How does New Zealand come to rank 5th in the World for Education? Here is part of the answer!

As a New Zealand trained educator I am always excited to share the works of the outstanding educators that have the teachers and students in New Zealand faring so well. Unlocking Formative Assessment by Shirley Clark has you feeling tuned into from the intro on. The introduction offers a purpose and this I must say is always helpful when learning anything new!

Clark covers 8 main areas throughout the book:

Planning

Sharing learning intentions

Student self evaluation

Feedback

Target setting

Questioning

Monitoring

Raising children's self esteem

The work of Clark takes you on a journey through the understanding of assessment as needing to incorporate child centered approaches to paint a clearer picture of what really has children progressing. Imagine a system that actually takes into account the achievements of children over a period of time as opposed to a test!

In 1998 the studies of Paul Black and Dylan William found that formative assessment indeed raised the standards of attainment with huge effect on low achievers. New Zealand has built on this approach for the last 8 years and has shown the merits of thoughtfully applied formative assessment. Ultimately involving students in their own assessment of their learning is a very powerful component of formative assessment.

The book itself is a very methodical, practical read with a brilliant "How to Use" section - Using this book to make a difference - at the end. The straightforward nature of the author is truly indicative of the no nonsense, use what works approach New Zealanders have on the whole.