must recognize the thin line between the intention to help and the harmful idea of the "white man's burden"—the notion, derived from 19th century colonization, that it is white people's responsibility to "uplift" people of color.

Kids immediately size up the demeanor we project (and what we hope to accomplish by that demeanor). Teachers who seek to be seen as a "dictator" can expect students to fear them and, as a result, to not fully trust them. That isn't to say students won't appreciate the teacher's expertise or admit to learning from the teacher later, but rather that we need to strike a balance to develop good professional relationships with students, showing care and creating structure.

When we model how we would like students to be—honest, straightforward, engaged, and humane—students respond in kind. Taking time at the beginning of the school year to develop relationships with each student, beyond just knowing names, will increase the opportunities for personalized learning and ultimately increase learning over time.

Strategies for Developing Appropriate, Trusting Relationships

Regardless of what students hear about teachers, first impressions matter. If possible, draft a letter before school begins, inviting students to a shared learning space. Welcome them, and be clear about expectations. Use language that supports the message you're conveying, and clearly communicate your excitement for teaching them. If you like, add information about the kinds of learning that will occur in class. For older students, attaching a syllabus to your welcome letter can help them see the scope of learning and ties to assessment throughout the year. (See the appendix for examples of a syllabus I have used.) Figure 1.1 is an example of a letter I wrote for high school students and parents/caregivers.

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Figure 1.1. Welcome Letter for High School

Hello, Students and Parents/Caregivers:

Welcome to your senior year. Students, this is your opportunity to really prepare for the next phase of your lives, seriously thinking about the kind of students you want to be and become in the future. It no longer matters who you were in the past or what mistakes you may have made; this year is about establishing who you will be.

The AP Literature class you will be taking is a rigorous one that promises to both challenge and prepare you for that next phase of your lives. Traditionally, some students might think that senior year is supposed to be easy after the work put forth since freshman year, but I don't believe that to be true. I'm not saying not to have a good time with your newfound "almost freedom," but I am saying I wouldn't be doing you a favor to let you slack off. I want you to feel prepared for what comes next once you are on your own.

That said, I'm so excited to have you all in my classroom. You will be given a syllabus with due dates for all assignments. We will go over it on the first day of class, and you will be expected to adhere to this schedule. You will have minimal reminders. Adhering to schedules with minimal reminders is what you can expect next year, when you are in college. As adults, you must be responsible for your choices and your work. At the beginning of the year, I will likely reach out to your parents/caregivers after I talk with you first to ensure that communication is clear and they are in the loop about the expectations outlined in this letter. I want to treat you like college students, and therefore you will need to take the initiative and reach out to me when you need help. I am here to help you and want to do so, but tracking you down is not how it works when you get to college.

I'm looking forward to creating an engaging learning environment with each of you, one that is filled with your varied personalities and perspectives.

Welcome to your senior year!

All smiles,

Ms. Sackstein, NBCT

Parents/caregivers, please e-mail me when you receive this letter so that I have your up-to-date e-mail addresses. E-mail is the easiest way for me to reach you.

Our class website will have all the resources students need. I will post supplemental information and updates periodically. The syllabus is already posted there, and a calendar of due dates will be posted soon. If you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Looking forward to a great year!

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Beyond being the first official greeting, a welcome letter sets the tone for the year to come. If you're working with younger students, don't be afraid to be playful and friendly. See Figure 1.2 for an example from Natalie McCutchen, a 7th grade math teacher at Franklin-Simpson Middle School in Franklin, Kentucky. Note that Natalie ends her letter with questions that will help her better plan how to create relevant examples, engage students with personal connections to their interests, and create better assessments based on what she learns.

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Figure 1.2. Welcome Letter for Middle School

Dear ______,

Hello! My name is Mrs. McCutchen, and I will have the privilege of being your teacher for the upcoming school year.

I graduated from Western Kentucky University in May 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in middle grades education; in May 2011, I graduated with my master's degree in administration.

I have a wonderful husband named Mac, and we have been married for 11 years. We have three amazing children: Natalya, who is 9 years old; Macaiah, who is 7 years old; and Nathan, who is 3 years old.

I am excited about the upcoming school year and look forward to meeting you. I have many fun and exciting things planned for this school year, and I hope that you will find my class and math enjoyable.

My main goal is for you to achieve greatness. I want you to succeed with learning math and in whatever you try to do.

I will teach you not only math, but also important values such as respect, responsibility, and confidence.

