Standard #6: Assessment
The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
Artifacts:
- Tests
- Math Journal Worksheets
- Homework
Reflective Statement:
Assessments come in many different forms. They are a necessary part of teaching. Assessments help a teacher determine the progress and growth of students, and aid a teacher in making any necessary changes in instruction in order to further help the students.
The artifacts that I chose are from my fall 2014 student teaching placement. All of these artifacts are examples of the different types of assessments that I have used. In my 2nd grade classroom at Dyersville Elementary School, I use both informal and formal assessments. Informal assessments can be used and seen every day in my classroom. One simple technique is having students put their thumbs up if they understand what is being taught. This is something I often use when I am teaching whole group. Also, I have had students write their answers on whiteboards and hold them up in order to get a better idea of who is and who is not understanding the concept. Furthermore, during lessons, especially math, students will have worksheets that they need to complete. These are not graded but are checked only for understanding. In addition, I will assign homework for informal assessment purposes. I do not grade the homework, but check them and see who needs further assistance. The informal assessments that I use are also not graded. They are simply utilized to obtain day-to-day information about my students' understanding of the material. I also use formal assessments. Most of the formal assessments that I have used are tests. At the beginning of the school year, I helped my cooperating teacher assess students' reading through the use of a program called AIMSweb. This assessment tool helped us get an idea of where students compared to their other classmates in terms of their reading levels. In addition, I also tested students at the beginning of the school year by giving them word lists and seeing how many words they could identify. Again, this gave my cooperating teacher and me a better understanding of the composition of our class. Other tests that I have administered are spelling/vocabulary tests and math tests. The results of these tests assist me in determining whether or not I am providing enough instruction, and will aid me with my future teaching.
This reflection and these artifacts show my development as a teacher. It is very apparent to me that assessments are a great learning tool for teachers. I have also learned the variety of ways that students can be assessed. Assessments do not always have to be graded. They can be informal, such as observations and checklists. Furthermore, formal assessments are also of great importance. Tests and grades are an obvious necessity in tracking the progress of a student. Lastly, I have concluded that assessments are not only a reflection of the student, but also of the teacher.
The artifacts that I chose are from my fall 2014 student teaching placement. All of these artifacts are examples of the different types of assessments that I have used. In my 2nd grade classroom at Dyersville Elementary School, I use both informal and formal assessments. Informal assessments can be used and seen every day in my classroom. One simple technique is having students put their thumbs up if they understand what is being taught. This is something I often use when I am teaching whole group. Also, I have had students write their answers on whiteboards and hold them up in order to get a better idea of who is and who is not understanding the concept. Furthermore, during lessons, especially math, students will have worksheets that they need to complete. These are not graded but are checked only for understanding. In addition, I will assign homework for informal assessment purposes. I do not grade the homework, but check them and see who needs further assistance. The informal assessments that I use are also not graded. They are simply utilized to obtain day-to-day information about my students' understanding of the material. I also use formal assessments. Most of the formal assessments that I have used are tests. At the beginning of the school year, I helped my cooperating teacher assess students' reading through the use of a program called AIMSweb. This assessment tool helped us get an idea of where students compared to their other classmates in terms of their reading levels. In addition, I also tested students at the beginning of the school year by giving them word lists and seeing how many words they could identify. Again, this gave my cooperating teacher and me a better understanding of the composition of our class. Other tests that I have administered are spelling/vocabulary tests and math tests. The results of these tests assist me in determining whether or not I am providing enough instruction, and will aid me with my future teaching.
This reflection and these artifacts show my development as a teacher. It is very apparent to me that assessments are a great learning tool for teachers. I have also learned the variety of ways that students can be assessed. Assessments do not always have to be graded. They can be informal, such as observations and checklists. Furthermore, formal assessments are also of great importance. Tests and grades are an obvious necessity in tracking the progress of a student. Lastly, I have concluded that assessments are not only a reflection of the student, but also of the teacher.