Ed 676 Assessmentphilosophy

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A s s e s s m e n L h l l o s o p h y A p p r o a c h a g e |

Assessment Philosophy & Approach


Simone R. McMahan
April 5, 2011
ED 676 ProIessor Bradley
Alaska PaciIic University
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I have never been an advocate oI tests. Just the mention oI the word leaves me with a
stomach Iull oI butterIlies and a mind Iull oI selI doubt. This leIt me Ieeling very dubious when
it came to learning about assessments, because to me, it meant the same thing as test. I have
come to discover this is not the case and that assessment is just a big word that encompasses
many uses in a classroom. OI course, the word can still indicate a 'test, but it also indicates
eIIorts towards guiding our classroom practices to best suit our students. Assessment means
observation oI perIormance, question and answers, homework, assignments, etc.. Assessment
is inIormation. It involves all the things we do, as teachers, to ensure our students are on the
right path toward learning. As Popham (2011) states, 'a useIul Iunction oI classroom
assessment, thereIore, is to determine whether students are moving satisIactorily toward the
instructional outcomes the teacher is seeking to promote (p.10).

Formative & Summative Assessment
All assessments Iall into two categories. They can either be considered summative or
Iormative, with each one playing an important role in the classroom. Summative assessments
are the 'big picture assessments, given at a speciIic point in time to determine what a student
knows and does not know. Garrison & Ehringhaus (2007) suggests 'the key is to think oI
summative assessment as a means to gauge, at a particular point in time, student learning relative
to content standards (p.1). Summative assessment is a tool that can help evaluate the
eIIectiveness oI a unit oI instruction, whether students are progressing toward curriculum goals,
and iI a student has been placed in an appropriate classroom. Meanwhile, formative
assessments are the more Iocused, in-class assessments that provide the inIormation teachers
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need to determine whether their students are absorbing the lessons being taught. Formative
assessments gauge whether you move on Irom a lesson or re-teach it, take a diIIerent approach to
a subject, or Iurther diIIerentiate a lesson so all students are beneIiting Irom the instruction.
Again, assessment is inIormation, and Iormative assessment is the day-to-day inIormation a
teacher gathers about her students. 'In a balanced assessment system, both summative and
Iormative assessments are an integral part oI inIormation gathering (Garrison & Ehringhaus,
2007, p.1).
Purpose for Assessment in Teaching and Learning
The purpose Ior assessment in teaching is clear it is the inIormation we need to measure
how eIIective our instruction is. It is the way teachers determine iI their students are doing well
on their journey toward the curriculum goal we have set Ior them. Through Iormative and
summative assessments we are able to determine what our students understand, where they are
struggling, and where they are excelling. Each student is on a diIIerent continuum and no two
students are at the exact same place. It is through assessment that teachers determine the next
step oI instruction to ensure these students are working toward a common curriculum goal. The
purpose Ior assessment in learning is an interesting one. Students have been conditioned to
dislike tests, but they may not realize that being assessed is not necessarily a bad thing. Students
do not want to attend a class that is not working Ior them. Through assessment, teachers ensure
that the pace oI instruction, the content oI the lesson, and the style in which it is taught is
appropriate and hopeIully enjoyable Ior the students.
How will I Develop an Assessment System?
My assessment system will encompass both Iormative and summative assessments;
however my main Iocus on a day-to-day basis will be on Iormative assessments. Each day my
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students will receive assessments in the Iorm oI question and answer sessions, observations oI
perIormance, journaling, assignments, entrance and exit slips, etc. there is a large range to
choose Irom and I hope to vary my approach each day. That way the inIormation I gather is a
true representation oI their knowledge, rather than gauging their ability to perIorm the same type
oI task over and over. For example, during my practicum in a Iourth grade class, I witnessed my
host teacher assess her students in many diIIerent ways. She assessed them on their abilities
(through homework, tests, assignments), through participation in class discussions, and her
observations oI their daily perIormance. She is very in touch with her students and is skilled at
assessing how they are doing without any oI them really noticing. However, she is also able to
articulate her expectations to the students through the use oI rubrics, standards and explanation,
so everyone in the class starts Irom the same place. I will take the lessons learned in this
classroom and implement them in my own.
Assessment Strategies
One oI my Iavorite ways to assess how a student is grasping the inIormation presented to
them, how they are Ieeling about the class, and how liIe in general is going is through the use oI
a journal. In my classroom, each day will start oII with a journal question. Most oI the time it
will be in regards to something they learned the day beIore, however I plan to throw in questions
like 'how are things going today? and 'what was your Iavorite part about yesterday? to gauge
how they are doing on a personal level. I also really enjoy observing students and listening in on
their conversations while they are working to see iI they understand the concepts that have been
taught. Assignments, projects, homework, and exit slips are all part oI my assessment plan as
well. My students will need to show their comprehension oI a subject through the artiIacts they
turn in. II there is conIusion or iI they obviously do not understand a concept, then a plan Ior re-
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teaching the lesson will need to be enacted. My summative assessment strategies include the
'big picture strategies such as unit tests, standardized tests, and/or end-oI-semester exams.
Although I know summative assessment has an important role, I am not a proponent oI using this
type oI assessment very oIten. I preIer to gauge my student`s learning in a more day-to-day
manner. However, when summative assessment is called Ior, I will prepare my students to do
the best they can.
Student Responsibility for Assessment
One reason I preIer Iormative assessment over summative assessment, is that with
Iormative assessment students are 'involved both as assessors oI their own learning and as
resources to other students (Garrison & Ehringhaus, 2007, p.2). As a teacher, I will be involved
with each oI my students by setting individual learning goals, determining what success in
achieving these learning goals looks like, and designing assessments that show evidence oI
learning. Again, through the use oI journaling, my students will show their progress as a learner
by discussing what they came away with Irom the day beIore. In my daughter`s second grade
class, each quarter begins with a worksheet that lists the previous quarter`s learning goals and
then gives space to create new goals Ior themselves. These are completely student driven and
only reIerence 'math, 'reading, 'spelling, etc.. Because she determined her learning goals,
she takes ownership oI her path toward IulIilling them. This increases her motivation to learn.
A portIolio is also maintained Ior each student in her class which shows their steady
improvement throughout the year. Although they do not choose what is put in the portIolio, the
students are told that each assignment that is turned in must be oI 'portIolio quality. I believe
these two examples are wonderIul ways Ior her to play an active role in learning and I plan to use
this type oI assessments in my classroom.
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Assessment Drives Instruction
I believe that assessment is the main tool to use when determining which direction my
instruction should go. I want each one oI my students to Ieel like they are a valuable part oI my
classroom, and that each oI the lessons I teach are worthwhile Ior them to participate in. The
easiest was Ior this to take place is through diIIerentiation, which Iormative assessment plays a
vital part in. As Doubet (2011) states, 'using Iormative assessment on a regular basis changes
the climate oI the classroom. It connects teachers and students in an ongoing dialogue about
what is being taught and learned (p.12). The simplest way Ior me to determine iI my students
grasped the lesson that was taught is through the use oI exit card. A simple Iive minute
reIlection on what they just learned gives them the chance to think through the lesson and
articulate their take on it. This also give me, as the instructor, the opportunity to see who
understood what was taught, who needs additional instruction, and who needs to be Iurther
challenged. From there, I will be able to assist my students individually and as a group to learn
in the way that most beneIits them.
Records of Student Learning
My assessment system will be assembled in such a way that student learning is
automatically recorded. Through the use oI grade books, portIolios, journals, etc. each
student`s steady progress towards their learning goals will be recorded. This can also be done
through each student keeping personal, on-going records oI their work. Through their
involvement in the record keeping process, it Iurther engages them in their education. The
students see 'beyond a grade, to see where they started and the progress they are making toward
the learning goal (Garrison & Ehringhaus, 2007, p.2).

