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The Quest for Learning by M. Alcock (2018)

Summary:
Introduces the "questing" model—an inquiry-driven learning approach that empowers students to explore personal interests through guided projects. Focuses on differentiation, engagement, and student agency.

Key Ideas:

Promotes student-led inquiry and autonomy

Supports engagement through choice

Aligns with formative assessment practices

Resource:
Canadian School Libraries Journal article on assessment and questing.

Reflection: Emotional Growth, Self-Stewardship, and Sharing Through Learning Quests

Learning quests are more than academic—they're journeys that shape emotional growth and self-stewardship. As I face challenges and feedback, I’ve learned to manage emotions, build resilience, and take ownership of my learning with kindness and reflection.

As a teacher, I would share this mindset with my students by creating a supportive environment where mistakes are viewed as part of the learning process. I’d model how to reflect on feedback, manage emotions, and celebrate progress, helping students see learning as a journey of growth, both intellectually and emotionally.

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Using the AASL Standards to Assess Learners

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Using the AASL Standards to Assess Learners

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🌐 Using the AASL Standards to Assess Learners

Summary:
Outlines how to use the AASL’s “Shared Foundations” (Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, Engage) to guide assessment. Emphasizes personal growth, reflection, and equitable learning paths.

Analysis:

Reinforces assessment as learning through learner self-assessment

Complements Alcock and Barell’s inquiry focus

Adds a standards-based lens to Brookhart’s task design approach

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How to Design Questions and Tasks to Assess Student Thinking 

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How to Design Questions and Tasks to Assess Student Thinking 

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How to Design Questions and Tasks to Assess Student Thinking by S. Brookhart (2014)

Summary:
Offers practical strategies for designing questions and tasks that promote and assess higher-order thinking, focusing on clear learning targets and meaningful feedback.

Key Ideas:

Frameworks for assessing complex thinking

Aligning assessments with cognitive rigour

Rubrics and tasks that support equity

Reflection:

I find it challenging to align learning goals, rubrics, and tasks with the unique experiences and skills of each learner. Designing assessments that are both rigorous and accessible to diverse learners requires finding a balance between clear expectations and flexibility. Additionally, it can be difficult to create tasks and questions that genuinely measure higher-order thinking while remaining meaningful and relevant to individual backgrounds and learning styles. This ongoing challenge motivates me to continuously refine my approach to promote equity and foster a deeper understanding among students.

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Assessment for, of, and as Learning

Assessment for learning: Guides instruction by providing formative feedback

Assessment of learning: Measures achievement through summative tasks

Assessment as learning: Promotes metacognition; learners reflect and self-monitor

These books align closely with all three types, especially:

Alcock and Barell: Assessment for and as learning via inquiry and reflection

Brookhart: Assessment of and for learning through question design and clarity

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Connecting to the School Library Learning Commons (SLLC)

SLLCs serve as hubs for student-centered learning

Inquiry-based models like questing are ideal for cross-disciplinary projects

Formative tools (e.g., observation checklists, learning journals) align with Brookhart’s approach

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Supporting Diverse Learners & Equity

Student choice in questing promotes engagement and cultural relevance

Inquiry models adapt well to various learning styles

Brookhart’s emphasis on clarity and rigour ensures all students have access to high-quality thinking tasks

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Strategy 1: Launch Inquiry Stations

Set up zones for students to:

Form questions

Explore databases and texts

Document findings using multimedia

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Strategy 2: Use Reflective Learning Journals

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Strategy 2: Use Reflective Learning Journals

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Strategy 2: Use Reflective Learning Journals

Supports assessment as learning

Encourages self-regulation

Can be analog or digital (Google Docs, Seesaw)

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Strategy 3: Host Showcase Days

Let students present inquiries to peers or community

Offers summative assessment of learning

Builds confidence and authentic audience feedback

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Personal Insight

“I now see assessment as more than just measuring—it’s guiding, engaging, and empowering students through inquiry and reflection.”

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Questions for Further Inquiry

How can I track inquiry learning outcomes over time?

How can I encourage students to do the same?

What tools best support equity in digital and analog formats?

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Moving from What to What If by J. Barell (2016)

Summary:
Explores authentic inquiry as a tool for teaching critical thinking. Encourages educators to shift from rote questioning to "what if" scenarios to spark deeper exploration.

Key Ideas:

Authentic assessment through inquiry projects

Use of real-world challenges to build critical thinking

Encourages student questioning and ownership of learning

Author Interview:
John Barell on Inquiry & Critical Thinking (YouTube)

Reflection:
I’ve seen how authentic, relevant inquiries boost student motivation and ownership. When learning connects to real-world issues that relate to each student’s unique experience, they become more engaged and self-directed. As a teacher, fostering this means guiding their questions, supporting reflection, and empowering them to lead their learning journey. Tailoring “real-world” connections to individual experiences is key to making learning meaningful and impactful.

