Setting and Using Criteria (Knowing What Counts)

Sandra Herbst explains in the foreword to Setting and Using Criteria that when teachers work not only to share the learning destination with their students, but to identify what quality evidence of learning looks like en route to the learning destination, then students have a much clearer picture of what they need to know, do, and articulate. In this first book in the Knowing What Counts series, authors Kathleen Gregory, Caren Cameron, and Anne Davies provide tools for teachers to help students envision and develop that picture. The first section of this book outlines a four-step process for working with students to set criteria that encourage participation, understanding, and ownership. The authors provide specific examples of what each step in this process might look like. Five scenarios of setting criteria with students are then provided and can be adapted to meet an array of specific needs and situations. The second part of this book offers ten ways to assess student work and provide specific and descriptive feedback to help students improve their learning and academic performance without assigning a mark or using a traditional grading system. The third section provides a list of common questions educators may have as they attempt to implement the strategies described in the first two sections. The authors respond to these questions in detail and provide examples for ways educators can adjust the strategies to their specific needs.