Brianna Larkin
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Overview:Assessments are a means to help the teacher determine whether the students understand the content and keep the students aware of how they are performing in the class. Effective assessments serves as a form of communication from teacher to student, explaining both what the student does well and what the student can improve. In a school where there is a traditional grading policy, using assessment as a means of communication allows the teacher to use grades as a motivational tactic. During my experience student teaching, I found that the best assessments for students to understand their performance are ones that allow students to evaluate themselves and have an open line of communication with the teacher. For measures to assess student understanding, I used a variety of formal and informal methods, such as quizzes, papers, in-class essays, entrance tickets, exit tickets, and graphic organizers. I learned from my student teaching at Central the importance of ensuring that grades and assessments match student performance in class. When students are aware that their work is being evaluated seriously and fairly, they will perform better and take the class in a more serious fashion. Assessments also have to be articulated very clearly to the students, which is why rubrics and criteria sheets are valuable resources for grading papers and projects. Assigning students a letter grade does not do enough to tell students how they are performing and what they can do to improve their grade. Grades have to be used as a way to communicate goals from teacher to student. Evidence:
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