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ommunicating Progress
ommunication is one oI the most important aspects oI a classroom. I plan to share as
much inIormation with my students and their Iamilies as possible through the use oI e-mail,
newsletters, conIerences, etc.. I will have an open door policy that encourages students and
their Iamilies to contact me with any issues that may arise. I want my classroom to be an open,
inviting place where my students and their Iamilies Ieel comIortable and appreciated. I plan to
have quarterly open houses/portIolio shares were students are expected to show oII their work to
their Iamilies, which means parents are expected to attend. The more opportunities I can create
Ior Iamilies to Ieel like they are a part oI my classroom, the better. I will use the same
philosophy when dealing with the school administration my classroom is a warm, inviting
place where all students, their Iamilies, the school administration, etc. is welcome.
Relationship to Practice
Although I have not become a certiIied teacher with my own classroom, I believe I have
been putting my assessment philosophy and approach into practice while in the two practicum
classrooms I have been a part oI. When I have had the opportunity to teach lessons, I have done
my best to incorporate pre and post assessments into my lesson plans, give students the
opportunity to see how they will be graded through the use oI rubrics, and I consistently observe
the interactions between my students to determine iI the lessons I am teaching are understood. I
see what a vital, important tool assessments are, that without the inIormation they provide, I am
doing a disservice to the students I am attempting to teach. I have to know where they are beIore
I can help them along to where they need to go.
Assessment is the backbone oI teaching. It allows us, as teachers, to determine where our
students have strengths, weaknesses, and when they are doing just right. My goal is to create a
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classroom where my student`s learning is assessed many times throughout the course oI a single
day. My response will be to meet them where they are and work toward comprehension and
understanding.


A s s e s s m e n L h l l o s o p h y A p p r o a c h a g e |

References

Doubet, K. J. (2011). Formative assessment: The driving Iorce behind diIIerentiation. Middle
Ground, the Maga:ine of Middle Level Education, 14(3), 10-12.

Garrison, ., & Ehringhaus, M. (2007). Formative and summative assessments in the classroom.
Retrieved Irom
http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/Assessment/tabid/1120/DeIault.aspx

Popham, W. J. (2011). Classroom assessment. What teachers need to know (6
th
ed.). Boston
MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

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