The Empowerment Ecosystem

My testimonial of the program:

I began my current journey at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, post pandemic lockdown
style zoom-like education. Our world had been turned upside down and for the first time I began to
question EDUCATION and finally see it for what it COULD be. I had known for years it wasn’t the best
that it could be but didn’t know where to start let alone have a focused passion. So… two years ago
through a district wide zoom pro-d I was introduced to Tom Schimmer and thus began my assessment
journey that eventually brought me to connect with Natalie Vardabasso.

I was experiencing deep frustrations, even anger, with my beliefs in assessment and grading. I started to do research, seek out other assessment shifters virtually and realized that my own philosophical and
pedagogical views were changing, and I was passionate about changing the way we assess students. On a Facebook group I had become a member of (Beyond Report Cards), Natalie had posted these three questions:
● Do you consider yourself a change agent in education?
● Do you want to disrupt the status quo to do right by your students?
● Do you believe that tugging on the "thread" of assessment, grading, and equity will unravel all that we've been socialized to accept about school?

 

And let me say, I was hooked and needed more! I knew this was just the opportunity that I needed to ignite my passion and begin the next chapter of my assessment journey. The Empowerment Ecosystem, which she has thoughtfully curated a 5-part series that follows the acronym of VOICE. This program has given me a VOICE, a voice that is grounded in a collective understanding of student agency, assessment,
and connection.

Throughout the series, I have continually been able to add logs: tools, confidence, allies to my fire that
has by far had the most positive impact for me. I have been challenged to step out of my comfort zone, express my beliefs, and expand my PLN. It has given me the nudge I needed to start a local coalition of change makers (fire starters!) to humanize education and get us out of the four walled box that restricts us from valuing true learning.

I never could have imagined the personal growth I have embodied, the people I have met, nor the
opportunities that I can foresee in education. The most tangible result for me is the deep sense of
transformation in myself as an educator, as a leader, as a change maker! I highly recommend joining
Natalie Vardabasso on our quest to rehumanize education.