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Here are three key takeaways from the Child Mind Institute's article on helping kids deal with criticism:

1. Establish a Positive Feedback Environment
To help children handle criticism constructively, aim to provide five positive comments for every critical one. This approach builds their confidence and makes them more receptive to feedback as a tool for improvement. It's also important to focus on specific behaviors rather than labeling the child, such as saying, "You didn't finish cleaning up after yourself," instead of "You're lazy."

2. Encourage Emotional Expression and Reflection
When a child reacts negatively to criticism, create space for them to talk about their feelings. Listening and validating their emotions can help them process the feedback and understand the underlying issues. For instance, a child upset over a bad grade might realize they didn't understand the assignment, rather than feeling personally attacked.

3. Prepare for Criticism from Others
Help children anticipate and cope with criticism from teachers, coaches, or peers. Discuss possible scenarios and role-play responses to build resilience. This preparation can empower them to handle feedback without becoming defensive or discouraged.

By fostering a supportive environment and encouraging open communication, you can help your child develop the skills to handle criticism constructively.

Personal Reflection

Giving and receiving feedback is vital not just for academic growth but for student well-being. Thoughtful, constructive feedback helps students understand their progress and fosters confidence, demonstrating that mistakes are an integral part of the learning process.

Equally important is teaching students how to handle feedback without tying it to their self-worth. When they feel safe and supported, they’re more open to growth and self-reflection. In this way, feedback becomes a tool for building resilience, emotional intelligence, and confidence—skills essential both in and out of the classroom.

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No one likes to be told that they did something wrong, but for kids with mental health or learning challenges, receiving criticism can feel particularly painful.

Michelle, an adult who was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age, says she still remembers when her fourth-grade teacher told her that she wasn't watering the classroom plants the right way. "I felt embarrassed and dumb," she said. "I felt like I wanted to cry." Michelle says she still struggles to receive criticism, even when she wants constructive feedback. "I still obsess over it," she says. "I'll just go in my head and be like, why did I do it that way?"

It's not that criticism is a bad thing. Learning from mistakes, missteps, or misunderstandings is an important part of life. But for some kids, intense emotions can drown out what is actually being said.

Kids who are struggling with ADHD, anxiety, depression, or a learning disorder tend to fall into negative thinking patterns. For them, even the smallest mistake can translate to: "I'm not good at anything." This makes them more sensitive to feedback. When even the mildest critique feels like a personal attack, kids might shut down or lash out.

While a parent can't dispel these emotions entirely, you can help kids learn to recognize them and manage their response. This article will explore how parents can course-correct their kids' behavior in positive ways, and also prepare them to receive criticism from others.

Build a positive framework

The value of constructive criticism is to "build insight," says Jerry Bubrick, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. "We're wanting kids to take a step back and say, 'Well, maybe I didn't handle that so well, or maybe I could do that differently, or maybe I could change the way I'm doing this.'"

If kids are open to hearing what an adult has to say, they are more likely to follow through on it. So adults should consider how the criticism they deliver is being heard, observes Helene Omansky, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker at the Child Mind Institute. She makes a distinction between criticism and feedback, which feel very different when you are on the receiving end of them. Criticism can feel like judgment, as in, "My teacher hates my essay." But feedback can feel like support: "My teacher helped make my essay better."

Dr. Bubrick says parents can help foster an open mind for feedback by offering comments within a "positive framework."

A positive framework is not necessarily about changing what you say, but how you say it. Saying, "You're not focusing on your homework," for instance, is a negative framing that opens the door to conflict. This could be rephrased as a positive by saying something like, "I see that you have a good start on your homework. Just hang in there a bit more, and you'll have the rest of the evening free."

Part of building a positive framework means giving regular, positive feedback. It's important to tell your child when they are doing something well - even if the task might seem routine or expected. Kids with ADHD, for example, often struggle with basic tasks, like cleaning their room or consistently finishing their homework. Giving them positive feedback when they do can soften the blow for criticism, later.

"It's helpful to think about a ratio of five to one. So, for every one time you give criticism, there should be five different instances that you can name where you gave positive feedback," says William Benson, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute.

Positive feedback helps build confidence. If a child has confidence in their abilities, they will feel more secure admitting that they do not understand something, or could do something better. This can be particularly important for kids with learning disorders, who might feel embarrassed that they struggle with things that others do not. A diagnosis can help, but feeling comfortable with one's challenges can take time. "It's almost like a stigma until they can start to integrate it into their daily functioning," Omansky says. If kids are confident enough to see their LD as "just another part of themselves," she says, "they have room to receive whatever the criticism may be."

When a child reacts negatively to criticism

But sometimes, even the most well-intentioned criticism can bring about an intense response. Some kids might shut down. Some might get angry or blame others for their mistakes - in their eyes, a bad grade might automatically become an inescapable truth: " My teacher hates me."

Whatever the case, try to help the child identify the feelings behind the response. Encourage kids to talk about how they feel, even when it's uncomfortable. But keep in mind that learning to process emotions can be, well, a process. When Michelle was asked to describe her reaction to her teacher's criticism, she at first said that the feelings were so intense she could not name them. When pressed, she described feeling vulnerable, "embarrassed and dumb."

