Do you assess what you value and value what you assess?

When you hear the word "assess" in education, what comes to mind? Grades? Attendance records? Standardized test scores? These are all valuable data points, but they only tell part of the story. Here's a thought-provoking question: If we truly value character development in our students, why aren't we measuring it?

As educators, we often talk about the importance of nurturing well-rounded individuals. We emphasize traits like resilience, empathy, integrity, and curiosity. But when it comes to assessment, these qualities often take a back seat to more easily quantifiable metrics. It's time we bridge this gap between what we say we value and what we actually measure.

So, how can we meaningfully assess character development? The answer lies in intentional reflection and student ownership of their personal growth. Here's an idea: Let's create a system where students regularly reflect on their character development, set goals, and track their progress.

Imagine a classroom where, alongside math tests and history essays, students engage in structured reflection on their personal growth. They might consider questions like:

1. How have I demonstrated resilience this month?
2. In what ways have I shown empathy to my classmates?
3. What steps have I taken to improve my time management skills?

By encouraging this kind of introspection, we're not just measuring character - we're actively developing it. Research shows that self-reflection enhances learning and personal growth. As John Dewey famously said, "We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience."

But reflection alone isn't enough. We need to empower students to take ownership of their character development. This could involve:

1. Setting personal character goals: At the beginning of each term, students could set specific, measurable goals related to character traits they want to develop.
2. Maintaining character portfolios: Students could collect evidence of their character growth over time, such as journal entries, peer feedback, or examples of how they've applied character strengths in real-life situations.
3. Regular self-assessments: Using well-designed rubrics, students could periodically assess their progress on various character traits.
4. Peer and teacher feedback: Incorporating observations from classmates and teachers can provide valuable outside perspectives on a student's character development.

Now, you might be thinking, "This sounds great in theory, but how do we make it work in practice?" Here are a few concrete steps:

1. Develop clear, age-appropriate definitions of character traits you want to focus on.
2. Create rubrics that describe different levels of development for each trait.
3. Implement regular "character check-ins" where students reflect on their growth.
4. Use digital tools or apps to make tracking and reflection easy and engaging for students.
5. Incorporate character development discussions into parent-teacher conferences.

By implementing these strategies, we're sending a powerful message: character matters, and we're serious about developing it.

Of course, measuring character development isn't without challenges. It's subjective and can be influenced by cultural biases. We need to be mindful of these potential pitfalls and strive for fair, inclusive assessment practices.

But here's the exciting part: when we start measuring character development, we often see improvements in traditional academic measures too. Research has shown strong links between character strengths like grit and self-control and academic achievement. By focusing on character, we're not taking away from academic rigor - we're enhancing it.

So, let's return to our original question: Do you assess what you value? If we truly value character development - and I believe most educators do - then it's time we start measuring it intentionally and systematically.

Imagine the impact we could have if every student left our schools not just with a transcript of grades, but with a clear understanding of their character strengths, areas for growth, and the tools to continue developing as individuals (this is starting to happen in some places).

This isn't just about adding another metric to our assessment toolbox. It's about fundamentally shifting our focus to align our measurement practices with our values as educators. It's about recognizing that character development is not just a nice-to-have, but an essential part of education that deserves our attention and our assessment efforts.

Here's the best part...

This approach to measuring character development is supported by a growing body of research. For instance, Duckworth and Yeager (2015) highlight the importance of assessing personal qualities beyond cognitive ability in educational settings. Their work emphasizes the need for diverse measurement approaches to capture the complexity of character traits. Additionally, Heckman and Kautz (2012) demonstrate that character skills are strong predictors of success in life, underlining the importance of nurturing and assessing these traits in educational contexts. The concept of self-reflection as a tool for personal growth is supported by Zimmerman's (2002) research on self-regulated learning, which shows how metacognitive strategies can enhance student achievement and character development.

As we move forward in reimagining assessment in education, let's keep in mind the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: "Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." By measuring character development alongside academic achievement, we're taking a significant step towards realizing this vision.

What do you think? Are you ready to start measuring what really matters? How might you incorporate character assessment in your classroom or school? Let's start a conversation about valuing - and measuring - character development in education.

References:

Duckworth, A. L., & Yeager, D. S. (2015). Measurement matters: Assessing personal qualities other than cognitive ability for educational purposes. Educational Researcher, 44(4), 237-251.

Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. (2012). Hard evidence on soft skills. Labour Economics, 19(4), 451-464.

Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(2), 64-70.

Dweck, C. S. (2008). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House Digital, Inc.

Fadel, C., Bialik, M., & Trilling, B. (2015). Four-dimensional education: The competencies learners need to succeed. Center for Curriculum Redesign.

Park, D., Tsukayama, E., Goodwin, G. P., Patrick, S., & Duckworth, A. L. (2017). A tripartite taxonomy of character: Evidence for intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intellectual competencies in children. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 48, 16-27.