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Beyond the Test: Other Perspectives on Assessment
Assessment isn’t a single event or a single tool. It’s the entire ecosystem that surrounds teaching and learning. And when we look beyond classroom-based assessments, we discover a whole landscape of ideas that shape how students grow and how teachers teach. Here are a few assessment viewpoints that continue to influence my thinking as both a teacher and a doctoral student. Standardized Testing: Necessary, but Not the Whole Story Standardized tests sit at the far end of the a
Tamara Giusti
1 hour ago3 min read


Why Figures Matter: Seeing Learning Through Data
As teachers, we gather incredible amounts of information—exit tickets, observations, checklists, writing samples, reading notes, project reflections, and informal check-ins. But sometimes it isn’t until I visualize the data that the learning patterns become clear. Figures (like bar graphs, tables, and charts) turn scattered information into something we can see, interpret, and act on. They help me answer questions like: Who’s ready for enrichment? Who needs reteaching? Where
Tamara Giusti
1 hour ago2 min read
Portfolios for Student Growth: Our Year in a Book
Every year, I keep a portfolio for each student—a growing, evolving collection of their work across writing, science, social studies, and art. There’s no math in it (our math work lives in a separate, ongoing notebook), but the portfolio captures something deeper: the story of each child’s growth. If I had to choose one practice that helps me see students as whole, developing humans, it would be the portfolio. Portfolios aren’t new, but when they’re used intentionally, they b
Tamara Giusti
1 hour ago3 min read
Student Self-Assessment: Teaching Students to See Their Own Learning
One of my favorite moments in the classroom is when a student pauses, looks at their work, and says something like, “I think I need to add more evidence here,” or “I’m proud of how I revised this part.” That little spark of insight?That’s self-assessment—and it’s one of the most powerful tools we can give students. Self-assessment isn’t just about rating a rubric or checking off a box. It’s about helping students understand their own thinking , recognize their strengths, iden
Tamara Giusti
1 hour ago3 min read
The Effort Grade Debate: Motivation or Misleading?
If you were to walk into my school and ask about grades, you wouldn’t hear anything about A’s or B’s. We don’t use traditional letter grades. Instead, we report on progress toward mastery and on behaviors that support learning —things like engagement, collaboration, persistence, and readiness to learn. In certain domains, especially exploration, engineering activities, physical education, and performance-based arts, we also honor effort more explicitly. This makes the “effo
Tamara Giusti
1 hour ago3 min read
Choosing the Right Assessment Tool
One thing I’ve learned after years in the classroom is that the format of an assessment matters just as much as the content. You can have a beautifully written learning target, but if the assessment tool doesn’t match what you’re trying to measure, you’ll end up with data that doesn’t actually help anyone. I sometimes think about assessments like art supplies: I wouldn’t hand my students colored pencils if I wanted them to paint. And I wouldn’t hand them watercolors when wha
Tamara Giusti
2 hours ago3 min read
What Assessment Really Means to Me
If you stop by my third-grade classroom on any given day, you’ll probably hear me asking questions like, “How do you know?” , “What makes you say that?” , or “What would you change next time?” For me, those moments are assessment. They’re the quiet signals that help me figure out what each child understands, what they’re still developing, and where we need to go next. Over the years, I’ve realized that assessment isn’t a test or a score—it’s a process of listening . Research
Tamara Giusti
2 hours ago2 min read


Best Practices for Diverse Learners – And Why Co-Creation Belongs in the Conversation
Best Practices for Diverse Learners In every classroom, there’s a beautiful variety of learners—different languages, experiences,...
Tamara Giusti
Jun 123 min read


Bridging Language and Learning
Multimodal Learning Presentation
Tamara Giusti
Jun 121 min read


Bridging Language and Learning: Multimodal Instruction for Equity
Welcome! I'm excited to share highlights from my action research project, “Bridging Language and Learning: Multimodal Instruction for...
Tamara Giusti
Jun 112 min read


Innovative Strategies for Technology Integration in Education
Technology integration in education has been a game-changer for the classroom, providing endless possibilities for engaging students and...
Tamara Giusti
Jun 112 min read


Empowering Students: Co-Creation Techniques for Modern Classrooms
In today’s fast-paced digital world, the role of educators is evolving, demanding a shift towards more collaborative and...
Tamara Giusti
Jun 112 min read


Enhancing Classroom Collaboration: Top Tech Tools for Educators
In today's digital age, the role of technology in education is becoming increasingly important. Educators are finding innovative ways to...
Tamara Giusti
Jun 111 min read
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