Melissa Emler is the Director of Community at Modern Learning

• Online media company to help schools change and be better. Really powerful conversations are happening regularly.

• The Testing Emperor Finally has no Clothes

• Modernlearners.com/jethro

• All of the onus for learning is placed on the teacher.

• It is the responsibility of teachers to create the conditions for learning to happen.

• Communication beats compliance, every time.

• Learning happens through feedback and questioning.

• It is the student to communicate questions and understanding.

• Going gradeless or standards based grading doesn’t really communicate learning.

• We haven’t really had a conversation about what we mean by “learning”.

• Seymour Sarason’s “What do you mean by learning?“

• People are learning when they want to learn more.

• It requires co-creating the curriculum

• Our practices do not match our beliefs.

• The amount of time we spend thinking, talking, planning for standardized tests.

• Giving prizes for testing= :(

• Beliefs must drive assessment.

• Challenge assumptions, biases and orthodoxies that influence assessment practice.

• Communication beats compliance, every time.

• Explore status quo-busting assessment solutions to provide more authentic and real-world choices.

• Let students learn about how they learn.

• Measure what matters.

• Invest in TRUST.

• So important to trust teachers to create the conditions for learning to happen.

• If we get to a common set of beliefs then we don’t need to pressure teachers to do well on a test.

• Standards and tests change based on political issues.

• how to be a transformative leader? Be strong in your individual beliefs.

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Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life!

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Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.

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