Surprise!
Gotcha.
“Impress me!”
“I can’t describe it, but I know it when I see it.”
None of these should describe the highest level of learning communicated in the grade book.
In this video, I share a response to an email I recently received from a teacher asking about the challenges of describing what a “4” level of learning looks like in their classroom.
Summary: Regardless of what a school has labeled the highest level of learning (exceeds, advanced, exceptional, etc.), teachers should provide students with clear examples of what this highest level of learning looks like, and provide students with feedback along the way.
Supporting resource: “Why the label ‘exceeds standard’ doesn’t work” by Thomas Guskey