I believe that all my students are great people and are capable of learning. All I ask of you is to do your best, and I will be happy.

I look forward to getting to know you better as the year progresses. Let's have a great year.

If you ever need help with anything, please call or e-mail me.

Sign up to receive texts about class info!

P.S. Don't forget Open House is Monday, August 12, at 6:00. Hope to see you there!!

P.P.S. Here is your first assignment! You are going to write a one-page letter about yourself by answering the following questions:

• What did you learn or learn to do this summer?
• What things do you do that help your family survive or succeed?
• What skills do you have that no one else in your family has?
• What is each person in your family good at?
• How do you make friends?
• What do you want to know more about?
• Where and whom do you learn from?
• Tell me what's on your bookshelf, e-reader, tablet, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat right now, and what it tells me about you as a person.
• What do you do when you're faced with a really interesting or tough-to-solve problem?
• What do you want the world to know and think about you, both now and in the future?

Source: Courtesy Natalie McCutchen, Franklin-Simpson Middle School, Franklin, KY. Used with permission.

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Figure 1.3 shows an example from an elementary school teacher, Chrissy Romano, who teaches 2nd grade at Nellie K. Parker Elementary School in Hackensack, New Jersey. Notice how Chrissy's letter conveys a friendly tone by encouraging her students to enjoy a variety of summer activities and be ready to share their experiences when they come to her class.

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Figure 1.3. Welcome Letter for Elementary School

Nellie K. Parker Elementary School

Ms. Romano

2nd Grade—Room 307

Welcome to 2nd grade!

I hope you and your family are enjoying your time away from school. With the time you have left of the summer, here are some things I would love for you to do if you can.

• Spend time with FAMILY and FRIENDS.
• CREATE or BUILD something.
• Be CURIOUS and WONDER about all the things you encounter.
• READ for fun.
• PLAY! Play outside, play inside, play board games, play cards—just play!
• Use your IMAGINATION every day.
• Have FUN! Fun is what summer break is all about.

You may want to take pictures of cool things you do over the summer, or write or draw about them. Use any way to capture your adventures so you can remember them to share when we get back to school.

Relax, enjoy, and get ready for an awesome year in 2nd grade!

Can't wait to meet you!

—Ms. Romano

Source: Courtesy Chrissy Romano, Nellie K. Parker Elementary School, Hackensack, NJ. Used with permission.

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Although welcome letters can set the tone before school begins, the first day of school is important as well. The goal is for students to leave your classroom feeling excited about returning the next day and coming home with rave reviews for their parents or caregivers. Here are some tips for the first day of school:

• Make sure the room is clean and inviting before students arrive so that they can see the care you put into your shared space.
• Welcome students at the door with a smile.
• Focus on getting to know each other, not reviewing school and classroom rules and procedures, which sends the wrong message and takes up valuable class time. You can address these matters later in the first week and also develop classroom norms with your students, which is likely to result in more student buy-in.
• Use icebreakers that can help you get to know your students and them to know one another. Choose activities that get students out of their seats and moving around, like the one shown in Figure 1.4.
• Do a gallery walk around the learning space and ask students what they notice as, together, you imagine what an ideal learning space looks like. This activity can lead to students "designing" the classroom in a way that addresses different learning preferences.

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Figure 1.4. Icebreaker Activity: "Find Someone Who …"

This icebreaker can be done in a number of ways. Students can interview their classmates to find out which items apply to them and have them sign or initial the item, or the items can be presented as a Bingo grid. Depending on the age of the students, you can adjust the specifics to things that they would likely have done.

Find someone who …

1. Traveled this summer

2. Loves to read

3. Knows what they want to be when they grow up

4. "Lives" on social media

5. Watches sports on TV

6. Plays a sport

7. Plays a musical instrument

8. Loves to eat

9. Is into fitness

10. Loves baseball

11. Travels by public transportation to school

12. Is a morning person

13. Loves coffee

14. Is an only child

15. Has a pet

16. Saw at least two movies this summer

17. Watches reality television

18. Plays Candy Crush or Trivia Crack

19. Has attended a sporting event

20. Has been to another country

21. Has a job

22. Loves the beach

23. Knows what college they would like to attend

24. Likes vegetables

25. Has a best friend in this class

26. Knows how to ride a bike

27. Writes a blog/considers themselves a writer

28. Wants to change the world

29. Is interested in politics

30. Has read a classic novel

31. Loves technology

32. Knows how to use phones for learning

33. Can work with their hands

34. Lives with extended family

35....