Setting and Using Criteria

Sandra Herbst explains in the foreword to Setting and Using Criteria that when teachers work not only to share the learning destination with their students, but to identify what quality evidence of learning looks like en route to the learning destination, then students have a much clearer picture of what they need to know, do, and articulate. In this first book in the Knowing What Counts series, authors Kathleen Gregory, Caren Cameron, and Anne Davies provide tools for teachers to help students envision and develop that picture. The first section of this book outlines a four-step process for working with students to set criteria that encourage participation, understanding, and ownership. The authors provide specific examples of what each step in this process might look like. Five scenarios of setting criteria with students are then provided and can be adapted to meet an array of specific needs and situations. The second part of this book offers ten ways to assess student work and provide specific and descriptive feedback to help students improve their learning and academic performance without assigning a mark or using a traditional grading system. The third section provides a list of common questions educators may have as they attempt to implement the strategies described in the first two sections. The authors respond to these questions in detail and provide examples for ways educators can adjust the strategies to their specific needs.

Kathleen Gregory, BA, MEd, has more than 30 years experience teaching at secondary, elementary, and middle schools. With a background in assessment practices and literacy strategies, she has also been a district curriculum coordinator and a support teacher for classroom teachers and school teams who are integrating students with special needs. A former teacher-in-residence at the University of Victoria, Kathleen is currently an instructor for literacy and assessment courses for pre-service teachers and is a consultant to many school districts in developing their own approaches to conferencing, reporting, and authentic assessment strategies. Caren Cameron, MEd, has worked as a teacher, a District Principal of Educational Programs, and a sessional instructor at the University of Victoria. Currently she is an educational consultant working with school districts across Canada on a variety of topics including assessment and leadership. She is the coauthor of a dozen practical books for colleagues, including a series for middle and primary years called Voices of Experience. Anne Davies, PhD, is an author, a consultant, and a researcher. With more than 30 years of experience in education, Dr. Davies has worked in a variety of positions, including classroom teacher, school district coordinator, department of education planner, school administrator, and university instructor. She applies her expert knowledge of developing quality assessments toward her mission to increase the possibility of learning for all our students. A world-renowned keynote presenter, her genuine care and commitment to support educators and their important work make her an approachable and insightful specialist. Educators at every grade level throughout Canada, the United States, and other countries have benefited from the high-touch support Dr. Davies provides during professional development events and multiyear projects. She has worked with the University of Southern Maine; University of Victoria, Victoria, BC; University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK; McGill University, Montreal, QC; Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon; and the University of New England, Portland, Maine. Dr. Davies is author/coauthor of more than 30 books and resources, including the bestseller Making Classroom Assessment Work, the Knowing What Counts series, the award-winning two-book set, Classroom Assessment, and The Facilitator s Guide to Classroom Assessment K 12. She has written book chapters, including Involving Students in the Classroom Assessment Process in Ahead of the Curve, and articles for educational journals and publications worldwide. Dr. Davies earned a doctorate in education from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.