Authentic Assessment Tools for Teachers and Students
Authentic assessment -- that aims to measure student abilities in situations that mimic how those abilities are actually used -- is a goal of all teachers, but it's tough to get it right when each classroom has 30 to 40 individuals with unique needs. Some of the ways teachers can make assessment more student-centered are to include performance tasks, introduce real-life contexts, encourage construction and application activities, and gather portfolios of student work. One type of assessment you won't see: multiple-choice questions. This list of ELA, social studies, math, and science websites provides ways for teachers to assess students and promote exploration, collaboration, self-regulation, and even social justice at the same time.
Wildly engaging contest turns students into novelists in 30 days
Bottom Line: A thoughtful adaptation of the famous and fun grown-up novel writing contest, NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program is brimming with advice and encouragement as well as classroom support.
YA review site gives students a real-world, although ad-driven, outlet
Bottom Line: LitPick is a decent place for YA lovers to discover and discuss books, but the site is in need of a refresh and features a lot of promotion/ads.
Global community helps young writers write, revise, think, and grow
Bottom Line: With interest-based writing prompts and thoughtful feedback from peers and pros, this is a great tool for writing for authentic audiences.
Elegant graphing calculator and math simulations promote collaboration
Bottom Line: Part calculator, part interactive simulation tool, Desmos is a standout example of inquiry-driven math with super-smart instructional supports.
