ERIC Number: EJ851740
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1052-8938
EISSN: N/A
Structural and Curricular Design: What Changes when an Essential School Commits to Exhibitions
Peters, Gregory
Horace, v23 n1 Win 2007
If equitable achievement is one's goal, he or she must have authentic assessments that are reflective of the community's expectations and meaningful to the students and to him or her. Such assessments require a systemic commitment from which one starts with the school's mission and plans backwards to support and rethink curriculum, structures, support systems, tools, and day-to-day decisions. One needs to be prepared to consider multiple perspectives and to create new approaches. One must commit to reflect on the processes and progresses, react, and reflect again. In 1999, the author joined Leadership High School (LHS) as its instructional leader. LHS wanted its graduates to demonstrate mastery of specified skills and knowledge beyond standardized tests, course requirements and GPAs through the authentic assessment methods of exhibitions and portfolios. In this article, the author describes their journey to develop and use authentic assessment towards the equitable achievement of the high expectations they hold for their students.
Descriptors: Performance Based Assessment, Standardized Tests, Educational Change, Methods, Student Evaluation, Instructional Leadership, High Schools, Grade Point Average, Academic Achievement, Portfolios (Background Materials), Portfolio Assessment
Coalition of Essential Schools. 1330 Broadway Suite 600, Oakland, CA 94612. Tel: 510-433-1451; Fax: 510-433-1455; Web site: http://www.essentialschools.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A