Taylor Swift, Headbanging, Summative Assessment & Actionable Information

Charlie DePascale, January 2014

Immediately following Taylor Swift’s performance during the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, Twitter exploded with reaction to Taylor’s emotional ‘headbanging’ while performing her ballad All Too Well. The hullaballoo made its way through internet news sites on Monday and should reach NBC News sometime next week or whenever Atlanta thaws out – whichever comes first. Although the seemingly convulsive movements were a surprise to millions, even the casual Swift observer knows that the violent head flip that sends her long hair flying is one of her go-to moves.

Any true Swiftie who followed the RED Tour last yearknew what to expect Sunday night during All Too Well and knows full body movements at the piano as a signature moment of any Taylor Swift concert since the Fearless Tour in 2009-2010.

How does this relate to summative assessments and actionable information?
Like the Grammy Awards, summative assessments may provide new and actionable information to policymakers not familiar with an individual student or school. However, for anyone with deeper knowledge of the individual student, for example, a teacher, the summative assessment, like the Grammy Awards, should confirm what we already knew and expected to see.