It might feel natural to dismiss these feelings - "you're not dumb!" - and focus on resolving the issue. But it's important to take time to listen and validate what a child is feeling.

"As parents, we sometimes jump into problem-solving mode rather than just say, 'Oh, it seems like you're having a tough time with that,'" Omansky says. "Allow space for them to feel heard and understood versus jumping to something which might be felt as criticism rather than support."

Giving kids space to unpack their feelings and asking questions might lead to a better understanding about what's really bothering them. For example, a child with an undiagnosed learning disorder might avoid doing their homework and act out in school. It's easy to make these behaviors the focus, the problem itself rather than a symptom of a larger one. Listening and asking questions can be helpful for both parents and kids, too, who might not even realize that their own actions are rooted in something as simple as, "I didn't understand the assignment."

But as important as it is to encourage kids to talk about their feelings in response to criticism, there is also an appropriate time to do it. Instead of approaching a kid when their emotions might be raw - say, right after they failed a test - wait until the hurt or anger has settled. "As parents, we're not supposed to discipline when we're emotional," Omansky says. "It's the same concept."

Learning to pump the brakes

Talking about feelings can be particularly helpful for kids with ADHD, who often struggle to regulate their emotions. Signals in an ADHD brain tend to bypass the stop-and-think sign in the prefrontal cortex, producing an impulsive, emotional response. Say, for example, a child yells, and blames someone else for their mistake. Parents can help kids manually "pump the brakes," Dr. Benson says, by creating awareness around the feelings driving those behaviors. If a child can come to understand that, in the past, they have lashed out because they felt embarrassed or dumb, they can begin to address those feelings, not simply yell and point fingers.

Kids with ADHD or learning issues might also be extra sensitive to criticism because they tend to receive more negative feedback about their behavior. They might be used to hearing things like: "Pay attention," "Stop talking," "Stop fidgeting," or "You're not trying!"

"Then other criticism is colored by that lens," Dr. Benson says. "And it might be perfectly reasonable and constructive, but to a person who's felt like they get these negative messages all the time, they're hearing that the real message is, 'I'm bad at this like I'm bad at everything else.'"

Over time, learning to talk about emotions can help quiet these voices of self-doubt, and rein in outbursts. The child might not be able to respond perfectly calmly, but they might learn to take a deep breath or a mental timeout before they react.

Kids are especially vulnerable to self-doubt when they are learning something new. Maybe a child just joined the swim team, and they lost a race. Even helpful critique from a coach - "It looks like you lost your footing on that flip turn" - might feel like an attack on their abilities as a swimmer. Like Michelle, they might get stuck on the idea that she did something the wrong way - "Why did I do it that way?" - instead of learning from the experience.

Dr. Bubrick says that such feelings of self-doubt can come from outsized expectations, and advises parents to help their kids set manageable goals to build confidence.

It's not reasonable to expect to win every race, or ace every test. Better to focus on nailing a flip turn, or getting a B instead of an A. "It's not lowering our standards, but making our expectations more attainable," Dr. Bubrick says.

Criticism from teachers and coaches

Teachers and coaches are supposed to help kids learn and grow. If they didn't offer feedback they would probably feel like they weren't doing their jobs. Criticism is a necessary part of learning, but if you know your child is sensitive to criticism, you can help them anticipate it by describing what it might look like. Teachers will give grades and challenge you with tough questions. Coaches might yell to be heard; they might sound mean or rough.

And, of course, adults aren't perfect. They might get frustrated, and lose patience. They might have a bad day and say the wrong thing. Reassure kids that they shouldn't take negative criticism too personally. It certainly doesn't mean an adult doesn't like you, doesn't think you're smart, or doesn't want you on their team.

Criticism from peers can be trickier to navigate. Kids can be cruel to one another. They are still maturing, and learning that what they say can hurt someone else. But fostering an environment where kids feel comfortable talking about their feelings can prepare them to better get along with friends and classmates.

If a child can talk with a parent about how criticism made them feel, they will be better equipped to stand up for themselves with friends - crucially, Dr. Bubrick says, without being critical in return. "So instead of saying, 'You were a jerk for saying it the way you said it,' a child might be assertive enough to say something like, "'I didn't like the way you talked to me yesterday.'"

Parents won't always be there to help their kids, but they can encourage them to develop tools to help themselves. "Over time they might hear the voice of parents in their head," Dr. Bubrick says. "They might be able to feel more nuanced feelings about the situation rather than just jumping from zero to one hundred."

Frequently Asked Questions

How should you teach a child to accept criticism?

What happens when you criticize a child?

What should you do when kids react negatively to criticism?

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How to Help Kids Deal With Criticism - Child Mind Institute

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Learning to handle criticism without getting upset is an important skill, especially for kids with mental health or learning disorders who may be especially sensitive.