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.
Starr Sackstein, a National Board-certified teacher, spent nine years as a high school English and journalism teacher at World Journalism Preparatory School in Flushing, New York, where her students ran the multimedia news outlet WJPSnews.com. She completed her advanced leadership certification at SUNY New Paltz and is a certified Master Journalism Educator through the Journalism Education Association. In 2012, Education Update recognized her as an outstanding educator, and in 2016, she was named one of ASCD's Emerging Leaders. Sackstein is currently a consultant with the Core Collaborative, working with teams on assessment reform and bringing student voice to the front of classroom learning, and publisher at Mimi & Todd Press. She is the host of AuthorED & InspirED, a video program of author interviews, and the author of the ASCD books Teaching Students to Self-Assess and Peer Feedback in the Classroom.
