Assessment

Assessment can be defined as a way to monitor children’s knowledge and growth. Assessments can monitor not only a child’s academic growth, but also their social, emotional and physical growth as well. Assessment is vital to understanding what the students strengths and needs are. After analyzing data on students, I then plan my next step on how I am going to support them as they carry on throughout their learning journey. I have used many forms of assessments. I use diagnostic assessments when first meeting new students. During my lesson I do quick checks, 3-2-1 writes, quick write and hand signals. These types of assessments are called formative assessments.

Based on what the students write or say, I then change my lesson to better meet their needs. At the end of a unit, I assign a summative assessment to see what the students have learned. Usually, my summative assessments are project based. I like having my students create posters, present as a group and explain their new found knowledge as part of my summative assessments. All three types of assessment are vital, because they allow for me to understand who needs more scaffolding and who is ready to be challenged more. Assessments help me meet the individual needs of my students. As I continue on in my education career, I will experiment with new and different types of assessments to continue to meet the diverse needs of my students. Giving different types of assessments will continue to allow my students to represent what they know in a plethora of ways.

Evidence #1: 3-2-1 Assessment (Technology Integration)

This is the sheet that my students fill out after reading. I quickly skim these 3-2-1 assessments nightly and help the students figure out the answer to their question, through the use of the internet, a note on their 3-2-1 sheet or a one-on-one conference. This assessment highlights that I understand formative assessments and how they can be used to monitor a student’s learning. This particular one is used during the student’s independent reading time (read to self). Occasionally my students will place a misconception under the “3 things I learned” section and I will conference with them or ask them to explain what made them think that. This allows my students to back up their thinking with evidence from their text, as well as clear up misconceptions that they may have.

Evidence 2: Running Record

Here is an example of a running record. I have used running records all throughout my time as a pre-service teacher. Running records let me know which strategies are being used  by that particular student and how I might improve a student’s decoding skills during Guided Reading time.