As I begin getting my mind ready to start CEP 813, a course that really dives into assessment I have to stop and think what do I already know about assessment. How has my years of teaching shape my thoughts on assessment?
I have first and for most always believed that assessment should be used to drive instruction. If you are giving an assessment it should be used with fidelity and should be used to cater instruction. Once an assessment is given so much information can come from that. You can see if a topic has been mastered, or if reteaching needs to be done. You can use assessments to make strategy groups as well as map the next steps. Assessment can be the driving force behind what is being taught, since it gives data to back up instructional choices.
To build off of that thought, I also think assessment needs to have purpose. There are so many different assessment options out there as well as ways to assess. If there is no purpose or end goal with an assessment, giving that assessment is just a waste of time. If a teacher is going to take their time and a students time to give an assessment, there should be a purpose behind that assessment. Too often, I am given a test/ assessment to administer with my students and it has nothing to do with what I am currently teaching. So I am left to ask what is the point of this assessment?
Lastly I believe that students need to be apart f the assessment process, they need to know the purpose of the assessment as well as the expectations. For example, when my students are taking a pre-assessment I let them know that the content may be hard and it is meant for me to see what I need to teach them. When the students know the expectations it takes an anxiety away, and helps them to focus on the task at hand.
As I take time to reflect on what I already think when considering assessment, I am excited to build upon these ideas I already have, and gain a fresh new perspective on assessment as I complete this course. Stay tuned…
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