Sublime

A second connotation for essential refers to core ideas and inquiries withina discipline.

You only understand it, we say, ifyou can teach it, use it, prove it, connect it, explain it, defend it, read betweenthe lines, and so on. The argument for performance assessment as a necessity,not a luxury, is thus clearly linked to these usages: Students must perform effectively with knowledge to convince us that they really understand what quizz

What should we be seeing if our students are getting better atunderstanding what they are learning? To pose this question is to shift fromtalking about our aims to talking about the evidence of whether our aims havebeen met.

Ask “What do they actually need to do with this?” (If you get the answer “They just need to be aware of it,” then ask “Yeah, but what do they actually need to do with this?” again.) • Follow a novice around and watch what they do; then follow an expert around and ask “What are they doing differently?” • Ask yourself if the person would be able to d

Use the question “Is it reasonable to think that someone can be proficient without practice?” to identify skills gaps.

too many teachers focus on the teaching and not the learning. Theyspend most of their time thinking, first, about what they will do, what materials they will use, and what they will ask students to do rather than first considering what the learner will need in order to accomplish the learning goals.

Consider these questions that arise in theminds of all readers, the answers to whichwill frame the priorities of coached learning: How should I read the book? What amI looking for? What will we discuss? Howshould I prepare for those discussions?How do I know if my reading and discussions are effective? Toward what performance goals do this reading

How well do we understand understanding? What isit we are after when we say we want students to understand this or that?

By asking for Essential Questions, we areencouraging designers to avoid coverage and to commit to genuine inquiry—the discussion, reflection, problem solving, research, and debate that are therequisites for developing deep understanding of essential ideas.