The primary purpose of assessment is not to generate marks- it is an act of kindness designed to altruistically cultivate agency in learners that inspires a desire to learn and empowers students with the capacity to engage meaningfully and productively in learning.

Effective Assessment as Kindness  sets teachers needs aside and creates opportunities for students to engage in learning in which they are personally invested. It involves students monitoring and growing their own learning as teachers meet them where they are by providing the guidance each student personally needs to flourish. This breakout session will build off of the keynote to more deeply explore assessment practices that seamlessly weave into learning making assessment both a source of inspiration and a means to enhance student learning through timely, student-driven, supportive guidance.

Garfield Gini-Newman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at OISE, University of Toronto. He explores how to teach through sustained critical inquiry while nurturing deep conceptual understanding and genuine competence. Garfield has worked with thousands of teachers across grades and subjects, helping them to frame learning around engaging and provocative activities and rich, authentic assessments.

Currently, Garfield is engaged with schools across Canada,  in South America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Over the past two decades requests for Garfield's services have taken him from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean and across North America. His interest in effective teaching and learning has led him to actively explore the challenges and opportunities  presented by teaching and learning in the digital age. In addition to his work at the University of Toronto and delivering workshops, Garfield has also authored over 100 books, chapters, and articles as well as having taught in the faculties of education at York University and UBC.