Nuance

nu·ance

 

: a very small difference in color, tone, meaning, etc.

 

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Full Definition of NUANCE

1: a subtle distinction or variation

2: a subtle quality : nicety

3: sensibility to, awareness of, or ability to express delicate shadings (as of meaning, feeling, or value)

 

"Nuance" is a word I don't use very often, but it's come up in two recent conversations I've had with teachers in my building.  In both instances we were discussing student assessment data.  Our teachers, of course, regularly assess our students.  For clarification, we tend to group assessment into two separtae categories; summative and formative.

Summative assessments are used to measure progress at the end of a learning cycle (a unit, a term, a year, etc..).  Traditional "final exams" are just one example of a summative assessment.  In other words, a summative assessments measures how much a student has learned after all of the teaching is completed.  Summative assessments are sometimes thought of as assessments "of" learning.

Formative assessments are used to measure progress thoughout the learing cycle.  Our teachers use formative assessments to plan their instruction and to give immediate feedback to a student.  One way to think about a formative assessment if that it is used "for" instuction.  Our teachers use quizzes, an end of the lesson exit slip, or even a conversation with a student as formative assessments in order to best plan the next instruction for that student or the entire class.

A nice summary of the two types of assessment can be found here.

I'm grateful our teachers see almost every assessment as a formative assessment.  Teachers conference with students in order to individualize instruction.  Teachers even use end of unit assessments as tools to identify re-teaching topics for specific students.  Our teachers do not grade on a "curve" where only a select number of students can earn the higest mark as I experienced in college.  Our teachers plan for and expect every student to master the learning targets as presented in class.  In fact, the state and national "systems" expect all students to be proficient on standards as aligned to state expectations. 

You can read more about our district's aligned curriculum here.

At the same time teachers are collecting assessment data on our students, we must also report that data.  What the data is and to whom we are reporting the data impacts the way we report.  Of course, we use parent-teacher conferences and traditional report cards to share with parents.  State and national assessments come with "parent reports" that our teachers can talk to but are also relatively self-explanatory for parents.  Under new legislation, teachers must also report their students' achievement data to the state through our district.  Our district has anonline "data warehouse" where we log assessement information from K-12 for every students.  Our building has just begun using a data wall so we can better identify specific needs for specific students--over time.

Data is powerful.  It can suggest trends.  It can summarize information.  It helps us make decisions.  But I'm not convinced data ever tells the entire story.  I never want any child to become a simple summary of data from assessments.  Our teachers are masters at understanding the nuanced decisions it takes to help children be successful  Our teachers understand that one assessment can never best demonstrates a child's true proficiency level.  A student's ability to deonstrate his/her knowledge is a collection of nuances...a sensibility to, awareness of, or ability to express delicate shadings of value. 

In other words, our students are too valuable to be put simply on a spreadsheet or report.  Teachers, parents--adults--must share and listen deeply to the nuances that each child exhibits in order to best help every child be successful.