Beautiful Evidence of Learning

Here are my favourite parts from this 5 minute video.

• Evidence of student learning may not be the same as evidence of great public education.
• Standardized testing does not measure the ability to think creatively or deeply.
• In the industrial model, teachers are given scripts, they are given frameworks so it doesn't matter who is teaching this class or who is sitting in those chairs. You make the teaching teacher-proof -- you make the learning student proof and pretty soon you don't have any proof of anyone learning anything.
• Children can not be standardized.
• Standardized testing reminds us of the old x-ray shoe fitting machines. X-rays show us the bones of the foot but not the soft-tissue that actually matters. It turns out that the best evidence you need is to ask someone, "How does the shoe feel?"
• Learning should be framed around projects, problems and questions.
• We need to educate teachers very well and then trust them to do the complex work that is real learning and good teaching.
• Children need to be encouraged and inspired to be change agents in their own lives.