Have you ever been near a swimming pool in the warm summer sun? Along with splashes and giggles you will hear the slogan of childhood: “Hey! Watch me!”
Coming across a field, as they launch their kite into the sea of blue: “Watch this!”
As they begin the sprint that will launch them onto the vault: “Watch me!”
As soon as they surface, take off, or successfully land the dismount: “Did you see me?”
Children want to show their loved ones, family and teachers alike, their skills and the budding source of their passions. They crave the connected experience of sharing their feats.
Ever wonder why we do not see this level of committed fervor in the classroom? Why do educators know those staged photos of all the students in a class raising their hand, ardently excited to answer the teacher, are in fact so staged? Because, outside of the occasional fit of fascination our young scholars are not that invested in their own learning.
I believe Personalized Learning can lead educators on a path to igniting student passion by offering the opportunity to demonstrate learning and progress with the same excitement as showing off backflips and cannonballs. Instead of only utilizing paper-pencil tests and quizzes let’s look at some authentic assessments by which students can enthusiastically exhibit their skills and teachers can practically track progress towards proficiency.
Capstone Project – a culminating activity in which students are able to synthesize their learning and demonstrate their skills. This can unfold in a myriad of ways and is a viable option for all levels of education. Capstone projects can easily be reviewed with a proficiency scale.
Body Biography – a culminating activity in which students analyze people or characters from literature. The depth of the analysis and the required components to include vary based on teacher guidelines. This is a great project which can be adjusted for a wide range of educational levels.
Wax Museum – a culminating activity in which students have researched a person from history (inventor, leader, activist, entrepreneur, educator, or legislator, etc.) and present them as a “wax figure” in a museum. Perhaps students will dress as their person and deliver an oral presentation to onlookers or students might clothe a mannequin and include a paper report. Still other students might record a presentation to scanned and viewed when peers walk through a mock museum and interact with the exhibits. Mid to upper elementary levels and above would find this to be an engaging project.
Experiments – Experiments are NOT limited to science! Students can experiment with poetry. Students can experiment with creating their own society and see how quickly they give up civil liberties or how harshly they fight to protect them. Students can experiment with math riddles or designing dream homes. Experiments provide an adjustable opportunity for demonstrating skills for a wide range of educational levels.
Proposals – Students can craft business plans or full restaurant menus. Developing a professional proposal integrates multiple levels of understanding as well as varied content areas. It is a wonderful culminating activity. This is a great project which can be adjusted for a wide range of educational levels, though more teacher support would be needed for younger scholars.
Student Self-Assessment – Students can engage in a myriad of healthy self-assessment strategies by which they review their progress. Introspection is a crucial metacognitive skill. From working in a content-based diary to engaging a rubric to gauge progress, noting areas of strength and need for support. This endeavor can be easily adjusted for a wide range of educational levels and should be found throughout the entire educational experience.
Student Generated Assessments – Students can craft the questions or requirements for demonstrating their proficiency. Students gain the benefit of autonomy and a buy-in element of authority in their own learning. Feeling much like the expert on the content, they are consulted for what they feel are the attributes and components that need to be shown to demonstrate mastery. This endeavor is a fabulous opportunity for a wide range of educational levels and could be established early in the educational experience.
Each of these examples offer student agency. Students are also able to provide raw feedback to teachers, which is a rare occurrence with merely utilizing paper-pencil assessments. When a true dialogue begins to form between student and teacher the opportunity to catch gaps and celebrate leaps. As students feel supported, they can flex the muscles of their voice and choices. That same exuberance from the poolside will come spilling and splashing into the classroom. There may not be 25+ hands being raised to answer the same question, but the stir of engaged students wanting to showoff their skills would be a far more authentic sight to see.
“Hey! Watch me make this pitch!”
“Watch me! I can make this light up without a battery!”
“Did you see me? I made the airplane that made the most loops!”
Teaching Hands 
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