ESFA asks teachers to conduct assessment and give feedback on co-created process-based goals. Using ESFA, teachers move students towards academic targets without “doing work for them,” “coming down hard,” or reducing the scope or intensity of the challenge. This is not a typical growth mindset program with expensive materials and training; it is an adaptive teaching approach that every teacher should try. In this conversation, educators will explore the juxtaposition between traditional feedback and assessment and what is possible when approaching learners with an ‘executive functions’ lens. Moving from a broad perspective to specific and practical examples, teachers, parents, and administrators will be inspired to apply executive functions knowledge to every facet of their daily interactions with children. Attendees will study their own executive functioning profiles and connect the impact of those profiles to their own challenges. They will then explore the impact of 'product'-based feedback and assessment on children and on the effectiveness of 21C teaching and learning. Finally, attendees will be challenged to imagine process-based feedback for their favorite classroom projects. Laurie Faith's talks and workshops are often referred to as “transformational.”
Laurie Faith is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, focused on supporting preservice teachers and testing EF-based teaching, assessment, and feedback strategies. Her Executive Skills Feedback and Assessment approach will be featured in the 3rd edition of Guare and Dawson's Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents. Laurie is a regular presenter and workshop facilitator for public and private schools and special education organizations. Laurie's academic work is based on 17 years of classroom experience. In schools, she has led initiatives in creative problem-solving and special education. While at Mulgrave school, in Vancouver, she created zoomfest, which is now in its 16th year with one of the highest participation rates of any film-making competition in the province of British Columbia. At Montcrest, in Toronto, Laurie chaired a committee to study student assessment and reporting in light of executive skills. Laurie is a certified Future Design School educator, and has extensive training in both the Rotman School of Business’s Integrative Thinking discipline and Google’s Search Inside Yourself mindfulness approach. She is an associate at an executive function focused company called EFs2theRescue. Laurie has received recognition from SENG for distinguished contributions to gifted education.